Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

(A quick note to NASCAR fans everywhere -- HELLBOY II is not a film about Kyle Bush. As for all residents of New Braunfels, Texas -- HELLBOY II has nothing to do with the second born male child in the Reininger family.)

Based on the comic book by Mike Mignola, HELLBOY II is cinema fantastique at its finest. The opening scenes find Professor Trevor Bruttenholm (John Hurt) reading a rousing fairy tale to his adoptive son, Hellboy (Ron Perlman). Seems that back in ancient times there was a brutal war between humans and everyone/everything else -- monsters, goblins, trolls, the Tooth Fairy, just about every frightening creature that surely inhabited the dark recesses under your childhood bed.

Eventually a truce was declared; the humans were given the right to live in the cities and the trolls et al were given the forests. As time went by, however, the humans reneged on their end and began building shopping malls, parking lots, subdivisions and Starbucks everywhere. With this unabated encroachment, evil Prince Nuada (Luke Gross) defies his father (the reigning king) and pledges to declare war utilizing the Golden Army, a fighting force of enormous mechanical warriors 70 times 70 in number. The only thing standing between him and his ability to awaken these slumbering behemoths is his sister, Princess Nuala (Anna Walton), and she needs help. Lots of help.


Yes, mankind's defense rests primarily on the abilities of Hellboy, his girlfriend Liz Sherman (Selma Blair), his best friend, Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) and other associates employed by the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. As the taglines for the film state, saving the world is a hell of a job and, believe it or not, Hellboy is the good guy.

Thanks to Director del Toro, Cinematographer Guillermo Navarro, Production Designer Stephen Scott and a highly talented special effects crew, HELLBOY II is the best big budget film of the year. All $72 million is where it should be, on the screen, and while the movie is extremely entertaining throughout, two scenes in particular stand out.

The incredible Troll Market makes the extraterrestial cantina on Tatooie look as outright boring and bland as a Baptist barbecue in Bulverde. Director del Toro's unique and vivid imagination bombards the screen with a breathtaking beastiary that one needs to see over and over again if all the imbeded nuances are to be discovered. What a treat, I've never seen anything quite like this -- and I've been to a flea market in Ponca City.


The other fabulous scene finds Hellboy and Abe in drunken reverie serenading one another. You'll never hear Barry Manilow's "Can't Smile Without You" again without recalling HELLBOY II...and doing so with a great big smile on your face. This is an unforgettable scene that will surely take its place in cinema history along with other memorable movie moments like the campfire scene in BLAZING SADDLES or Slim Pickens riding the atomic bomb in DR. STRANGELOVE or the passage of the ocean liner in the fog in Fellini's AMARCORD. Having said this, please remind your Uncle Bob to steer clear of Tecate Light.

A final comment: The dialogue in HELLBOY II is blessed with an abundance of humor and wit (caustic and otherwise). Many of the best lines have already been mentioned in other reviews ("I know; I'm ugly!"), but our favorite has to be: "I'm not a child, I'm a tumor!"

I don't think we have ever heard that before. Not even in Roe v. Wade...

Robert A. Nowotny

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Basic Premise:

Thousands of years ago man entered into a treaty with the fey world for peace. The prince of the fey wants an end to that peace so he and his can reclaim the world that rightfully belongs to them... except Hellboy and his crew have something to say about it.

Review:

It was hard to root for the "good guys" in this movie. It was hard because Prince Nuada was hot as hell (the man played Lomak in Blade II and King Xerxes in One Night with the King... so for me this isn't a recent crush) and I wanted to root for him. But that aside, the humans were complete jerks and I wanted them to get what was coming to them so they could see that Hellboy was all that and a bag of chips.

First I'd like to say I've never read the Hellboy comics. I can't get into the art style, thus I can't read them. So I can't compare the two. I can however compare this movie to the first one. Hellboy, the character, seemed more cartoony and campy in this movie as compared to the first one. The first movie was serious with some funny parts. This movie was the exact opposite. When the serious parts came, it felt forced -- like the writers remembered they weren't writing a comedy and tried to compensate.

All that said, it's a good movie and I will buy it (look forward to buying it for all the wrong reasons *dreamy sigh*) once it comes out on DVD. I will also watch the sequels that come after because Hellboy II dropped so many hints to possible sequels, you know they're coming.

The other thing this movie had going for it was the creatures. The guy who did Pan's Labyrinth did Hellboy II and it shows.

