Hellboy 2

[rickove]

Got a torrent on this one.get the feeling visually is made by the guys or directors of Pans Labrinth.Dont feel it has the same flavour as original Hellboy 1 movie ,but still Fun,Action theme character.What are your feelings?

[slickstu]

I reckon it's awesome. Better than the first in every way. Full review soon.

[rickove]

Yeh,the Hellboy Humor is there,great! an the extra incredible creatures,but the Golden warriors stuff,Yeh! better watch it again? Projector this time? Its Dark,Dark? better hope its a bit brighter for the average home/cinema veiwer or they be pissed,an bit clarity on the giant elemental forest giant when it dies an flowers/foliage blooms/foliates?

[slickstu]

The problem with the first Hellboy film was that, other than a superlative performance by Ron Perlman in the title role, it just didn't give us what we wanted. And what we wanted was more action, more romance, more comedy, more drama, less dodgy special effects, a deeper storyline, more of Guillermo Del Toro's trademark production design and 300% more Liz Sherman. Hellboy 2: The Golden Army soundly delivers on all these items.

Is it possible that the term "visual feast" was prospectively coined specifically for Guillermo Del Toro's films? OK, probably not, but it certainly describes Del Toro's visual style to a tee. The lighting, the set design, the creature design - it's all gorgeous - and monopolising on the style and success of Pan's Labyrinth earns this film worthwhile viewing credibility for its visuals alone. The storys prelude, beautifully portrayed as an intricately designed marionette pantomime taking place within the fertile young mind of an 11 year Hellboy, is a nice touch; as is the awesome fight choreography and perfectly timed slapstick comedy which melds seamlessly into Del Toro's overall scheme.

While well-worn time-honoured themes and narrative constructs are the order of the day here, these are given a fresh lick of red paint in the context of the Hellboy-verse. The dysfunctional Mars/Venus-style relationship between Hellboy and Liz may be clichéd but in this context Liz gives new meaning to the term "going off". Such familiar melodramatic devices are also necessary to humanise Hellboy, impressing upon us that beneath those polled horns and the devilish goatee is an ordinary bloke who likes the simple things in life: unfettered adoration, celebrity, a good woman and a plenteous stockpile of ale, all punctuated with a little cathartic argy bargy. Similarly the film admittedly follows that standard, tired action formula which demands that our hero first suffer a humiliating defeat prior to finding some inexplicable inner strength which allows him to ultimately beat the villain to a pulp in the final confrontation. But Del Toro's unique twist on this formula (that Hellboy only loses his preliminary bout because of his inebriated state!) is funny and satisfying whilst still nodding faithfully to the genre stereotype. Of course, when our hero sobers up........well, let's just say that a wimpy 80's pretty-boy pop idol is no match for the contemporary hard rocker from hell whose devil horns are the real deal.

Ron Perlman is excellent, nailing the Hellboy character yet again. His vocal delivery of one-liners is spot on and it's a testament to his makeup artist that he can act so effectively through all that rubber. Luke Goss is good as the emotionally complex Elven villain, Prince Nuada. Perhaps this will be the performance to make him famous; maybe even get his picture in the paper. (I hear Yazz is angling for the villain role in the follow up.) Selma Blair is effective in the small but crucial role of fiery Liz Sherman, providing the much needed emotional foundation for Hellboy. And, of course, mime maestro Doug Jones excels yet again at acting through several lumps of prosthesis including the affectionate Abe Sapian and the beautifully sinister Angel of Death.

Stylistically closer to Pan's Labyrinth and better than it's predecessor in every way, The Golden Army represents another artistic triumph for Guillermo Del Toro and is a logical and confident stepping stone towards the forthcoming Tolkien gig.

8.5 out of 10.