Review of Hellboy (2004) by Harry W — 30 Mar 2014

Anything directed by Guillermo del Toro is a film I have to see, it is as simple as that. So Hellboy is a most definite yes.

Hellboy follows a storyline loosely similar to the plot of the video game Wolfenstein which involved nazis breaking through dimensions by building a portal as part of their way of triumphing in the war. On top of that it also has story elements reminiscent of Men in Black, chronicling a hunter of mysterious creatures in an action convex which had a touch of comedy to it. At the same time it borrows elements from X-Men in terms of its many characters, Alien in terms of its creature breeding story dynamics and Blade 2 in its exploration of the underground. So Hellboy incorporates a lot of interesting themes into its story, but it leaves the feature feeling a little bit familiar. This shouldn't bother the less picky viewers, but it was just something I picked up on.

And also, the plot is somewhat dreary. For one thing, the concept of romance between an oversized interdimensional demon and a pyrokinetic mutant doesn't seem that likely or that compelling whatsoever, and it just makes things seem awkward. There is really ok way for it to come out well from a story perspective because if it works out its ridiculous and if it doesn't then it's pointless. Basically, it just isn't that well thought through in terms of being added to a story about a demonic hulk fighting for the FBI, and the way it is handled is too serious and detracts from the fun of the film making it a little melodramatic in parts. Also, a lot of the humour in the story is hit and miss, and it feels like the whole venture is a little slowly paced and stretches itself out for a bit too long. Considering that it is a colourful and action themed supernatural comic book adaptation, it needs to be a little faster and take itself a bit less seriously than it does.

But aside from all that, Hellboy boasts plenty of entertainment. Riding the skills of Guillermo del Toro as the director, Hellboy fuses some of the better elements of science fiction, superhero and action to make a final product which is iconic of his style. It even has elements of humour here and there, although there could have been a bit more considering the story approach that he took.

Hellboy packs most of its entertainment into its technical qualities. As well as being well shot with fine cinematography and featuring an entertaining and rather gothic production design during some of its more darker sequences, Hellboy boasts some great visual effects. The characters created with a touch of CGI are awesome, and they battle their way through some action. The action scenes are hands down entertaining and use a great mix of real movements and visual effects combined with an effective musical score and some great sounds effects. They're also edited very well, so they can be exhilarating at times.

And underneath all the technical appeal of Hellboy is a dedicated cast.

Ron Perlman is absolutely perfect for the role of the titular Hellboy. With his tall stature and his muscular form, he embodies the character perfectly beneath the awesome makeup and costume he wears. With his fierce aggression and dedication to character, he makes Hellboy a serious badass who packs a mean punch as a superhero. It is no surprise how great his performance in Hellboy is, and it's pretty iconic of him. He really does not let audiences down for a second and delivers his line with a quick witted and gritty edge. He makes Hellboy an iconic film with his relentless dedication to the role.

Rupert Evans is a surprisingly effective hero in the role of John Thaddeus Myers and shares an effective chemistry with Ron Perlman. He makes a powerful team with Hellboy, and therefore gives a strong supporting performance.

Jeffrey Tambor also succeeded at being a nice comedic edge to Hellboy, and any fan of his work on Arrested Development can find pleasure with his comedic touch to Hellboy.

Doug Jones had a great physicality as Abe Sapien, and David Hyde Pierce's voice was a nice touch to the character as well.

Ladislav Beran had a strong physicality as Karl Ruprecht Kroenen too.

Though I can't say that I found much spirit in Selma Blair's performance . There simply didn't seem to be any passion in what she was saying and she didn't have the best ability at conjuring chemistry with other actors, particularly with Ron Perlman. She just wasn't the right actress for the part and didn't have the heroic charisma needed for the role or the ability to play a dramatic emotional role requires for a character involved in romantic drama. Selma Blair is a bit of a miscast member of Hellboy.

But aside from her and the flaws in the story, Hellboy has the great visual elements of a Guillermo del Toro film which allows it to boast awesome action and a lot of visual appeal as well as an awesome heroic lead from Ron Perlman.