a satanic, sophisticated and aesthetically pleasing version of Philip Marlowe

In contrast, Taylor has chosen relatively simple and short storycomic miniseries Crooked manwritten by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola – also at the helm of the film – and illustrated by the fake and righteously mythical Richard Corben.

That said, I don’t have bad memories of the two straight Guillermo del Toro-directed episodes, especially the first one, nor the unfairly maligned British Neil Marshall, but I admit that Hellboy is a character I’ve been wary of since his inception. rather for his unique and episodic adventures which is broader, more ambitious and more epic in size for sagas.

Hellboy is a highly regarded hero. Hijó ser pekla, the devil himself, can defend good with the cynicism, ironic detachment and black humor typical of the devil, or in this case, diablot. This goes perfectly with his paper avatar of a sober detective in the spirit of the pure black series hard boiled.

Hellboy Ex a kind of satanic version of Sam Spade, Marlowe or even more Mike Hammer, some short sentences, sometimes cruel humor, moral ambiguity and violent solutions that are more than justified by the horny baton he wields and his hellish first-hand knowledge.

Features that in my opinion They always work better at short distances. Let’s say: in “cases” or “missions” like this, where a specific specific conflict is being resolved. To meet a local villain or villains, to solve an ominous and dangerous situation, supernatural in nature, but not depending on it, thanks to God, nor the Devil, nor the future of humanity, nor the salvation of the Earth, nor the hope of a universal Apocalypse.

“Less is more’ is a lesson the best B series can always use, turning flaws into virtue and displaying, in many cases, authentic formal virtuosity, using a distinctly cinematic language with greater ingenuity and sophistication that perhaps hubier needed to tackle with greater technical and economic means. That’s a lesson Taylor learned to put into practice here, too.

Following the spectacular recursions of his predecessors, the director emphasized the hand of good group of artists demonstrating the charisma of a character actor such as Jack Kesy, beautifully made up, but above all maintaining his sophisticated cut and aesthetics, unusually close to the graphic style of the eccentric Richard Corben.

Corben is without a doubt one of the most original and respected comic book artists, distinguished and distinctive but also difficult, with airbrushed textures, gray atmospheres and slightly cartoonish characters, stylistically deformed without reference to the point of the grotesque, with the exception of monsters and fantastical creatures, Taylor has achieved translation with surprising perfection on panel. Seen several times in adaptations for theatrical use of the film.

Warped and sinister

Taylor is also sure a good connoisseur of hellish superhero lore. He is credited with directing other unfairly defenestrated comic book adaptations with deformed and sinister characters, in the service of good but with a deep knowledge of evil, often in a subgenre weird western a fantasy western created for DC by actor John Albano and commentator Tony DeZuniga: Jonah Hex (2010), directed by Jimmy Hayward.

The same, newly joined by his frequent partner and collaborator Mark Neveldine, would drive Ghost Rider: Espíritu de forza (2011), in my slightly shared opinion, which is better than the first installment of the spirited motorman from Marvel, who embodied the always excessive Nicolas Cage, with whom he will return to work in the city and be awesome Mom and Dad.

I admit it I sympathize with these infernal superheroes far more than the regulars. But, oh, with hellish truth. I don’t buy like Batman who doesn’t want to be fetishistic, basically a good millionaire. Don’t worry about the incredible beauty of the different versions of it El Cuervobased on James O’Barr’s character, who nevertheless strives more for my ideal, even if he lacks too much romanticism.

I refer to Even more twisted, more tortuous than tortured (which also), always on the edge of a new dark side, as you forgot Fry (1997) by Mark AZ Dippe, based on the comic by Todd McFarlane, and in many horror films features a funny Faust (2000) by Brian Yuzna, an adaptation of Tim Vigil’s character, played by the ever-beloved Mark Frost and equally recognized as the best of Fantastic Factory in recent years.

Hellboy arguably sums up this shortest filmography of super-powered hellish anti-heroes, not least thanks to previous blockbusters such as this small, ingenious, aesthetically pleasing and well fitting treatmentwhich perhaps only the most satanic lovers (in the Laveyan sense) will be able to fully appreciate its value.