Review of Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) by Halfwelshman — 29 Sep 2011

Hellboy II doesn't just better its predecessor, it buries it. Guillermo Del Toro proves why it's better for everyone if he's left to do his own thing. The first Hellboy was extremely competent, but far from inspiring.

Fresh from completing his dark fantasy masterpiece Pan's Labyrinth, Del Toro manages to inject the big red ape's second outing with some much needed energy and imagination. You'll never see another superhero film like this.

It's a superhero film filled with such well-developed weird and wonderful characters who actually have something to say about you and I. It's got plenty of big set pieces, but does not fall into the trap most summer blockbusters do - it never becomes dominated by action, it's always about character.

It's well-acted (particularly Luke Goss playing a sympathetic and complex villain and Seth MacFarlane and Jeffrey Tambor providing the comic relief), visually stunning (with nods to Pan) and emotionally heartfelt.

It's not about a big red guy beating up fairies and trolls. Like all of Del Toro's work, its about people (whether black, white, blue or red) and relationships. Like Hellboy himself, it may look a little strange on the outside, but at the core it's a complex beast with nothing but good intentions.