I say you can take kids to this since it isn't too violent and there isn't much cursing (that I remember) unless they have issues with scary monsters.

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Recommendations: Star Trek (2009), Avatar, 300

D. Renee Bagby<br />
Building New Realms of Passion<br />
http://dreneebagby.com

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Guillermo del Toro is a cinematic auteur who would be quite happy directing a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. You probably couldn’t say the same of Michael Haneke or Jean Luc Goddard. Auteurs are men usually desperate to Say Something, but del Toro seems to be content to say, “I [heart] Games Workshop” (that confirmed bachelors’ emporium of miniature troll figurines and multi-sided dice). He makes movies that are, unashamedly, designed for people who grew up playing Dungeons and Dragons back in the 1980s. Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a movie that seems ready made to be a board-game.

Hellboy (for those who didn’t see the first movie) is a demon raised to be good. He works for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defence – a sort of FBI equivalent staffed by and tasked with monsters – run out of an opulent underground fortress in New Jersey. One day (a fairly typical day, if Hellboy’s reactions are any indication) an army of tiny cannibal monsters runs amok in a New York auction house. Hellboy, Abe Sapien (a man who looks like a fish) and Liz Sherman (a woman who looks like Selma Blair) are sent to investigate. It transpires the tiny cannibals were sent by a pissed-off elf prince. And we all know how that story goes…

Firstly and perhaps urgently (for all those who didn’t grow up playingDungeons and Dragons in the 1980s) I should point out that this movie is funny. Not laughing-at funny, but laughing-with funny. A scene where Hellboy and Abe Sapien sing along to Barry Manilow is perhaps the best version of “Can’t Smile Without You” I, personally, have ever heard. The atmosphere of the whole movie is summed up by having these strange but winsome creatures sing easy listening. Hellboy is not, as its title would suggest, a Clive Barker-type dark fantasy. It’s far more akin to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles than Hellraiser.

And I enjoyed it. I don’t for one minute say this movie isn’t good fun. I’m just amazed that when Guillermo del Toro makes an 80s-style fantasy movie, it’s “visionary”, and when anyone else does it, critics can scarcely stifle their yawns. Didn’t anyone else feel like they were watching The Never-Ending Story (with guns)? Is it because del Toroalso makes genuinely strange and interesting movies that everythinghe does is praised as if it were The Seventh Seal?

Ron Perlman, as Hellboy, seems to know the movie he’s in. Here’s a man who got his first break in Beauty and the Beast twenty years ago. He knows how to play an adolescent demon with anger-management issues. Perlman brings the New York out in Hellboy. He may be red-skinned with (filed-down) horns growing out of his head, but he acts like a plumber and he’s likeably resigned to awful sights. Selma Blair, as his girlfriend, seems a bit less pleased to be in this sequel, but that’s perhaps because she’s got the “shrew” role (it’s either that or the “ditz” if you’re playing the girlfriend, sadly). Luke Goss doesn’t disgrace himself as the bad-guy, and if he’d sung as well as he handles a sword, Bros would probably still be a pop band.

Hellboy II isn’t a movie that’s going to stun you with its originality. In truth, you’ve seen the like of its monsters before. It’s got some bright explosions and a tree beast that showers the Brooklyn Bridge with daisies when it dies… but, y’know, c’est la vie in fantasy cinema. What I did like was its good heart, and a scene, toward the end, where Selma Blair is asked to choose between her boyfriend and the fate of the world. Fans of Kurt Vonnegut (another fantasy guy who critics made time for) will recall his wise words on “happy endings” in movies (how, as long as “the lovers” are together, it’s always a happy ending, even if the world is about to be nuked by a thousand enemy jets from Mars).Hellboy isn’t afraid of Hollywood; neither is Guillermo del Toro: they both love pretty girls and whomping bad-guys.

HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY (2008)

BOTTOM LINE: This is a fairly solid comic book movie; it has a decent story, great action, colourful visuals, and some admirable quirks and laughs that highlight director Guillermo Del Toro's off centre directorial style.

