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Home > Arts and Entertainment > Movie review: “Hellboy II: The Golden Army”

Movie review: “Hellboy II: The Golden Army”

Nick Baker,
Grand Central Magazine

Hellboy (RON PERLMAN), and his girlfriend, pyrokinetic Liz (SELMA BLAIR), are on a mission for the B.P.R.D. in "Hellboy II: The Golden Army". Photograph by Universal Pictures
(Click here for more images.)

It’s been four years since “Hellboy” debuted on the silver screen. But he has finally returned and he is better than ever.

First a note: If you missed the original, you might be a little lost in the sequel. Hellboy, played by Ron Perlman, is an agent in the government's top-secret Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. His fellow agents have also returned: Abe Sapien, the psychic man-fish played by Doug Jones; and Liz Sherman, the pyrokinetic girlfriend played by Selma Blair.

Since the first “Hellboy” movie did little to impress me, I was a little skeptical going into this one. But coming out of this movie, I couldn’t have been more impressed. “Hellboy II” is everything I wanted the first one to be, and more.

The story, while not terribly creative, was entertaining and simple – a plot perfect for a comic-based summer action film. Director Guillermo del Toro succeeded in making a movie that reaches casual movie goers and hardcore fan boys alike.

Perlman once again gives a great performance as Hellboy, showing that no other actor could have been more perfect for his role. He looks and acts just like his comic counterpart, kicking butt and making you laugh at the same time.

Jones and Blair also gave decent performances; though there were times when some of their dialogue came off as corny, it hardly ruined their characters for me. But its newcomer Seth MacFarlane (creator of “Family Guy” and “American Dad”), voicing the German ectoplasmic scientist Johann Krauss, that nearly steals the show. He gave his character so much life and personality that he instantly became my new favorite sidekick on Hellboy’s team.

But while the acting and storyline were both solid, it was the visual effects that really astounded me. The movie is filled with creatures that are rich with imagination and creativity. Anyone who has seen Guillermo del Toro’s previous film “Pan’s Labyrinth” knows that he has a talent for fantasy, but he somehow managed to outdo himself here.

“Hellboy II” carries the same visual qualities that del Toro put into his previous films, building highly detailed suits instead of computer generated character. This translates into some of the most amazing fantasy creatures I have ever seen. Even the action scenes show signs of del Toro’s creativity.

“Hellboy II” shows that there doesn’t need to be a big-name hero in the spotlight to carry a blockbuster movie. All it needs is a good story, some great action, and visuals that are nothing short of amazing. “Hellboy II” is a solid comic book adaptation, and it is a movie that no one should miss out on this summer.

GRADE: A

 

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