Cosby also intentionally withholds information on Hellboy, his origin and backstory, which delay any potential emotional investment. In a story like this, we really need to be able to emotionally connect with the character to properly give a shit about their journey, and so Cosby’s soft-boiled script subjects the viewer to a hollow journey of self-discovery that lacks any incline of resonation. Making matters worse, the characters we collide with are introduced as if we’re already supposed to know who they are and how they’re connected to Hellboy, making an already jumbled narrative that much more convoluted.

For what it’s worth, Marshell does the best he can with the source material; it’s very competently shot and stitched together. Some of the CGI elements seem out of an earlier era and detract from the enjoyment factor, but that’s assuaged by its willingness to go over the top with gore — at least, they were for me anyways. Despite having to deliver some very cringey one-liners, I am all about David Harbour’s Hellboy. He lacks the pathos of Perlman’s version, but he does a great job with what he was given. One thing is for sure, this is not as bad as last year’s The Predator. It’s not going to fill you up, but it will douse you with blood (if you’re into that).

Recommendation: Wait for VOD or streaming. If you want a del Toro film, you’ll only be disappointed, but if you’re a gorehound, this will satisfy your bloodlust completely. If films like Spawn, Ghost Rider, and Constantine are your bag, you might like what you get here.

Rating: 1.5 demons wreaking havoc outta 5.