The fourth Hellboy film is the best of the franchise and one of the best films of 2024.
Based on one of the actual comic story lines, set in 1959 the film follows Hellboy and his assistant Bobbie Jo Song as they transport a spider with supernatural powers to a safe place. When the spider gets loose and the battle to contain it on the train end up tossing the BPRD agents and the spider into the wilderness. As they try to find their lost cargo the pair end up in the middle of a situation involving witches and the demonic Crooked Man, a being who will grant your wishes for your soul.
The trick to enjoying this film is forgetting the other films. Sure it’s the same character, however the decades earlier than in the other films. He is teenager- he was brought to this world at the end of WW2- hence not as beefy looking. It’s a film done in the style of a folk horror film of the 1960’s or 70’s, or perhaps a drive-in horror film. It’s a small scale film that has the same character but not the huge budget and set pieces. This is a genuine scary horror film and not a big budget action fantasy.
I loved this film. I loved that it made me scared. I love that the film had me wondering who would live and who would die- it’s clear from the opening moments that no one other than Hellboy is safe. I love that the horror is real world. Out side of the spider things are closer to real.
This is as good as horror films get.
I know that the reaction to the film is mixed and I don’t understand why. Is it because it’s not Ron Pearlman and the big budget film? Is it because it’s a genuine horror film and not an action adventure film? I suspect it’s because the lovers of the comic book character haven’t actually rea Mike Mignola’s comic book…because this is the freaking comic book.
Not to put too fine a point on it this is a masterpiece and one of 2024’s very best films.
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