THE GOOD: Not having had any desire to see the first film (and I still haven't seen it), I went in to this film on a cheap ticket without much expectations and was pleasantly surprised. It's not spectacular by any means but it is decent entertainment for a comic book movie and manages to show off director Guillermo Del Toro's unique directorial style and touches. The film is visually very powerful and is probably it's strongest asset. Much work has gone in to the design of the characters, the visuals and the special effects to create a detailed mystical world working within our own that is compelling to watch. As with most comic book movies, the story is simple: the main villain, Prince Nuada (Luke Goss) wants to destroy the human race by unleashing the mystical Golden Army; Hellboy and his team are out there to stop him. The standout character in the film is of course Hellboy, played with a flippant and satirical bent by Ron Pearlman. He commands the screen and engages your interest and amusement through his lack of concern about being defeated by any enemy that he comes across. In this story, his biggest dilemma is solving his relationship problems with girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair). Also of note is Abe Sapien, played by Doug Jones. This character is incredibly well designed, but also well dramatised as a smart, but non-combative angel. The other great character in this piece is Prince Nuada; he looks fantastic and is quite lethal. He engages in some fantastically coreographed fight sequences, particularly with Hellboy in the movie's climax. What makes this film unique, at least in terms of its execution, is Guillermo Del Toro's directorial style. He has a visual command of the screen that is very different and original, and manages to introduce some offbeat comical moments that you normally wouldn't find in a Hollywood movie. The appearance of the Golden Army in the climax is perhaps the best example of the visual impact that this director imparts in this movie. The whole sequence is big and bold, with wonderful attention to detail. Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a solid effort.

THE BAD: The first ten minutes of the film aren't particularly that great and made we wonder if I'd wasted my money. Although the reciting of the children's story about the mythical Golden Army was necessary in terms of the plot, the execution of it seemed lame and silly to me with the two-dimensional, blocky style animation. It's not until Hellboy appears as an adult and he does his thing that the film kicks in to gear. Another problem is that although almost all of Del Toro's offbeat moments work brilliantly, there are a couple that don't. The main culprit is the scene where Abe and Hellboy start singing "I can't smile without you", which is then later reprised over the end credits when Hellboy learns from Liz that she'll be giving birth to twins. Given the action-heavy, comic book style of the film, it was out of place; funny, but out of place.

RATING: 7.5/10

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Todd Murphy <br />
http://www.allaboutmovies.net

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Director Gullermo Del Toro has been continuously impressing me. The first Hellboy is a hugely entertaining thrill, slightly weakened by a melodramatic ressurrection in the third act that by no means truly hurts the film. “Pan’s Labyrinth” is a melancholic fairy tale that never holds back on violence or cruelty, cleverly using a young girl’s colorful world to illustrate the horrors of Spain’s civil war. Both movies are exceptionally well-directed and especially amazing at the art direction and makeover departments. “Hellboy 2″ not only keeps up that standard, it’s a still flawed but great improvement over the first film.

Written by Del Toro based on a story by him and Mike Mignola (the creator of Hellboy), the script narrates Hellboy’s efforts to frustrate the plans of Prince Nuada, a renegade from the Elf (or Mythical) kingdom who wants to ressurrect an incredibly powerful Golden Army, which his father locked away ages ago, regretting its very creation. Nuada plans to use it to dominate the human species, since the Elves’ (and most mythical species’) reclusion within a hidden kingdom ashames him. His sister – who, they finds out, has a connection to Nuada (he is hurt, she is also hurt in the same way, at the same time) disapproves of her brother’s plans, and escapes after he murders his own father to get one of the pieces composing an artifact that brings the Golden Army back to life – a golden crown.

Not a terribly original plot (Finding The Pieces That Form A Powerful Artifact), but that doesn’t matter in the slightest. Del Toro is more interested in the characters than in the plot itself, and within the characters lies the film’s heart and most of its laughs. And while it’s cliched, the plot is well-developed enough, plagued only by regular missteps, like a certain character developing extraordinary sword-fighting skills out of sheer badassness in the third act. What truly makes “Hellboy 2″ a great film are the main character and his friends.

Hellboy, played by Ron Perlman with absolute perfection and under superb makeover, is compelling and likable in his simplicity and his overwhelming wish to be understood and accepted. Laid back and inconsequential, he’s incapable of figuring out why the sensitive Liz (well-played by the beautiful Selma Blair) has such a difficult relationship with him. I have to pause here to say the thought of sex between these two just reminded me of a Bill Hicks joke in his Revelations stand-up (“Hold on to my horns”). Anyway, we also have Abe Sapien, the flexible amphibious sidekick who, unlike most sidekicks, is actually sharply clever (but sucks at fighting). He’s played by the phenomenal Doug Jones, who also interpreted Pan in Pan’s Labyrinth and, in this movie, also plays the Angel of Death. Like Hellboy, Abe is also troubled by his appearance, but is a much softer, easier being. And finally, there’s an excellent new addition to the main cast: Johann Krauss, a bunch of German ectoplasmic smoke held together by a brown suit. Seth McFarlane’s voiceovers are impeccable, as is his comical German accent.

