Synopsis
Hellboy: The Crooked Man fuses folk horror and supernatural folklore to tell the story of Hellboy in 1959’s remote Appalachian Mountains. In the film, Hellboy, portrayed by Jack Kesy, is in a derailed train with B.P.R.D. rookie agent Bobbie Jo Song, played by Adeline Rudolph. Their journey commences with an eerie atmosphere surrounding bare mountains, spiced by a monstrous spider.
Seeking refuge in a small town, their venture takes them to a combat zone where time stands still and some planet distant clutches the region. In meeting Ferrell, a veteran plagued with visions of the Crooked Man thanks to the sinister, cult-like past shrouding the land he fights for, they get amazing insight on the deep rooted supernatural presence haunting the land. Jefferson White’s portrayal brings to life Tom’s character lending a dose of humanity by showcasing the emotional scars where the mythical and reality intertwine.
As Hellboy, Bobbie Jo, and Tom continue their investigation, they discover that the Crooked Man utilizes ancient pacts and black magic to retain dominion over the region. The town is populated with witches, cursed inhabitants, and phantoms of people who bargained with the dark one. The supporting characters Effie Kolb, Cora Fisher, and Reverend Watts played by Leah McNamara, Hannah Margetson, and Joseph Marcell respectively, each add more depth and blurriness to the community’s boundaries with the supernatural.
Their journey takes them into the catacombs under a decaying church where Hellboy confronts parts of his infernal lineage in a climactic battle. The final confrontation is both visceral and symbolic, and challenges the combatants not only on their physical power but on their faith, redemption, and the extent of moral compromise. The film builds and sustains an atmosphere of dread and ancient evil, drawing upon rich folklore and evoking practical effects.
Jack Kesy as Hellboy: A more youthful, haunted interpretation of the iconic character. Kesy’s performance is quieter and more introspective than prior portrayals, as he emphasizes the contradictions and moral grayness of Hellboy’s character.
Adeline Rudolph as Bobbie Jo Song: an emotional rookie agent with courage and bravery that compensates for her inexperience. The relationship she builds with Hellboy mitigates the gloom of the plot by adding warmth to it.
Jefferson White as Tom Ferrell: A previous resident who abandoned the town decades ago but comes back to confront the literal and metaphorical demons from his childhood.
Martin Bassindale as The Crooked Man: In Appalachian folklore, he is the embodiment of evil personified. He is a ghostly figure and draws religious imagery with his mannerisms.
Leah McNamara, Hannah Margetson, Joseph Marcell: Their characters capture the shifting nature of alliances and the superstition of small towns, also being central to the moral quandaries and plot developments of the film.
Direction and Production
The film is in the hands of Brian Taylor, who is known for his frenetic and edgy style. In this case, however, he opts for a more muted approach that highlights unnerving silence and supernatural dread. The screenplay is adapted from a comic of the same name published in 2008, co-written by the creator of hellboy, Mike Mignola, and novelist Christopher golden.
Ivan Vatsov’s cinematography captures the Appalachian backcountry’s somber landscapes and interiors, while Sven Faulconer’s score emphasizes themes of decay and latent dread. The film’s creatures and gore are achieved through practical makeup and special effects, with minimal reliance on CGI. This approach enhances the tension by anchoring the visuals in tangible reality.
Production took place in Bulgaria from March to May 2023, aiming to represent rural Appalachia. The film’s budget was reported at $20 million. Although it was released in certain international markets, the film went straight to VOD in the United States in October 2024.
Thematic Exploration and Analysis
The Crooked Man marks a sharp tonal shift from the previous Hellboy films, allowing exploration of darker, more intimate realms, drawing on American folk horror traditions.
Folk Horror: The film employs elements of Appalachian folklore and religious dread. The Crooked Man transcends the role of a mere antagonist, embodying generational guilt and spiritual degeneration alongside the cost of forbidden wisdom. The setting—deplorable, isolated, and steeped in superstition—is integral to the film’s tone.
Redemption and Guilt: The backstory of Tom involves a human cost of redemption paying off deals with dark forces. Similarly, Hellboy struggles to come to terms with his role as a protector and potential harbinger of destruction.
Faith vs. Damnation: Hellboy also engages with religious existentialism as he battles with himself. With the church, the Reverend, and the Crooked Man, biblical motifs serve to juxtapose the tension between salvation and damnation.
Isolation and Community: The villagers, while terrified, are actively complicit in the evil surrounding them. This relates to the broader themes of societal neglect, collective willful ignorance, and the perils of inaction.
Reception
Overall, critics gave this film an average review. It received praise alongside the criticism for the pacing from critics for its adherence to the source material alongside its folk horror approach, practical effects, and slower pacing.
The film, like most now, was vaulted to mid-35 on aggregate review sites. While readers and viewers of the comics appreciated the work put into maintaining the original tone and story, everyday audiences believed the film was devoid of the expected level of entertainment value and missing polish.
Regardless of the reviews, some fans of horror were impressed by the film’s practical effects and how it tried to depart from the superhero fare and focus more on horror. Mignola’s vision for Hellboy is supported by the film’s practical effects, its tone, and the effects themselves, making it appealing to core fans of Hellboy.
Conclusion
In spite of its technical weaknesses and lack of visual polish, Hellboy: The Crooked Man is a daring reimagination seeked in the previously mentioned areas performed on the franchise that takes it’s name from the character. Though I believe adapting the story into a movie loses out on star power, it still tells a folklore rooted in fear tale.
The film finds itself unique due to its combination of folk horror and practical effects. While I believe it will not please an audience that is searching for action, it will establish its own identity and portray a gloomy narration of humanity’s worst angles and the horror processed during result we tend to forget about and neglect.
Watch Free Movies on Onionplay