Hellboy (2004) User Reviews

An amazing spectacle

[garlonuss · 8/10 · 12 July 2008]

This movie is a fun watch, but mainly because of Ron Perlman. The action is well done and the story is great, but Perlman makes the character of Hellboy (a demon raised by "the good guys") just amazingly human, with a wry sense of humor. You would be hard pressed to find anyone anywhere who could do this character as well as Perlman, let alone better. The physicality seems to have been tailor made to fit Perlman's features and the delivery of the lines is just so understatedly comedic that there are few who could pull it off at all.

Of course, there are a couple times when the special effects are a little weaker than you would hope, but it doesn't detract from the movie as a whole. For instance, in the final battle scene, there are a couple shots where the Hellboy character clearly appears to be GC. But the fight moves so fast that you don't have much time to focus on those shots before something else amazing happens.

See it. Love it.

Guillermo Del-Toro's exciting, fun tribute to the flamboyantly cool powers of comic books

[Quinoa1984 · 8/10 · 9 March 2007]

Hellboy is self-conscious, perhaps, but in the best ways possible. Actually, it's more due to writer/director Toro being very aware of what makes up the conventional bits to every sense character-wise to the world of a comic-book, but also what can be entertaining as well, than it is just to having it being a Hellboy movie where the comic-book Hellboy already exists IN this world (guy sees the Hellboy comic, looks up, it's Hellboy!). We get the tough-as-nails, dryly witty, and possibly ticking-time-bomb hero in Hellboy, a deadly serious villain in Rasputin (yes, Rasputin, with a blonde Nazi as his evil side-kick no less), the young apprentice to the hero (Ruper Evans as John Meyers), the hero's love interest (Liz Sherman played by Selma Blair), the father figure (John Hurt's Professor), and the reluctant 'boss' (Jeffrey Tambor), not to mention the plucky side mutant in Abraham (Doug Jones) AND a magnificent creature in that hard-ass slug. They're all there, bright as day (or dark, depending on point of view), and it all works wonderfully due to Toro running with it all head on. It's not done in a way that's meant to pander to the audience, either, but just to have fun with the conventions, to see what makes them all crackle and pop under big-time special effects. It's not quite a guilty pleasure because Toro is also a smart craftsman.

And craftsman just as much as director, he crafts this world where the creatures (which were and still are Toro's forte) are fierce and radically charged, whether they're crucial to the picture like Rasputin's rabid, rapidly hatching slug-monsters that can only be killed one or two ways, or if it's just a minor creature like the zombie Russian corpse that leads a little of the way when Hellboy and his crew are in the main hideout of the villains ("I was better off dead!"). Toro is sensitive to the characters alongside this, and makes them all pretty believable- and I say pretty cause it's all a little simple, yet effective, in the main thrust of Hellboy's emotional core being about Liz and if she may or may not go for John over him- and doesn't dumb it down too much or contrive the relationships for the audience. It's a good balance, because there is A LOT of action in Hellboy, in fact probably at least a 60% allotment to either Hellboy fighting the monsters after him (usually in the subway, or in the Russian castle), or with the possibly un-dead assassin in the mask and leather who marks as one of the fiercest forces in comic book movies.

So, fan-boys rejoice, because Hellboy should, and hopefully will, have everything one looks for in a brawny, high-octane entertainment where humor isn't confused with cheesiness (Perlman is too well focused as a possible anti-hero to get into any of that, as he makes that hugely built red lug a very real being), and the action isn't over-done with a tongue-in-cheek. Not that Toro doesn't flirt with having goofy things in his picture, like a moment where Hellboy has to save a box of kittens from the grasp of the slug-monster. But they're earned moments among a very tightly constructed story where human evils in history and the bizarre in what is in the facts (Hitler into the occult, Rasputin's very long death) into a comfortably understood framework of comic-book clichés that never get too old when done right. Bottom line, can't wait for number 2!

Red Horns Do It Better...

[loganx-2 · 8/10 · 11 June 2008]

Great comic series, good times on screen. Del Toro doesn't capture the shadowiness and the Gothic art of the books, but does the get the heart of the material, and plays it well between lighthearted comedy, lighthearted action, and as much weirdness(talking corpses, psychic merman, pyroknesis, Rasputin, clockwork Nazi assassins, and Cthulu, to name a few of the flourishes), as the story can handle.

It is a super-hero movie, but one that mixes in occult myths, weird tales, and conspiracy theories, into a fine entertainment brew. Can't wait to see the next installment in the "The Golden Army". One of the best comic to film adaptations, not for style, but for heart and for fun's sake.

Great entertainment delivered in a visually stylish package

[ametaphysicalshark · 20 June 2008]

Guillermo Del Toro's "Hellboy" is really the sort of comic book adaptation that should be commonplace- a film that feels every bit like a comic book in its energy, style, and visual feel, but is entirely worthy on a cinematic level as well.

