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Hellboy
(2004)
Starring:
Ron Perlman, John Hurt, Selma Blair, Rupert Evans
Director: Guillermo Del Toro
Rating:
PG-13
Studio:
Columbia
Release Date:
04.02.04
Review
Posted: 04.06.04
Spoilers:
None
By
Craig Younkin
"Hellboy"
Neither Heavenly Nor Hellish
Hellboy begins
during the closing stages of World War 2 in a remote area where the
Nazis are hoping to turn the tide of the war. Among the soldiers is
Grigori Rasputin (Karel Roden), a sorcerer who has managed to open a
portal to another dimension that will ensure the world will suffer
complete destruction. Just before the world's horrible fate is able to
slip through, American soldiers led by paranormal researcher Professor
Bruttenholm storm the area and stop evil from happening. Something did
slip through, however. A small, red "monkey-like" child, named
Hellboy, with a huge hammer-like hand that the Professor adopts as a
son.
Sixty years later, Bruttenholm
(Hurt) is still director of the Agency of Paranormal Defense, and the
biggest hero is Hellboy (Perlman), now with a massive build and all
the sensibilities of a pubescent teenager. Along with Abe Sapien (Doug
Jones; voiced by David Hyde Pierce) and the Professor, who he calls
father, Hellboy fights whenever the world is threatened by some
supernatural force, and apparently that goes on a lot considering all
the tabloid stories about his appearances.
Through a series of events the agency learns that Rasputin's followers
have resurrected him, and that they are the only hope against the end
of the world. There is also a subplot concerning Liz Sherman (Blair),
a mutant pyro who Hellboy is in love with, and Agent Myers
(Evans), who is vying for her affections.
This
movie is really at its best whenever it points the camera at its
unique central character. Hellboy's costume is very imposing and
Perlman really captures the cynical, love-lorn hero to perfection. It
also helps that screenwriter/director Guillermo Del Toro is, for the
most part, able to keep us interested in the character through
exposing his humanity and giving him some funny one-liners.
Just
where this movie sadly drops off is in excitement. The action is
underwhelming, focusing on Hellboy's fights with poor-looking
CGI characters that look like goofy extras from Men in Black 2.
The plotting is of a cheesy and by-the-numbers "destroy the world"
nature, and the villains are one-dimensional, although there was a
cool-looking masked figure that could do incredible things with
knives.
Hellboy is
neither heavenly nor hellish. The character is cool enough where I
would willingly pay another nine bucks for the sequel, but I was
desperately hoping to be blown away by this film, yet it didn't manage
to do that. This is just another film in 2004 that looks stuck in
limbo.
Film Rating:
κκ (out of
4) | Film
Grade: C+
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