Review of Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) by Ben B — 20 Jul 2013

'Pan's Labyrinth' demonstrated visionary director Guillermo del Toro's true potential and talent for storytelling, creating fantastical characters and an unparalleled sense of imagination.

All that, and an improved sense of humor, character development, and action carry over into del Toro's sequel to his vision of Mike Mignola's Hellboy. Where the first film offered audiences a new kind of superhero entertainment, 'Hellboy II: The Golden Army' relies more on the power of mythology to take it to lengths that its predecessor could never go.

Set pieces and creature design are astounding, and the cast give great performances. Ron Perlman is still perfect in his red skin and trench coat, while Doug Jones brings a much more human heart to the aquatic empath Abraham Sapien.

Even Seth MacFarlane lends his voice to a new character. See if you can pick him out. More light-hearted than first, yet still darkly captivating, this superhero sequel ranks among some of the best ever made.