Sadly, "Hellboy" doesn't really have much of a plot, at least for half of its running time. Its first hour is Hellboy fighting squids and the mandatory character introductions, and its second hour feels pretty rushed as a result, having to introduce and resolve the bulk of the film's story. Thankfully, however, "Hellboy" avoids the comic book-to-film cliché of basing the first film of any given franchise on the 'superhero origin story' (not that Hellboy is much of a superhero, he's really just a smartass with a gun, except he's from hell), instead keeping all that to a short and dazzling pre-credits sequence. Other than the somewhat rushed and oddly-placed plot aspects, Del Toro's screenplay is fairly impressive, providing plenty of nods towards the comics and a good amount of wit and humor, also echoing the nature of Mike Mignola's work.

The most impressive aspects of "Hellboy" are Del Toro's direction and Guillermo Navarro's photography. Del Toro was always a superb director in terms of visuals, although I've had issues with several of his scripts. His most accomplished film to date in this regard would probably be the superb "The Devil's Backbone", but "Hellboy" shows that he has a surprising knack for directing action in a fluid manner without resorting to the cheap method of quick cutting. Also notable in terms of Del Toro's work here is how he subtly manages to pay homage to the memorable artwork of the comics, for example the overhead shots of Hellboy.

The CGI effects are quite good considering the film's relatively modest budget, and thankfully they don't form the basis for much of this film. The cast are all solid if not fantastic, although Ron Perlman is probably the best actor I can think of to play Hellboy. The final shot is beautiful and perfectly in keeping with the pulp poetry of not only this film but also the comics it is based on.

8/10

Hellboy, not perfect, but entertaining.

[has_no_pseudonym · 7/10 · 1 December 2004]

Let's be blunt, the movie is, in essence, a little lumbering and flawed and has a rather odd climax. The beginning is overlong and vaguely too fantastical, but once you realize this is a very different world, a comic book really, and normal rules don't apply, it can be forgiven. In fact most of the flaws can be forgiven because of Ron Perlman and what he brought to the picture.

This is one of few movies I've ever gone to see on the opening weekend, possibly the only one. And I did so because I was already a fan of Ron Perlman and it was great to see him in a leading role, even though he's covered in makeup. Perlman is the best thing in this movie; he is perfect as Hellboy. He swaggers through it as if he'd always been a leading man. Delivering one-liners with ease and to perfection, battling monsters through subterranean sets and city streets, and giving a great comedic performance as well as a very emotional one that makes you just love the big red oaf. A great feat considering the extensive makeup he had to act through.

And the makeup and prosthetics are the best of its kind I've ever seen. There's movement and expression in the lips at times that you would think would be impossible. You might at first think that the lips are rather stationary and unexpressive, but if you just pay attention you'll see that there is a lot of movement and subtleties to it. Rick Baker should be praised for his work in this, it's amazing.

Doug Jones is awesome as the body of Abe Sapien. His movements are truly beautiful. And David Hyde Pierce as the voice is perfect. Abe is a very interesting and neat character that I wouldn't mind seeing more of. And his makeup is as amazing or even more so than Hellboy's.

John Hurt is great in this, as is Jeffrey Tambor. Everyone in this does a great job. But Perlman's performance as Hellboy really holds the movie together. His character stands out and speaks to the audience better than any other.

If you liked X-Men or Spider-Man don't expect a movie as well polished and put together, but you should be able to enjoy it and the more overt comic book feel of the movie. And unlike the aforementioned movies there is quite a bit of light humor throughout Hellboy that should garner some laughs from most anyone.

Hellboy isn't perfect, I would have changed some things, but I had fun watching it and in the end, especially for a movie of this type, I think that's what matters most. In fact I like it more now, after seeing it again, than I did when walking out of the theater.

Hell of a Movie!

[ghoulieguru · 7/10 · 29 January 2005]

Alright, so seeing as how I'm comment #430, I don't imagine that anyone is going to read my review, or that anyone will be encouraged to watch Hellboy because of anything that I'll say. There are others who have written short novels on IMDb about what a great movie this is, so there's no point in me doing more of the same.

Suffice it to say that this movie is beautifully shot, well acted (with the exception of the kid who plays the FBI agent) and directed by masterful Guillermo Del Toro with style and grace. It's not for everyone, and those who are fans of the comic will probably enjoy it more than your average moviegoer. But if you like movies like The Crow or Darkman, this one is right down your dark little alley.