While the script has tremendous fun developing the interesting characters through mostly priceless moments of humor (the fate of Prince Nuada’s bodyguard is particularly awesome), director Del Toro delights the audience with the visuals. Thanks to exceptional makeover and minimal use of CGI, Hellboy’s world is immensely imaginative and immersive. The Troll Market sequence is especially delightful. But thankfully, Del Toro is also a talented storyteller and instead of giving the visuals the spotlight, he uses them to tell the story more effectively. The action scenes fortunately avoid the current cinematic Tony Scott-esque trend of shaky cameras and use clear edition and steady angles.

Funny and rewarding, “Hellboy 2: The Golden Army” is an enormously entertaining film that, as a bonus, sets the pieces for a third one about Hellboy’s origins and his fate as the Destroyer of Worlds. It’s got one or other bit that feels forced, but they’re almost completely overshadowed by the charm, wit and comedy.

Written by André Navarro on December 21st 2008 

http://andrenavarro.wordpress.com/

Last updated: 2009-12-21 03:50:39 by andre_navarro

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

I cannot remember a damn thing from the first movie! All I remember was that the word Hell was prohibited in Malaysia so it was renamed as Super Sapiens. The other thing I remember was that Hellboy was destined to either destroy or save the world. The last thing was that Abe Sapien did not really talk much. What I do know is Hellboy II was a hell (pun intended) lot better than the first one; more creative action scenes, nice creature designs and a very good plot indeed. Ron Perlman is back again, fitting the shoes of Hellboy so comfortably, it feels like a very welcomed Duran Duran or The Eagles reunion. Doug Jones and Selma Blair duly reprise the roles and the latest addition to the freak team, Johann Krauss is one heck of a scene stealer. Dig his sense of humor and German accent! Luke Goss’s villainous role makes him very hate-able, which is a good thing. Guillermo Del Toro really brings us impressive creativity in his creature designs, for the villains especially. Moviegoers’ expectations will certainly be met and as for mine, they have been well-exceeded. Cannot wait for The Hobbit!

Rating: 9/10

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Hellboy II: The Golden Army

The year of the comic book continues with Guillermo Del Toro's Hellboy II: The Golden Army. If you have seen a film by Del Toro in the past, you probably know that the man's imagination is only exceeded by his belly. Perhaps it was his wild imagination that got this sequel greenlit, considering the fact that 2004's Hellboy only grossed a little above $55 million domestically. No matter how he managed to do it, I am glad he did. Hellboy II is a step up from its predecessor in every way. At the beginning of the film, we are told the story of the golden army by Professor Broom (John Hurt) to a teenage Hellboy. Long ago, humans and beasts roamed the earth together. But the humans, unhappy with living with trolls I guess, started a war against those beasts and ended up winning the first battle. Prince Nuada (Luke Goss) was deeply enraged by this, and when the offer arose, the Prince convinced his father to build a golden army to teach the humans a lesson. To control the army, a gold crown was created to be worn by the King. After a brutal slaying, King Balor, riddled with regret, created a truce with the humans and divided the crown into 3 pieces. Prince Nuada, ashamed by his father's actions, went into exile, waiting for the moment he could make everything right. Now it is present day and Nuada returns to reclaim what was his, and the only people that can stop him are the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. Our familiar friends Hellboy, Liz, and Abe (Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, and Doug Jones) get the call to stop the Prince before he destroys all of mankind. With the help of new team leader Johann Krauss (voiced by Seth MacFarlane), the team investigates an underground world of unimaginable creatures, protecting people that don't seem to want protecting.

