My first introduction to the character with the first movie on the big screen so I’d been looking forward to reviewing this one after our local cinema didn’t show it during its theatrical run, now fans of Hellboy will be delighted to hear that Icon Film Distribution is releasing Hellboy: The Crooked Man, the fourth instalment in the global franchise, on 4K Special Collector’s Edition, Blu-ray, DVD & Digital from 9 December.
Written by series creator Mike Mignola, Hellboy returns to the screen in a brand-new instalment of the global hit franchise that expertly blends action with chilling horror.
In 1959, Hellboy (Jack Kesy) is enlisted to aid rookie paranormal researcher, Bobbie Jo Song (Adeline Rudolph), in the transportation of a deadly creature. However, their mission soon goes awry when an accident leaves them stranded in the forests of rural Appalachia where a small community resides, haunted by demonic forces. With all clues pointing towards witchcraft, Hellboy and his allies must hunt down the source of this evil – the ‘Crooked Man’ who has been sent to Earth to harvest souls for the Devil.
I have to say that when the news was announced that we were getting another Hellboy film without Ron Perlman in the titular role I wasn’t too sure about the release, I love Guillermo del Toro’s first two films with their over-the-top look and creatures that just looked so amazing. Although I am a fan of his work, the third movie from Neil Marshall didn’t do anything for me and some of the CGI in the film were a little disappointing.
Hellboy: The Crooked Man is so far from the previous movies and even takes us back to the 50s with a rather fun opening of a train as Hellboy (Jack Kesy) and Bobbie Jo Song (Adeline Rudolph) are on a mission to bring back a creature to the B.P.R.D. (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense). But not everything goes to plan and they find themselves deep in the woods something is just not right as The Crooked Man is haunting the woods, this is where the film becomes a dark foreboding story that certainly gives you chills.
Director Brian Taylor (Crank, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance) has certainly taken the character back to the bare bones of the franchise, forgetting all the lavish-looking creatures and the CGI to tell a story. This adaptation of the character is dark and spooky, it becomes more of a supernatural thriller with a twist of horror to keep us entertained from start to finish, this wasn’t what I was expecting from the movie and it’s a refreshing change from the previous films and for me, it was much needed.
The darkness of the story and film itself could have been an issue but the cinematography from Ivan Vatsov works so well even in the darkest of scenes with plenty of definition to still be able to see what is going on. With lots of films and TV shows being dark these days sometimes it can be an issue but thankfully not with this release.
Sven Faulconer’s soundtrack also works very well to bring several moments of fear and dread, plus lighter moments.
If you are a fan of the Hellboy comic books then this is a film that you may want to add to your collection, if you are a fan of the films as well then Hellboy: The Crooked Man is a refreshing change from the previous three films. It’s a fresh new take on the film franchise and I do hope that we get a sequel to this one with Kesy returning to the role of Hellboy.
The 4K release has some great special features as does the Blu-ray, but if you want to delve more into the film and behind the scenes, the cast and crew interviews are worth checking out on both releases.
Hellboy: The Crooked Man on 4K Special Collector’s Edition, Blu-ray, DVD & Digital courtesy of Icon Film Distribution.