Entertaining comic book movie

[rbverhoef · 7/10 · 28 November 2004]

When you are watching a comic book movie you have to take certain things for granted. The superpowers, strange villains, things like that. They are there in a non-existing world; saying they are implausible is true but not relevant. What a comic book movie needs is a nice story that is set in its own world (although real existing places can be there too), an entertaining superhero played by an actor who is able to really create the character, spectacular visual effects that fit the action but most of all it needs to breath the right mood. 'Spider-Man 2' did a perfect job, 'X2', 'Blade II' and now 'Hellboy' come very close. The difference is that 'Hellboy' is the first from what will probably become a series.

The superhero in 'Hellboy' is, of course, Hellboy (Ron Perlman). How he arrives on earth has something to do with Nazis, around 1944, which we see in the first ten minutes of the movie. Let us say he is just here, present day, on the good side, with a professor named Bruttenholm (John Hurt) as his father figure; he was there when Hellboy came from hell. The villains are the same Nazis, you learn why they are still alive, and a lot of monsters they have created. We also meet a love interest for Hellboy named Liz (Selma Blair) and his new partner, Agent Myers (Rupert Evans).

So Hellboy will fight the Nazis and the monsters, but there is more. His father figure is close to death and the love interest, who sets on fire when she is excited, is not really interested. What makes this movie entertaining, besides the right mood we constantly feel, is the dry humor Ron Perlman brings to the character. Hellboy is supposed to be a secret for the outer world although rumors of his existence are there. When Agent Myers goes for a walk wit Liz Hellboy gets jealous and follows them over rooftops where he encounters a nine year old boy. The boy recognizes Hellboy and the scenes that follow the encounter are close to brilliant.

There are other very fine moments. At one point a character asks why photographs of UFO's, aliens or Hellboy are always blurry, not very sharp. We see the truth in this question although ironically in a comic book world the question is very out of place; Hellboy does exist. May be this is not the best comic book movie, but entertaining it is. Compare it to another 2004 movie like 'Spider-Man 2' this one seems flawed although we can see the same amount of fun the characters have. Compare it to the dark and brutal 2004 comic book movie 'The Punisher' and this one is terrific, feels like a comic book the entire time, has an interesting hero with humor. That everything around it is pretty silly we just have to take for granted.

One of the best comic book films

[BrandtSponseller · 10/10 · 2 February 2005]

Towards the end of World War II, the Nazis engage in efforts to win the war through means of invoking the paranormal. They attempt to open a "portal" for seven beings who are meant to invoke the apocalypse on Earth, but a U.S. Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense is on hand to stop them before they get too far. They do not stop them as quickly as they'd like, however, and the U.S. troops soon discover that a bizarre infant, part devil, part man, red, with horns and the demonic works, with a large right hand made of indestructible stone, has gotten through. They acquire the infant, we go forward in time to the late 20th Century, and most of the film concerns an adult Hellboy still working in conjunction with the U.S. government to help battle monsters and the paranormal.

Hellboy was a 10 out of 10 for me, but there are a number of criteria for any viewer to have such a high opinion of it. One, even though director Guillermo del Toro is a big fan of the Hellboy comic books and many comments have been made by him, comic creator Mike Mignola and others that the film is faithful to the books, they've also said they've changed it to suit the context of the film, so you have to not be a purist about source material to screen translations (or current screen instantiations). Two, you have to have a taste for fantasy where the creators are not very concerned with making the material coherent with or plausible in the actual world. Three, you have to enjoy your fantasy both very dark (on the horror side) and humorous/sarcastic at the same time. Four, you have to like an epic, sprawling feel to your fantasy. And Five, you have to not hate cgi creatures. I meet all of those criteria. How many you meet will likely determine how well you'll like Hellboy.

What worked best for me was the material that showed Hellboy, portrayed exquisitely by Ron Perlman, as just a regular guy cum sassy detective. Even though he's half demon, a large part of the comics, at least--and this is hinted at in the film, particularly in the climax--is a continual nature versus nurture "debate". He was raised by humans who were as normal as they could be, being government agents in a bureau dedicated to the paranormal. So he has a large number of human-like quirks, including a love of old music, beer, cats, pancakes, chili, and so on. He's also a cigar-smoking, smart-assed detective. Hellboy is at its best when it focuses on these characteristics.

But everything else works well, too. Hellboy has a monster-like counterpart, Abe Sapien (Doug Jones), and a "freak" love interest, Liz Sherman (Selma Blair), who are almost as fascinating as he is. The villain and neutral creatures (such as the "half-creature" with a speaking role towards the end) are just as captivating. There are also other characters providing enjoyable comic relief, most notably Tom Manning (Jeffrey Tambor). His adopted father, Professor Trevor "Broom" Bruttenholm (John Hurt) is intriguing. And newly recruited "caretaker" John Myers (Rupert Evans) shows promise, even if we do not get to spend much time with him here. Like many films of this type, I'd love to see all of these characters further explored in prequels, sequels and spinoffs. That's a good sign, because it shows that del Toro and fellow writers Mignola and Peter Briggs have successfully conveyed a world with "deep" characters who have extensive histories.

