Jack Kesy takes over the iconic role in the horror movie Hellboy: The Crooked Man. Is it a return to form or is it too crooked to enjoy?
Are you ready for round three? This Friday is the third time Hellboy will be hitting the screen with a different actor playing the Demon with the red right hand. After Ron Perlman and David Harbour played the character on the screen, it is now the turn of Jack Kesy to step into ‘Big Reds’ coat. The film, Hellboy: The Crooked Man sees a step back in time to the 1950s. The film is directed by Brian Taylor from a script he wrote with Mignola and Christopher Golden. Adapting The Crooked Man limited series written by Mignola. The question is, can Jack Kesy make the film a splendid return to form for the character, or is the film too crooked to enjoy?
PREMISE
Hellboy and a rookie BPRD agent get stranded in 1950s rural Appalachia. There, they discover a small community haunted by witches. Led by a local devil with a troubling connection to Hellboy’s past: the Crooked Man.
THOUGHTS
Anyone going into the film expecting another Ron Perlman or to a lesser extent, David Harbour Hellboy movie is in for a disappointment. Instead of being a fun, jokey, violent at times and colourful movie, this is the polar opposite. To put it plainly, this is an American backwoods horror film that happens to have Hellboy in it. There is no neon here, it is a dark and dingy-looking horror movie. Even the way the film starts, just simply putting the title on the screen in a nice throwback to 1960s and 1970s horror movies, sets it apart from the previous entries. Strangely, the approach is effective. From the start, we feel as if we are in Witchfinder General territory. In a way, we are. We get the impression that we are seeing a 1950s version of the classic horror movie.
That’s not to say the effects are also a throwback to those days. The visual effects on display here are pretty top-notch. With an opening that sees a speeding train carrying Hellboy and his two companions towards their destination, we feel as if we are watching a remastered movie. Of course, the train doesn’t last too long (as does one of Hellboy’s travelling friends) in a sequence that won’t endear spiders to those who detest them. But this sets the film on its path towards the titular villain. And it isn’t a comfortable journey.
JACK KESY
Jack Kesy has the impossible task of stepping into Hellboy’s shoes. I’ll get this out of the way now. I LOVE Ron Perlman as the character. To me, he IS Hellboy. But Perlman played the character in a PG-13-rated version of the material. He did it so well, that audiences can’t see anyone else in the role, akin to Sean Connery first playing James Bond. However, they haven’t had the full Hellboy experience yet. They still haven’t here. What they do get is a more adult-orientated version of the character, more in line with Mignola’s version from the comic book. Kesy doesn’t have the physique we have seen and expect from the character. He looks a bit too lean to be Hellboy. But what he brings to the character is something that fans will be pleased with.
What he lacks in physique, he makes up for with his performance. This Hellboy isn’t a joking, colourful demon. Here, he is as miserable as sin, annoyed with everything around him and the people who surround him. That being said, we do get the Samaritan making an appearance. Some of the classic lines from the character and a throwaway reference to Professor Broom. Kesy may not be ideally suited to the role but he gives it his best shot. Those who know the look of the character with a rolled-up cigarette dangling from his lip in the comics will be in raptures. Finally, the look is reproduced in live-action. Jack Kesy plays the role like it’s his own and credit has to go to him.
THE SUPPORTING CAST
The supporting cast all put in the effort for their roles. Jefferson White as Tom Ferrell is one of the most vital parts of the story. Tom has a history in the past with The Crooked Man and has spent years trying to run from him. But love, as always, makes Tom return to face his destiny. White is a great actor and proves his worth here. Adeline Rudolph as Bobbie Jo Song, a rookie B.P.R.D. agent has the thankless task of fitting in amongst the story. Bobbie Jo is Hellboy’s partner, someone Big Red has feelings for (so far, so Liz Sherman.) But she holds her own despite almost being lumbered with the obligatory damsel in distress role. Adeline Rudolph forces her way into the audience’s minds with a performance that endears her to us.
Joseph Marcell as Reverend Nathaniel Armstrong Watts is an enigma. At times, we see a kindly blind Reverand who wants to help. At others, he is a raving mad blind man with no filter who has had his own dealings with the Crooked Man. He keeps us on our toes as we don’t know which way he will go from one minute to the next. But Marcell is always watchable and he once again excels here. Martin Bassindale as Jeremiah Witkins / The Crooked Man is the villain of the piece. And he plays the role extremely well. While not being the scariest of horror villains, he does enough to make him memorable enough. Every time he appears on screen, we are filled with dread. Bassindale makes the most of his role, becoming a character that we remember long after the film ends.
VERDICT
The ace in the hole for the film is Mike Mignola’s participation. Without him, the film would be an average, run-of-the-mill horror flick that wouldn’t be quite as enjoyable. As it is, it does come across as a low-budget reboot that no one expected or wanted at times. But with this thinking, the audience would miss out on a totally different take on the character. The film certainly earns its adult rating. It contains scenes of peril, gore, violence and scares that are not suitable for a family audience.
Some scenes are enough to make you feel ill and they stick in your mind. One sequence contains a snake emerging from in between the legs of the hapless Cora Fisher (Hannah Margetson), the love interest of Tom Ferrell. I, being petrified of snakes, had to turn away from this scene, not only because it is genuinely scary, but also because I’m a wuss with reptiles.
With some genuine scares along the way, a sense of foreboding throughout and a feeling of not knowing how it will all end, the film is enjoyable enough. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, that’s for sure. But it is a different and unique take on Hellboy, one we haven’t seen before. Take my advice. Put the three previous movies out of your mind, forget about them completely and allow the film to work its (super) natural magic on you. It won’t win any prizes but it does enough to pass the time away nicely. Come back again soon, Big Red. The cinematic world needs you.
Hellboy: The Crooked Man opens in UK cinemas this Friday from Icon Film Distribution.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
