Release
Date: April 2, 2004 Studio: Columbia Pictures Director: Guillermo del Toro Screenwriter: Guillermo del Toro Starring: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, John Hurt, Jeffrey Tambor, Karel
Roden, Doug Jones, Rupert Evans,
Biddy Hodson, David Hyde
Pierce (voice) Genre: Action, Adventure,
Fantasy
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sci-fi action violence and frightening images)
Official Website:
SonyPictures.com
Plot Summary: From visionary writer/director Guillermo del Toro ("Blade
II," "The Devil's Backbone") comes "Hellboy," a supernatural action adventure
based on Mike Mignola's popular Dark Horse Comics series of the same name. Born
in the flames of hell, and brought to our world in a pagan ritual, the fierce
red hero, Hellboy (Perlman), was saved by his friend and mentor, the benevolent
Dr. Broom (Hurt). Raised in Broom's Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense,
Hellboy joins the likes of the "Mer-Man" Abe Sapien, Liz Sherman (Blair), the
woman he loves who can psychically control fire, and Myers, the FBI agent who is
his rival for Liz's affections. Together, our heroes must come to terms with
fantastic powers that prove to be both a blessing and a curse. In the process
they discover that their abilities serve to benefit mankind but may also keep
them forever isolated from the society that only they can protect.
Although
Hellboy is based on Mike Mignola’s comic book creation, the movie version
is in scenes more like the tones of Men in Black and Ghostbusters
than any comic book derivativeness.
The unfortunate result of a Nazi experiment produces title character Hellboy
who gets adopted by the U.S. Government to protect America from paranormal
invasions. The resurgence of Russian upstart Rasputin to reclaim Hellboy his own
is what the Hell-spawned one faces in this outing.
There is action, a Beauty and the Beast style romance, all of which is
handsomely mounted with impressive production values and a lucid storytelling
quality, almost overcoming anything of substance the movie wants to convey. This
is maybe why Hellboy includes a voice over narration to simplify its ideas. It’s
the nature or nurture argument again. This says we choose not how life starts
but how it ends. Hellboy was raised by a caring father, played well by John
Hurt. “Remember who you are”, says Government assigned protector Myers (Rupert
Evans) to Hellboy in the climax.
Immediately memorable is the visual special effects feast with extravagancies
at large – manifestations of demon gods that Hellboy overcomes with brutish
swishes and swirls, which becomes predictable.
What’s
particularly appealing in this dark, seriously-themed story is the off-beat
humour. Ron Pearlman’s charismatic characterisation of the title role is funny,
he’s buffed like a weightlifting Olympian in a prosthetic body suit, and engages
our sympathies. Also look for Hellboy’s grave digging of the dead Russian who
comes to life unawares. And there’s a humorous irony about all the paranormal
stuff kept under wraps by the U.S Government in secret closets away from the
public when Hellboy hits the subway and streets to beat in a demon foe. He’s
been outed in the most obvious of ways, seemingly a threat to society by his
aggressive behaviour. But don’t the public want to know the truth? Maybe they
wouldn’t.
As
dark forces gather
to hasten
the
Apocalypse,
Hellboy fights fire with fire
in this
mind-blasting supernatural action-adventure from the
visionary
director of Blade 2. Based on
the
celebrated
Dark Horse comic book...Buy
it now for $23.17
Release
Date: April 2, 2004
- Who said they don't make 'em like they used to?