Also worth noting is the cinematography/lighting/production and set design, which is consistently beautiful, and ranges from the popular recent trend of more monochromatic textures (blue is the color of choice here), to the strong chiaroscuro of the comic books, to striking contrasts, such as a mostly monochromatic scene which is suddenly penetrated by a supersaturated red stream of blood. The sets are all engaging, from exteriors (one hilariously claimed to be in Newark, New Jersey) to interiors, urban to expansive countryside and even outer space environments.

As for effects, which are a large part of the film, I can't for the life of me imagine someone claiming that cgi looks "fake" compared to mechanicals, practicals, stop motion (ala Harryhausen), and so on after they see this film. For my money, these are some of the most impressive cgi creations yet, including some great cgi fight scenes.

Hellboy is captivating, suspenseful and humorous. It is well worth watching for anyone with a taste for fantasy.

Nice rendition based on Mignola's comic-book with a magnificent Ron Perlman

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 15 June 2005]

The picture talks about a nazi group belonging to the secret society Thule and Rasputin (Karel Roden) who try to invoke the dark beings opening a portal but there appears a small devil , Hellboy. Once grown up Hellboy (Ron Perlman) , his tutor (John Hurt) and chief of the Bureau Paranormal Research assigns him missions against the darkness forces which are joining in the arriving of the terrible apocalypse . He's helped by a newcomer agent (Rupert Evans) and his sweetheart (Selma Blair) with supernatural power and an aquatic being . They'll confront lots of risks , dangers , ominous monsters and nasty villains.

From start to finish action-packed , thrills and the spectacular images are continued . In the film there are heroic events , suspense , terror , humor , a romantic tale , violence , impressive gun-down and finely paced in fast-movement and that's why it results to be entertaining . Nice and enjoyable characters , although well known for the comic-books are perfectly drawn and mysterious . The movie has a creepy and spooky atmosphere similar to¨Spawn¨; however , ¨Hellboy¨ is much better film ; besides this one obtained a big success at the box office , while Spawn was a flop . Ron Perlman's acting is first-range , he plays with humor , bravura and liking . Selma Blair and John Hurt are outstanding . Guillermo Navarro's cinematography is good and colorful , it is well reflected in the extraordinary and spectacular shots . The movie was compellingly directed by Guillermo del Toro . Rating : 7/10 . Above average. Well worth watching

A highly over-looked movie that surpasses Van Helsing

[Ithorianjedimaster2 · 9/10 · 17 May 2007]

Someone told me a long time ago that "Van Helsing" and "Hellboy" were in the same level of quality, saying they "both sucked". Well, that's a filthy lie. What you have here is a movie (based on a popular comic book of the same name) that does EVERYTHING that it seems "Van Helsing" slipped on. Don't get me wrong; I liked "Van Helsing", but let's face it, it wasn't the best movie ever and it lacked a lot of character development and an ending that was a bit of a cliffhanger (because you never find out what Van Helsing's past is), but "Hellboy" is another story.

The movie starts off during the end of WWII. It appears that Nazis have been meddling in something that Paranormal Specialist Dr. Broom doesn't like too much, dark magic. With the help of the notorious Resputin, along with some unnamed woman with a sledgehammer and, despite him being a Nazi, my favorite assassin, Alex Kronen, the blade-wielding gas-masked bad boy that you meet in the early part of the movie. In an attempt to awaken the seven gods of chaos, Resputin's plan is foiled by American soldiers, who are aided by Dr. Broom. After a cool looking gun fight, the portal that was built to reach the seven gods is destroyed, along with Resputin. However, the portal was open for too long and Dr. Broom warns the American general "something may have gotten out." Which leads to the discovery of a certain red 'ape' with the world's largest whammer (for you sick-minds out there, I mean he has a large fist made of stone) and is quickly adopted by the Americans, after given the name Hellboy.

Then the movie sets off, and that is when more of the fun begins. Hellboy, now about 60, (but looks just out of his 20's since he doesn't age as fast as we do) is the monster-hunting character that Stephen Summers wanted Van Helsing to be. Hellboy is a lord of wisecracking and doesn't really take things seriously, and he also has the coolest gun in the world, the Simaritan, a revolver that shoots "big bullets".

