Genres: Action,
Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Rated: PG-13
Country: USA
Year: 2008
Runtime: 110 minutes
Studio: Dark Horse
Entertainment
IMDB Page
Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Rated: PG-13
Country: USA
Year: 2008
Runtime: 110 minutes
Studio: Dark Horse
Entertainment
IMDB Page
Review done by: Serial McKiller
Starring: Ron Perlman, David Hyde-Pierce, Selma Blaire, Doug Jones, Jeffrey
Tambor, Luke Goss
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Synopsis: The mythical world starts a rebellion against humanity in order to
rule the Earth, so Hellboy and his team must save the world from the
rebellious creatures
Review:
In May I reviewed 'Speed Racer' from the Wachowski brothers. It's funny
because I've seen the film at least two times and it never once declined down
for me despite the tons of bad reviews. Never once did I stop and think
"wow, they could be right about this." Much like when all the overtly great
ones for 'Iron Man' came around after I'd seen it at least two times and never
once did I stop and think "wow, they could be right about this." For me what
makes an adapted film great or special or important (and pay attention
because I've got a feeling I'll be re-writing this after I see "The Dark Knight"
next week) is it's overall feel. At the end of the day I can survive an
adaptation that bears little to no resemblance of it's jumping point or it's
predecessor. I was one of the few that was still highly entertained by "X-Men:
The Last Stand" despite it really mudding up the genetics and a lot of the
X-Men folklore, but it was still fun overall. When dealt with "Speed Racer" it
was fun and original and exciting all at once while still keeping a certain light
which I believe was brought on by the Wachowski's love of 'Speed Racer'.
It seemed like a real passion project. That same thing goes for Guillermo Del
Toro and Hellboy. He loves that big red ape to death and loves the world he
came from and in every frame of 'Hellboy II: The Golden Army' he makes that
clear. Del Toro takes the best parts of the first film and then brings in quite
literally an army of amazing, bizarre creatures all with a certain personality.
However not to be upstaged our main crew Hellboy (Ron Perlman) Liz
Sherman (Selma Blair) and Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) have all been given
complete range and we get to see them all in action in one form or another
as full three-dimensional characters. Plus toss in Johann Kraus voiced by, of
all the people in the world 'Family Guy' and 'American Dad' creator Seth
MacFarlane who shocked me by being one of the most surprisingly interesting
and fun characters in the whole film. Now when I talked about some
adaptations not being close to it's source I wasn't talking about this.
That was more directed towards by feelings and plight on such things. If
anything 'Hellboy II' is almost iron clad vibe of the books. This isn't Del Toro
working through "Pan's Labyrinth." This isn't a dark fairy tale, in fact it's not
dark! And despite the fact that this series involves monsters, the occult,
Nazi's and so on, it's not dark either. In fact it's mostly Mike Mignola's humor
and creativity and love of monsters with character (see "The Amazing Screw
on Head" on DVD for prime examples of this humor) along with his stark
artwork that makes the books so damn good. When it comes to the films
however Del Toro has translated allot of that same humor and character pop
into it while injecting some more actual emotions. Granted people might find
the idea of a red demon man and a normal...well normal fire starter woman
having a romantic relationship weird, but that's just it. It is weird and it's
good to have that. Also in here Abe gets a romantic entanglement and allot
of points are made about love and what not and the nature of sacrifice for
love.
The questions are brought up of allegiances and why should Hellboy fight for
people that do not like nor understand him. What would be the point? That
one is never fully answered and rightfully so. Because there isn't a real iron
clad way to answer it. Too many variables. What amazes me most and why I
love, love, love this picture is the overall feeling in the end. Del Toro is one of
the filmmakers that's working right now that can some how balance making
up dozens and dozens of original and interesting creatures that are just as
impressive as work done in the original 'Star Wars' and older Terry Gilliam
and Steven Spielberg films while still writing a funny, lively, close to it's source
screenplay and providing us with tons of really, really well done action
sequences. It's amazing how well Ron Perlman plays Hellboy, I mean he IS
Hellboy without any questions. Selma Blair to me is an under used,
underrated actress that can do quite a bit, but is only given so much.
