Hellboy II: The Golden Army

HELLBOY II threatens to be nothing more than your latest CGI-laden braindead Hollywood action movie, and yet it's not, thanks to the presence of director Guillermo del Toro. Del Toro has to possess one of the most imaginative minds in Hollywood and he brings a level of creativity to the movie that's sorely lacking in most genre fare getting released these days. Del Toro's imagination comes to the fore in the myriad creatures he creates for this movie, bringing to life monster upon monster with no end to the creativity in sight.

Even better, the producers have the budget to match the vivid creations coming out of the minds of this film's makers, and the special effects do not disappoint. The CGI in this movie is phenomenal, with not a single effect out of place. Having just sat through the dodgy, odd-looking chimpanzees of RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, I'm doubly impressed by the quality of the CGI in this movie (which was made with a lower budget than the ape film, it has to be said). It's an entirely visual film, one which never disappoints.

The plot, of course, is secondary to the effects, but that doesn't matter so much this time around. As usual, there's a bad guy (Luke Goss, returning as a del Toro villain after BLADE II) who wants to take over the world and who has all manner of mean and wild creations to help him in the process. Up against him is Hellboy and his companions. The return of welcome old faces is great (and kudos to the writers for giving the excellent Abe Sapien a bigger part this time around) and the new character of Johann Krauss is similarly a work of genius. Hellboy is his usual wisecracking self and Perlman brings plenty of laconic humour to the part.

The narrative pretty much leads from one wild set-piece to the next, with some more effective than others. Hellboy's encounter with the nature god is my favourite part of the film, although the run-in with the titular army at the movie's climax is also fairly exhilarating. Okay, so this isn't a great movie – the story doesn't hold up to a great deal of scrutiny, after all is told – but it looks the part and I can't dislike any movie with this level of sheer inventiveness behind it.

My Take: An elaborate set of imaginative creature effects and the always interesting lead character make the show worth watching.

I have a confession to make: I haven't seen the original HELLBOY yet. And neither have I seen it when I saw the much-praised sequel HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY. But that's just what I really like about this sequel: It doesn't require you to have seen the original to fully enjoy this weird and entertaining excursion. Seeing the original would certainly add to the experience, but taken in its own rights, HELLBOY II does what a sequel should do: Not just live up to the expectations left by its predecessor, but also shine as a stand-alone effort.

And yet I have another confession: I have not seen Guillermo Del Toro's crown jewel PAN'S LABYRINTH yet. But seeing HELLBOY II, I am more than impressed by his wild imagination. HELLBOY may have been based on a comic book, but for anyone who isn't a fan of the comics, Hellboy is Del Toro's own creation. Like what Tim Burton did with BATMAN, Del Toro has modeled Hellboy (Ron Perlman) as his own creation on-screen, and he's a very interesting character. Perlman never wastes his opportunity to provide depth as well as nuance to his character. Perlman proves himself worthy, not just an ideal action hero (under tons of make-up), but as yet another actor who successfully embodies the role of a comic-book character.

As in PAN'S LABYRINTH, Del Toro populates the world of HELLBOY II with some truly fascinating and intriguing creatures. Roger Ebert made a truthful compliment by stating that the world of HELLBOY II reminded him of the famous Cantina scene from STAR WARS. What George Lucas has conceived within only a few minutes of screen time in his movie, Del Toro manages to do for 2 hours. The creatures are imaginative, not just in look but in personality, and they are at an abundance. Plus, they're also mostly done using make-up effects rather than CGI, which makes them all the more real. Add to Del Toro's imaginative set pieces, he is a master storyteller. From the opening scene, where "Broom" Bruttenholm (John Hurt) tells the legend of the "Golden Army" to a young Hellboy, Del Toro exhibits is true talents at telling a good story. There are moments of thrills and even laughs, and the visuals are superb. Supporting performances and some neat special effects (notice that I praised the CGI later in in this review) make for one worthy adventure ride. HELLBOY II isn't perfect, but it sure is great at what it was doing.

Rating: **** out of 5.