The acting in the movie is very well done. Hellboy's character is realistic and believable, since you can't help but love his sarcasm, such as discovering a egg-like parasite on his arm and when Agent Myers asks "What is that thing?", Hellboy puts the parasite in his lap and replies "I'll go ask." Then there's the smart guy that makes up for whatever Hellboy lacks in intelligence and knowledge, the "fish guy" Abe Sapien, who, by touching any object, can see its past and future. Finally, you have Hellboy's ex-girlfriend and still-love-interest, Liz, who is a pyrokinesis who is trying hard to control her fiery powers, and is scarred from a childhood memory of when she killed many people in one of her "outbursts", which means her fire lets off a big explosion, killing everyone and everything around her at quite a distance, without harming her.

The villains are also very convincing and though there is some acting quality lacking in Sledgehammer Girl (I didn't catch her name), she has little lines and doesn't have much screen time, unlike the very creepy and just-as-deadly Alex Kronen who has been made into something of an immortal, due to his surgical addiction (he's like a killing, cool version of Michael Jackson, except Jackson's blood isn't dust and can't increase his adrenaline by cranking a dial on his chest).

The action scenes are also very fun to watch, and never go out of quality like "Van Helsing" sometimes did. This is done by not a lot of shooting or explosions or people running in circles screaming like in "Van Helsing", but is done by clever dialogue, Hellboy's constant wisecracking, and some awesome special effects . . . along with a lot of shooting.

"Hellboy" is a highly over-looked (and sometimes, under-rated) movie that makes us remember how "Van Helsing" lacked in character development and high-quality action scenes. While "Van Helsing" has its big mean monsters, which outnumber the amount of monsters in "Hellboy","Hellboy" gives us the experience Stephen Summers wanted "Van Helsing" to provide, along with some extra wisecracking and a little more attitude. "Hellboy" is a must-buy for fans of the comic or just about anyone who likes special effects and clever script-writing.

fun fun fun

[kingderella · 6/10 · 10 July 2007]

i don't know anything about the comic, so obviously i cant compare the movie to its source. i can only take the movie for what it is.

and its a fun and entertaining piece of comic book fantasy that doesn't totally suck. for a comic adaption, thats already quite something. the story is not exactly interesting, but some nice acting and surprisingly warm characterisation make up for that. the main villains (the Russian wizard and hitlerella) are a bore, but the lesser villains (the monsters and the gas mask guy) are excitingly creepy. also, the production design and special effects are quite nice.

i read a lot about how good this adaption is; as i said before, i cant comment on that. maybe the movie resonates more with people who know the comic. for a newbie like me, it was fun and entertaining, nothing less and nothing more.

Quality comic book capers

[pugheaven · 8/10 · 9 September 2007]

What a cracking little film this is, haven't seen it since the cinema in 04' and it's better now than then with some sensational effects. Great script with Ron doing a splendid job. I've never read comics as I don't like them, but I'd go so far as to say, apart from Batman, this is the best comic book to movie tie in ages... not cheesy, just the right amount of comedy in it and good solid acting. Music could've done with a alittle more inspriation, but this film looks great with some lovely lit scenes especially when hellboy is in the snow, he looks fanastic ;-)

Can't wait for the sequel Pug

Quite stylish but somewhat disappointing movie.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 6/10 · 5 March 2005]

Director Guillermo del Toro already showed with his previous movies that he has a great visual style. "Hellboy" is no exception and it has a great dark comic book atmosphere. Too bad that the story and most of the characters don't really work out the way they're supposed to.

The character of Hellboy self works out just great! This is thanks to mainly Ron Perlman but also to the very convincing make-up effects. The rest of the characters feel like they are only put in the movie to fill up the screen. Selma Blair is very boring as Liz Sherman and it never became clear to me in the movie why professor Bloom, out of all people picked John Myers. Not really a good character either. The two characters Abe Sapien and Tom Manning (Jeffrey Tambor is wonderful!), who were about the two most entertaining characters, disappear way too soon out of the movie. But most disappointing are the villains which are often the most important in 'super-hero' movies like these. Having Rasputin as the main villain of course is already a ridiculous idea itself but on top of that he simply isn't a very good and convincing villain. Uber-Nazi Karl Ruprect Kroenen is a way more interesting villain. He is the kind of villain I love in movies, cool outfit, awesome weapons, he can't seem to die and he has no lines. Excellent, scary, cool and mysterious all in one. Not bad for a 107 year old. He also was way more better than the most of the time, special effects monsters.

The special effects were at times good, mediocre and just at times unconvincing.

The action also was somewhat disappointing. I think this is due to the wrong offbeat pace in the movie. Everything is happening way too fast. One moment Hellboy is giving away some great, fun and cool one-liners and the next he's fighting a monster in the subway. Because everything is happening so fast, the story also isn't always easy to follow. The movie wasn't as entertaining as I had hoped and expected. I'm sure that when I read the script I would like the story better than I did while watching the movie.