Here she's allowed allot more range to play the love interest, to play the like
minded one and to play the bad ass. And dear lord what can be said about
Doug Jones that hasn't been said? He's the ultimate man in a suit. He plays
three characters here and finally uses his real voice for Abe. Jeffrey Tambor is
always awesome, Luke Goss knows villains and seems to know villains that
have more going on then just basic domination plans and Seth MacFarlane,
well, I've just gotta say I'm damn impressed. There's no real match up of
words that can describe how fun and free "Hellboy II" feels. It's really a great,
stand up, fun as hell creative piece of work that's as comic book as it wants
to be and it's damn proud of it. So to end this whole shebang with a line
from the book and the film that I think is one of the funniest and well placed
lines of the summer: 'I'm gon' git me Big Baby!'. Trust me when you see it,
you'll see what I mean.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overall: 9/10
Tambor, Luke Goss
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Synopsis: The mythical world starts a rebellion against humanity in order to
rule the Earth, so Hellboy and his team must save the world from the
rebellious creatures
Review:
In May I reviewed 'Speed Racer' from the Wachowski brothers. It's funny
because I've seen the film at least two times and it never once declined down
for me despite the tons of bad reviews. Never once did I stop and think
"wow, they could be right about this." Much like when all the overtly great
ones for 'Iron Man' came around after I'd seen it at least two times and never
once did I stop and think "wow, they could be right about this." For me what
makes an adapted film great or special or important (and pay attention
because I've got a feeling I'll be re-writing this after I see "The Dark Knight"
next week) is it's overall feel. At the end of the day I can survive an
adaptation that bears little to no resemblance of it's jumping point or it's
predecessor. I was one of the few that was still highly entertained by "X-Men:
The Last Stand" despite it really mudding up the genetics and a lot of the
X-Men folklore, but it was still fun overall. When dealt with "Speed Racer" it
was fun and original and exciting all at once while still keeping a certain light
which I believe was brought on by the Wachowski's love of 'Speed Racer'.
It seemed like a real passion project. That same thing goes for Guillermo Del
Toro and Hellboy. He loves that big red ape to death and loves the world he
came from and in every frame of 'Hellboy II: The Golden Army' he makes that
clear. Del Toro takes the best parts of the first film and then brings in quite
literally an army of amazing, bizarre creatures all with a certain personality.
However not to be upstaged our main crew Hellboy (Ron Perlman) Liz
Sherman (Selma Blair) and Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) have all been given
complete range and we get to see them all in action in one form or another
as full three-dimensional characters. Plus toss in Johann Kraus voiced by, of
all the people in the world 'Family Guy' and 'American Dad' creator Seth
MacFarlane who shocked me by being one of the most surprisingly interesting
and fun characters in the whole film. Now when I talked about some
adaptations not being close to it's source I wasn't talking about this.
That was more directed towards by feelings and plight on such things. If
anything 'Hellboy II' is almost iron clad vibe of the books. This isn't Del Toro
working through "Pan's Labyrinth." This isn't a dark fairy tale, in fact it's not
dark! And despite the fact that this series involves monsters, the occult,
Nazi's and so on, it's not dark either. In fact it's mostly Mike Mignola's humor
and creativity and love of monsters with character (see "The Amazing Screw
on Head" on DVD for prime examples of this humor) along with his stark
artwork that makes the books so damn good. When it comes to the films
however Del Toro has translated allot of that same humor and character pop
into it while injecting some more actual emotions. Granted people might find
the idea of a red demon man and a normal...well normal fire starter woman
having a romantic relationship weird, but that's just it. It is weird and it's
good to have that. Also in here Abe gets a romantic entanglement and allot
of points are made about love and what not and the nature of sacrifice for
love.
The questions are brought up of allegiances and why should Hellboy fight for
people that do not like nor understand him. What would be the point? That
one is never fully answered and rightfully so. Because there isn't a real iron
clad way to answer it. Too many variables. What amazes me most and why I
love, love, love this picture is the overall feeling in the end. Del Toro is one of
the filmmakers that's working right now that can some how balance making
up dozens and dozens of original and interesting creatures that are just as
impressive as work done in the original 'Star Wars' and older Terry Gilliam
and Steven Spielberg films while still writing a funny, lively, close to it's source
screenplay and providing us with tons of really, really well done action
sequences. It's amazing how well Ron Perlman plays Hellboy, I mean he IS
Hellboy without any questions. Selma Blair to me is an under used,
underrated actress that can do quite a bit, but is only given so much.
Here she's allowed allot more range to play the love interest, to play the like
minded one and to play the bad ass. And dear lord what can be said about
Doug Jones that hasn't been said? He's the ultimate man in a suit. He plays
three characters here and finally uses his real voice for Abe. Jeffrey Tambor is
always awesome, Luke Goss knows villains and seems to know villains that
have more going on then just basic domination plans and Seth MacFarlane,
well, I've just gotta say I'm damn impressed. There's no real match up of
words that can describe how fun and free "Hellboy II" feels. It's really a great,
stand up, fun as hell creative piece of work that's as comic book as it wants
to be and it's damn proud of it. So to end this whole shebang with a line
from the book and the film that I think is one of the funniest and well placed
lines of the summer: 'I'm gon' git me Big Baby!'. Trust me when you see it,
you'll see what I mean.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overall: 9/10
Online since: February 20th, 2006
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