Hellboy II: The Golden Army 9.5 out of 10 Posted: 08/31/08   Running time: 1:50 MPAA rating: PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and some language. Peruvian rating: Mayores de 14   Cast: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, John Alexander, James Donn, Luke Gross, Anna Walton, Jeffrey Tambor, John Hurt, Seth McFarlane. (Voice.) Director: Guillermo del Toro Script: Guillermo del Toro, based on the comic book by Mike Mignola Photography: Guillermo Navarro Score: Danny Elfman Distributor: Universal Pictures

Guillermo del Toro is one the most gifted and talented direction working nowadays, so it’s no surprise that even when he crafts summer blockbusters based on comic books, they end up being better than the average actioner. Hellboy 2 is not the exception. While a really solid motion picture, the first Hellboy had a couple of flaws that prevented it from being a truly memorable film – the score was underwhelming, the action sequences weren’t as exciting as they should have been, and some of the digital effects were unconvincing. Fortunately, most of these mistakes have been corrected for the sequel. Now that del Toro is as more recognizable name, he’s been given a bigger budget and more freedom, which has resulted in a bigger, bolder and more entertaining film. Hellboy 2: The Golden Army is a brilliantly fun motion picture, and one of the best summer blockbusters I’ve seen this year. The Dark Knight it ain’t, but that doesn’t make it any less fun.

The film, like its predecessor, tells the story of a group of freaks working for the U.S. government in the secret Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defence. Its members are Hellboy (Ron Perlman) the “benevolent”, cat-and-cigar loving devil working for the good of humanity, Liz (Selma Blair), his girlfriend, and a fire starter who isn’t afraid of becoming involved in big fights, and  Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) a smart amphibian, the “brains of the operation”, who might be discovering his more emotional side in this film. But there’s also a newcomer: Johann Kraus (James Donn, voice of Seth McFarlane), an “ectoplasmic” being who seems to believe he has more authority than the rest of the members of the team. This time, they have to fight against elf Prince Nuada (Luke Gross), who wants to recover the three pieces of his father’s crown that, once put together, will give him ultimate control over the Golden Army – a group of 70 x 70 robotic warriors. But his “good” sister, Nuala (Anna Walton), who opposes him, falls under the protection of Hellboy and his friends, preventing his brother from obtaining the crown. The thing is, they aren’t prepared for Nuada’s revenge…

I liked this second Hellboy flick because of del Toro’s imagination. The movie has more in common with the likes of Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter or his own Pan’s Labyrinth than with straightforward superhero ventures like Spider-Man or The Dark Knight. We see creatures like elves, trolls or “tooth fairies” (who don’t precisely trade teeth for money) come to life, the “Troll Market” sequence being the most obvious highlight. The scene reminded me of the Tatooine cantina in Star Wars Episode IV because of all the monsters and the imagination evident in it. It’s obvious del Toro just loves telling fantastic and visually compelling tales, and it’s not hard to see why Peter Jackson chose him to direct and co-write The Hobbit.

These scenes could come to life because of del Toro and his filmmaking/visual effects team’s visual techniques too. CGI is more credible and less cheesy than in the first instalment (it is obvious Universal gave the filmmakers a higher budget than in the first movie), which makes the most fantastical scenes (like the attack of the forest god) seem more real and less artificial. The titular Golden Army looks amazing, and all the big, furry creatures, as well as the smaller ones, have been crafted with care and tons of imagination. I particularly liked the newcomer, Johann Krauss. As voiced by Family Guy’s Seth McFarlane, he’s one of the most entertaining characters I’ve seen in any fantasy picture, but he also works because of his design. (Which consists of an astronaut-like suit with smoke (his “ectoplasmic being”) inside it.) Additionally, action scenes are more compelling in here than in the first instalment – they are more exciting, competently shot and visually arresting. It is always refreshing to watch a battle sequence that features no shakycam and very few quick cuts. I like del Toro’s “old-fashioned” direction.

Characters are what make a movie like Hellboy, though. As in the first flick, Ron Perlman portrays the titular character with perfection, making use of the right mix of pathos, one-liners and ability to kick ass. He might look different, but it’s really not too hard to identify with Hellboy. Selma Blair is much better in here than in the previous movie; she looks more self-assured, acts better in the dramatic scenes, and shines during the action sequences. Doug Jones returns as Abe Sapien, this time using his own voice. It was weird to experience the change in voice of the character (he had been previously voiced by David Hyde Pierce), but you eventually get used to it, realizing Jones’ voice is much better and less recognizable than Hyde Pierce’s. Jeffrey Tambor also returns as pain-in-the-butt Manning, and Luke Goss, as prince Nuada the main bad guy, as definitely more intimidating than Rasputin. I particularly liked the elf make-up – it works beautifully both more him and Anna Walton (Princess Nuada.)

Hellboy 2 takes itself seriously, but not too seriously. One gets an appropriate sense of peril during the action sequences, and relationships between characters (especially the complicated romance between Red and Liz, and Abe’s “discovery” of love), but del Toro also finds time for lighter stuff. A Barry Manilow musical sequence is hilarious, and some of the one-liners Red has to utter are great without feeling too cheesy. I was surprised by an amusing one-liner from Johann Krauss during the last scene, too – I don’t want to spoil the surprise, so I won’t mention it.

Hellboy II is a superior kind of super hero flick, the kind of movie that knows when to have fun, when to take itself seriously, and when to deliver the “kickassery” expected from a summer blockbuster. I like it because it doesn’t insult the audience’s intelligence, because it’s funny, because it’s exciting, and because it’s imaginative. This has been a great year for superhero films – Iron Man was a pleasant surprise, The Incredible Hulk fulfilled expectations, The Dark Knight was a masterpiece, and now Hellboy 2 shows that not all comic-book, superhero films have to be the same. I will be impatiently awaiting del Toro’s next two projects, The Hobbit and, hopefully, Hellboy III. The man seems to be incapable of crafting a sub-par film, so I’m sure all of his upcoming motion pictures will be worth watching.

BACK