It still is a somewhat entertaining movie to watch but not one that I would recommend to everyone. However I'm still looking forward to "Hellboy 2" also because 'superhero' sequels are only getting better and better these last couple of years ("Spider-Man 2", "X2"). Hopefully the title will be; "Hellboy 2: The Return of Kroenen"? One could only wish for...

6/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Im sorry, you say this is a film?

[sam-carter-n-the-toon · 1/10 · 16 July 2009]

OK, let me start off by asking... Can i have those few hours of my life back please? I wasn't all that fussed when this film came out at the cinemas so after 5 years of not being bothered and someone i know hounding me to watch it, i decided to go against my better judgement and borrow it. Terrible mistake. In all fairness the opening to the film was good and i thought to myself 'i may have been wrong' but it was all downhill from there. We're just thrown right into the middle of a story. Nothing is explained about the relationship between Hellboy and Liz, or at least it isn't explained very well. There was a pointless thing between Liz and Myers (seriously what was the point of it?) and finally whats with the fish thing?

Lets move on the the acting. There was none basically. The Script horrific to say the best, very cheap humour, a VERY cheesy love scene at the end which made me want to throw up. Horrendous in every way possible.

The one star i have given this film is for actually making it to the cinema because how it did is beyond me. One of the worse films i have seen since Spider-man 3 (and we all know how good Spider-man 3 is).

It's very rare that i don't enjoy a sci-fi action movie and it's even rarer that i tell people to avoid seeing a film but unfortunately this is the case, so... Do NOT watch this film, i wouldn't waste a penny on it!!!!!

Good

[0U · 23 February 2020]

I've been slowly making my way through Guillermo del Toro's catalogue of movies and this is my first time watching Hell Boy. If you're a Del Toro fan, then this one won't disappoint. He's such a superior director - he adds artistry to this action film through his use of shot making, pacing and colour. At times, the dialogue attempts to be a bit too cute and the love story adds little to the plot, but overall, it's a fun movie that doesn't try to overextend itself.

love Guillermo's style, characters lack depth

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 22 September 2013]

The Nazis with Grigori Rasputin tried to raise hell but instead raised Hellboy (Ron Perlman) when US forces intervened. Prof. Trevor Bruttenholm (John Hurt) becomes his adopted father figure, and heads a group of strange freaks including Abe Sapien (Doug Jones/David Hyde Pierce) and the frail Liz Sherman (Selma Blair). They are joined by a naive new agent John Myers (Rupert Evans).

And together they must take on Nazis yet again. On the face of it, there's a lot to like about Guillermo del Toro's unique visual style. Ron Perlman is perfect as a bigger than life sarcastic hero. But everybody is a 2-dimensional cut out. Sure it's supposed to be a comics but it has to be a movie too.

The most disappointing is the John Myers character. There is no charisma. I think there's supposed to be some chemistry between him and Liz Sherman. Not even close. We're supposed to see the world through his eyes. Rupert Evans just isn't good enough.

Stops short of being a great comic-book movie.

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 7/10 · 28 January 2007]

As far as most comic-book movies go, they usually follow the same-old path of showing us the origins of whatever hero for about 45 minutes before getting into a real (but usually superficial) plot. This can lead to a never-ending list of deadbeats such Hulk, Spider-Man and Catwoman and rarely ends up with a good movie (Batman Begins is one rare example). Guillermo Del Toro seems to make a compromise of introducing Baby Hellboy during the end of WWII and then flashing forward 60 years to adult HB (though genetically he's barely out of his 20s) working for the Government.

The Beurau of Paranormal Research uses Hellboy as a weapon against the forces of evil. Being a demon from Hell himself, but preferring to fight for the good side, HB works with Abe Sabien (a very likable sort of fish-man) and his pyro-kinetic would-be girlfriend Liz. Raised by Professor Broom (John Hurt) he regularly has fallings out with his human father and even hides his cigarette smoking from him. I find the stroppy teenager attitude a unique character quirk that works well. What's even cooler is HB fondness for cats. Which not a typical characteristic of a demon born in Hell.

The world's last living super-evil Nazis resurrect the mad-monk Grigori Rasputin and aim to bring about Armageddon by awakening sleeping Lovecraftian Gods, frozen in time at the edge of the universe. A tough job, even for HB, but it's all in a days work for the Beurau of Paranormal Research.

Del Toro works wonders in bringing to life atmospheric sets (check out the flooded subway station) and horrific creatures but stops short of making Hellboy a dark epic. The CGI is impressive and the visions of Hell are interesting but there's just some intangible element that seems to be missing and the film feels incomplete. Even the Director's Cut still feels a bit alienating.

However the action and humor is quite entertaining and the villains (especially 107-year-old, crazed assassin Kroenen) are definitely the kind you want to see die horribly. Enjoy it for what it is, even if you feel it's not entirely wholesome by the end.

