As a fan of the original Hellboy films and someone who had slight hopes after the 2019 reboot, Hellboy: The Crooked Man was a massive disappointment. Coming into this second reboot attempt, I expected the film to embrace the darker, horror-centric roots of the comics as promised in the trailers. Instead, I found myself subjected to a movie that failed to deliver either as a superhero film or a horror story.
The atmosphere that should have been eerie and suspenseful was instead ruined by cheap jump scares accompanied by excessively loud sound effects. It felt like the filmmakers mistook noise for horror, making this one of the noisiest and most jarring films I’ve watched in a long time. It wasn’t the darkness I anticipated; it was an assault on the senses.
The horror elements weren’t the only issue—let’s talk about the pacing and action. What could have been a balanced blend of supernatural thriller and superhero action turned into a snooze fest. The execution was so poorly handled that even the most exciting moments felt tedious and predictable. The film didn’t have any spark to keep me engaged.
And then there were the actors. Jack Kesy’s Hellboy lacked the charisma of previous portrayals, and the supporting cast was stiff to the point where I felt the woods they filmed in had more character. There were attempts at humor, but none of the jokes landed, adding awkwardness rather than relief.
The one redeeming part of the film? The trailer, which managed to package all the best elements into a short clip that was much more compelling than the full feature. Save your money, because sitting through Hellboy: The Crooked Man is not worth the time. Watch the trailer instead—it’s honestly the best part of this movie.
It sounds like the film fell well below expectations for fans and newcomers alike, with its lack of cohesive storytelling, failed scares, and lackluster performances.
Rating: 1/10
Transformers One took me by surprise, and I have to say, it's one of the best Transformers movies I’ve seen in a long time. This animated prequel dives into the backstory of Optimus Prime and Megatron, and it does a fantastic job of exploring their early relationship on Cybertron.
When it comes to the animation style, I love it! If I were to compare it to The Transformers: The Movie from 1986, I’d say both are equally impressive for their time. What sets this one apart, though, is how much more emotion the animation gives to the characters—something the live-action films just can’t seem to capture. There’s more heart here, and the robots feel more alive, making their personal struggles hit harder.
The voice cast is honestly spot-on. Chris Hemsworth as Optimus Prime and Brian Tyree Henry as Megatron were perfect choices. They really brought out the depth of their characters’ personalities. But I have to give a special shout-out to Keegan-Michael Key as B-127/B. His comedic timing was on point, and it provided a great balance to the more intense drama in the movie. Without his humor, the tone might have felt a bit too serious.
What really pulled me in was the storyline. Focusing on the relationship between Optimus and Megatron gave me a better understanding of why Megatron became who he is. I actually found myself feeling for him—until I remembered how much I still hate him. Optimus Prime was there, trying to help him all along, but learning that he was fed lies by someone he once admired would make anyone as angry as Megatron gets. Even though I get where Megatron’s coming from, I’m still team Optimus all the way.
I’m giving Transformers One a solid 9/10. It’s by far one of the best animated movies I’ve seen this year, though I still have The Wild Robot to watch next week, so we’ll see if that changes. But for now, Transformers One is definitely a standout film and a must-watch for any Transformers fan.
Rating: 9/10
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