I was excited when I heard that the first Hellboy film was getting a sequel. And considering Guillermo Del Toro and Ron Perlman were returning, it was guaranteed to be a hit. More supernatural elements, more Abe Sapien, and more weirdness. I don't know how this movie fared at the box office or the critics, but I enjoyed it and I wouldn't mind seeing it again.

A lot more fun than the original, though unlike many reviewers I kind of miss the darker, real-life villains. (Is anything hotter than Rasputin the Russian mystic making love to a stunning blonde Valkyrie of the SS?) Anyway, the cute elf princess and the fish-like Abe make a surprisingly romantic pair, the fight scenes rock, and the dialogue is sharp and funny almost all the time.

Only one regret: I do wish they could have yanked "Can't Smile Without You" by Barry Manilow, and replaced it with a song with a bit more soul. I would suggest "When A Man Loves A Woman" by Percy Sledge. Or "Hello Stranger" by Barbara Lewis. Or "Walk Like A Man" by the Four Seasons. Or just about anything but Barry Manilow!

I have long felt that the first Hellboy installment is one of the most underrated films of the 2000's. The first thing you notice about both the first film and this more than worthy successor is the passion. Everything is simply beautiful (not in the typical beautiful sense, but in that you appreciate the art that it is), and it should come as no surprise as the film's director, Guillermo Del Toro, is a long time fan of the comic stories on which the movie is based. Del Toro turned down multiple high profile projects, including multiple Harry Potter films, so he could work on the Hellboy series, which we all know will not gross as much money. Del Toro's passion for excellence is evident in this wonderful sequel, which is better than the first, and cements Del Toro's place as one of the top filmmakers of today.

The first thing I liked about the movie: the easy transition from the first to the second movie. Though I don't remember exact plot details, it was very easy for me to get back into the story, world, and especially our three main characters. I'd reckon that you could watch this movie without having seen the first and still have a great time (though, it helps). A great cast with great chemistry more than sets the tone and makes this one very watchable.

First, you've got Ron Perlman. For those of you who don't know this terribly underrated actor, he's one you can't afford to miss as Hellboy. Even though he's covered in make-up and prosthetics, Perlman does a great job of making us love him as a hero, and a man. This is something most of the superhero performers do not (or perhaps cannot) do. The just-as-passionate-as-Del-Toro Doug Jones leaves a HUGE mark on the viewer here, not just for his performance as Abe Sapien, but for his remarkable range as a couple of other characters in the movie. Luke Goss is the film's villain, and I really saw the dedication in his performance as well, something required for his character, who is of course a dedicated man. He's not necessarily the typical 'evil' character, but a somewhat misguided one, and I think Goss got that across to me very well. A fact often ignored by critics in the comic book/superhero realm of films is the supporting heroine. Most times, without the audience knowing it, this character makes or breaks the movie. Selma Blair, boy does she make it. Not only does she look absolutely stunning as Liz Sherman, she takes the final act into her hands and does wonders with it. Definitely the best performance I've ever seen from Ms. Blair. Add in a hilarious and great performance from Seth MacFarlane (yes, the voice of multiple Family Guy characters) as Johann Kraus's voice, and Anna Walton as Princess Nuala, and you've got the best ensemble of the year thusfar. Yes, this cast is better than Iron Man.

As for the action, it's stunning. Hellboy has a LOT more to work with than the traditional superhero film, and Del Toro more than takes advantage of it. With action ranging from lighting fast and well shot sword fighting and hand to hand combat to Hellboy versus a giant plant, it's a sight to behold as we watch a legendary director in the making perfect his craft. There were multiple times where I found myself saying "holy crap", or "wow". Del Toro also keeps some humor in there to balance the much darker tone of the film. This includes one of the most hilarious scenes I've ever seen about being lovesick.

I sadly feel that many will not see this movie and it will become a diamond in the rough, much like its predecessor. Hopefully that doesn't happen, and it becomes the blockbuster it deserves to be. Though the ending is a tad predictable (not too much, but it is the one thing that keeps it from a 10), I found Hellboy to be one of the most pleasing adventures at the movies I've had this year. It's a shame that it comes out between Will Smith and Batman, because this film deserves its own day in the spotlight. You know what they say...Every demon has his day...

P.S. I can't wait to see a third one.