Good action sci-fi thriller

[Calicodreamin · 7/10 · 15 September 2019]

Hellboy is a great comic book adaptation, with a sarcastic not so superhero and his band of misfits. Acting is great from the whole cast, and dialogue flows easily. The action scenes are well rendered and the storyline easy to follow. Great make-up and cinematography make for a visually appealing movie. Really enjoyable.

An awesome thrill-ride

[morris8277 · 9/10 · 2 April 2004]

I'm usually pretty skeptical about comic book to film translations thanks to such esteemed turkeys as "Captain America", "Daredevil", and "Punisher" (the early 90's version with Dolph Lundgren). But this movie, which could've been bad.....real bad, somehow found a way to be ammusing and entertaining, while at the same time staying faithful to the comics original characters, storylines, and influences.

Now this film's not gonna win any awards and isn't going to turn non-comic fans into hardcore comic maniacs but it is a great pre-summer action/adventure film with some comedy and a bit of the eccentric tossed in for good measure.

I won't go into the usual routine and start giving away plot points and story snippits. All I will say is "Go see the movie". But before you do you must take all logic, all sarcasm and cyncism and toss those all out of the car window on the way to your local cinemas. This movie has alot of things that may contradict alot of things that most people believe in, but remember, ITS JUST A MOVIE. Thats what movies are for, they are meant to take the impossible and make it possible and so on. Like I said, this movies not going to be an award winner, and won't be on any critics ten best lists, but it will be a film that you'll laugh at, and generally have fun watching. Its a great escape from the surrealistic existence that many of us live every single day. So, take my advice, go see this movie, sit back, relax, and have some fun.

Not as fiery as it could have been

[Stampsfightclub · 7/10 · 6 September 2008]

Ron Perlman (Beauty and the Beast) stars as Hellboy, a creature who arrives in earth after an experiment during the war went wrong, and now in modern day works for the government as a protector of the good from the bad.

Based on Mike Mignola's comic books, this charming and action packed fantasy adventure delivers on a wonderful entertaining basis, though with a few flaws.

With an entertaining and magical opening, Hellboy will invite you into a fantastical world filled with dark magic and extraordinary creatures.

The war settings and the business surrounding the opening are highly intriguing and will grab your attention straightaway, and when the child of Hellboy arrives you will be hooked as time moves forward with a montage of the creature growing up under the government's influence.

The plot revolves around Hellboy, and his relationship with society and evil, and somewhat ironic that a guy from hell is good, which gives the ideology of the film a sweet edge. There isn't much reference to heaven and hell as one or opposites, which would have created more depth and a greater understanding of Hellboy's home and instead, focuses upon the good nature of the hellish man, and it's interesting to see him portrayed as a man, with human emotions and beliefs rather than an animal, which is the view of the society in the plot, which creates emotional tension and entertainment, and a sort of controversy for current society.

Filled with action packed sequences, Hellboy dives into a horror and fantasy genre with its use of different creatures and appearances, giving the film a unique and approachable appeal, which is largely helped by Del Toro's stunning and gripping direction.

The Hellboy himself is interesting. Though funny, every phrase he utters feels like he knows he is a superhero, thinks himself cool, and adds way too much sophistication and daftness to his character. These phrases add up to unnecessary egotistical central protagonist, who despite being funny, can be very annoying and clichéd.

The plot is consistent, delivering action and suspense on a consistent basis with a different approach to the superhero genre. The ending however feels put of place with a dramatic climax which had no proper build up. Nevertheless and entertaining surprising action film

They don't make 'em like they used to

[bowmanblue · 9/10 · 20 March 2018]

If ever there was a film that probably shouldn't work, it was one about a reformed demon, born during World War II and designed to help the Nazis take over the world, but now spends his time slaying monsters and saving the world instead. 'Hellboy' was a film made in 2004 and came just before the massive resurgence in comic book adaptations which, to this day, still dominates the Box Office with superhero movies. It's a strange kind of film that, although popular enough to generate (and equally good, in my opinion) sequel, it never got the third part to send off the character and give him the trilogy of films that us die-hard fans felt that he deserved. The reason I say it's 'strange' is because (like many, I guess) I never knew much about the film before watching it at the cinema. I didn't know it was based on a comic and merely saw the posters advertising the movie prior to its release. I knew that (the ever brilliant) Ron Perlman was in it and that was enough for me. The fact that much marketing material centred on a giant demon silhouette sporting a huge firearm was merely a bonus for an action/horror fan like myself.

I watched it, really enjoyed it, and didn't think that much more of it. However, now I can see in these days of 'mega-franchises' why it didn't quite set the Box Office alight like it should. By its initial marketing, it looks like an outright horror film. However, it's actually a superhero film that borrows horror tropes, plus it was made before the superhero/MCU really took off. Nowadays, we're well used to rooting for our heroes after they've been granted some sort of special power enabling them to fight the forces of darkness, but most of them look like Chris Evans or Chris Hemsworth, rather than a giant, ugly, red, semi-horned monster. I guess what I'm saying is that 'Hellboy' was destined to have a real 'niche audience.'

However, if what I've already said intrigues you, I do recommend giving it a watch. First of all, it stars Ron Perlman as the titular anti-hero. Now, he's normally good in whatever he's in, but it's fair to say that he carries this film completely on his broad (red) shoulders. The other cast members, including John Hurt and Selma Blair, are good too, but it's Ron's show (although I should probably give a nod to Jeffrey Tambor as the long-suffering head of Hellboy's secret Government unit).

There's not an awful lot to say about the plot. If you've seen one superhero movie (regardless of when it was released) then you can probably predict what will happen - evil megalomaniac wants to take over the world, hero has to put the brakes on that one. However, Hellboy does it slightly differently simply because of its general 'horror' look and feel. But - don't worry - it's not all Gothic darkness - there's plenty of top-notch action scenes, cheeky one-liners from our cigar-chomping, cat-petting red hero and special effects that look more on the 'practical' side, rather than an excessive use of CGI. It's worth mentioning the effects because Hellboy's make-up is particularly simple, yet flawless in bringing the character to life. He's pretty scary at the best of times and the only things more ugly are the beasties he's sent to despatch before they destroy the world (that clockwork assassin-Nazi still gives me the creeps!).

Even though I stand by my belief that 'Hellboy' stands up today as it did when it was released, I know there's a reboot in the pipeline. I'll watch that too, simply because I like the way the film is done. However, I have my doubts that anyone can fill Ron's big red boots and whatever we'll get next (instead of the much desired third part in this franchise) will be nothing more than a studio trying to cash in on the superhero craze and going for an easy cash-grab.

The Hellboy Cottage Industry

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 17 July 2008]

If Mike Mignola isn't careful he's going to have a whole cottage industry devoted to his comic strip creation Hellboy. Having just come from Hellboy II: The Golden Army and seeing his credits at this website makes me think about what a gold mine Mignola has found.

I saw the original Hellboy and I was struck by the fact at the time I could enjoy this film as an action/adventure and the tongue in cheek humor that is prevalent throughout. A lot of that is due to the fact that Mignola was apparently given a free hand to bring his comic book creation to life on the big screen. A lot is also due to Ron Perlman and the marvelous character he creates beneath all that demon makeup.

Hellboy is brought to life by the son of Rasputin the Mad Monk in the final days of World War II. Rasputin being the good royalist he is, finds work with the Nazis who are now down to using black magic to pull out a victory. Adolph Hitler was known in fact to delve into the occult.

Anyway their experiments produce an infant demon plucked from the spirit world, but he's rescued by John Hurt who raises him like a son and he grows up to be butt-kicking demon Ron Perlman who's grown to like such earthly pleasures as beer and cigars.

Hurt functions as the Obi Won Kenobe of this piece and when he's killed, there ain't no stopping Perlman.

Hellboy is rollicking good fun, Hellboy II is even better and I'm sure we've got a Hellboy, III in our future.

Entertaining, If Nothing Else

[ccthemovieman-1 · 6/10 · 29 June 2006]

This is a pretty good cartoon-character movie. It's entertaining because of two main things: 1 - good dialog by the lead character, likeably portrayed by Ron Perlman and, 2 - the violence is not overdone, wearing you out and dominating the film.

It looked like the latter was going to be the case early on but the film calms down and the climactic scene is not overdone as it is on always every modern-day action film.

I was sorry to hear some blasphemes in here, no place for that in a comic-book hero film geared to attract a young audience. I'm not familiar with this comic book here, "Hellboy," but I was surprised he looks like so many alien-type monsters of today on screen, nothing original. They could have made him look different, unless that's how he looks in print.

All in all, despite what may sound like a critical review, the movie was entertaining and even had some nice touches of humor. It's another example of good, mindless entertainment for two hours. I would like to see the extended version and see if that's better.

It was hell sitting through this.

[gapal · 1/10 · 16 April 2004]

The title says it all. How anyone could like this garbage is beyond me. The movie took forever to pick up pace. It had too much talk and not enough action. Hellboy looked like he was wrapped in foam painted over with cheap red fingernail polish. Abe Sapien looked even cheesier, and Liz Sherman looked like a junkie instead of the love interest. The special effects were below average quality. The villains were a waste of screen time since they didn't even convey enough character for the audience to even dislike them.

To get at least part of my money's worth I sat through the whole thing unlike half the audience which walked out. I lost to perfectly good hours of my life and six dollars watching this monstrosity of a movie. Do yourself a favor and skip this garbage.