More than anything, Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a visual feast, or rather, a visual all you can eat buffet. Director Guillermo Del Toro's creativity is exhibited in the forms of monsters who are hideous yet at the same time beautiful. In a scene where the Bureau members walk through a troll market, I was left astounded by the brilliant variety of ghouls that Del Toro has served up for us in this magnificent display. Del Toro must have been running the makeup team ragged with his wild imagination. On that note, Hellboy II is a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup. Attention to detail and consistent diversity amongst the creatures makes the film a never ending source of magic and whimsy. Del Toro's love for the characters and their world shines through with unyielding brightness. Aside from the stunning landscapes and creatures, Del Toro also paces the film very well, not allowing the film to crumble under its own weight. Once you make it past the cheesy, cornballish first 15 minutes or so, entertainment ensues for the remaining 95.

When you are covered with makeup and prosthetics, it can be difficult to fully convey emotions and actions properly. The actors in Hellboy II do a very good job of making their costumes complete non factors in their performances. Watching a group of abnormal beings portray familiar human emotions, such as love and shame, makes you forget that Hellboy has the right hand of doom and that Abe is essentially a talking fish. All you recognize is how similar to us these misunderstood creatures are. Ron Perlman is great as the gruff, rebellious Hellboy. His ability to maintain an intimidating exterior while cracking jokes and smoking cigars makes Hellboy a likeable character despite his "lone wolf" ideals. Unlike recent superhero flick Hancock, Hellboy succeeds in combining humor and drama because it doesn't lay it on too thick. Earlier in his career, Perlman donned excessive makeup for his role as Vincent in television series Beauty and the Beast. This experience most likely made playing Hellboy somewhat familiar to Perlman, and it really shows in this film. Hellboy's relationship with Liz is a recognizable one, reminding me of a normal couple dealing with normal problems. The actors really do a terrific job of making you sympathize with the characters as you would another person. Another man who is no stranger to prosthetics, Doug Jones reprises his role as the all knowing amphibious being Abe Sapien. In the first Hellboy, David Hyde Pierce provided the voice of Abe but refused crediting because he felt that Jones really did all the work. Pierce pretty much hit the nail on the head. In Hellboy II, Jones does even more work providing his own voice and the difference is practically negligible. What makes Abe such an interesting character are his mannerisms and his impressive ability to know EVERYTHING. Since the latter characteristic is uncontrollable, Jones had to make this weird fish man a delight to see on screen, and he does. We also get to see the romantic side of Abe when he falls in love with the enemies sister. Forbidden love is always awesome (and in this case hilarious). My absolute favorite part of this film was new character Johann Krauss, the team's new leader that was called in to watch over Hellboy. Krauss was played by 3 different people: James Dodd, John Alexander, and Seth MacFarlane. Addressing the work done by MacFarlane, I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that the creator of Family Guy, the man who does the voice of Peter Griffin, was in Hellboy II as a German ectoplasmic scientist. He also did a great job of matching the voice with the motions of Krauss, that were acted out by either Dodd or Alexander. A thoroughly entertaining character, Krauss' level-headed mindset and brilliant psychic abilities make him a formidable match against the brute force of Hellboy.

Hellboy II is not a terrific film though, as it does have it's fair share of infirmities. I briefly stated before that the first 15 minutes are a bit rough to get through. That might be giving it too much credit. In comparison to the rest of the film, the first 15 minutes seemed like a different movie altogether. I almost completely lost interest as I watched an awkward young Hellboy beg his father to read him a bedtime story. Clumsily shot, horribly acted, altogether unappealing to watch, I feared this movie was over before it even got started. Luckily because of Del Toro's ability to tell a story, I soon became entangled in this movies web. Although, the storyline itself was a bit difficult to appreciate. It was a little too familiar for my taste. A superhero that isn't favored by the public and must fight his own demons is a recipe that has been used in too many dishes (Spiderman, Batman, Hancock). The message of acceptance of everybody despite our differences has been played for years (All 3 X-Men films), and is becoming redundant now. It was also unrealistic to see not a single person stand up for Hellboy. In a scene where Hellboy saves a baby from a car about to be destroyed, not one person in the crowd shouts a positive comment. Every person is portrayed as close minded and arrogant. Even in a world of monsters, that seems a bit unrealistic.

Although not perfect and not quite as good as Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy II is energetic and amusing throughout. With an enchanting score from Danny Elfman, the action sequences in Hellboy II are a thrill to behold. They do not run too long and they do not indulge in blurry CGI. You can see everything that happens clearly, something that recent action films don't offer (Transformers, Spiderman 3). I was not a big fan of the first film so I did not expect much from this one. I was pleasantly surprised. With just the right mix of humor and action and a plethora of beautiful creatures, Hellboy II is smashing summer fun that could be appreciated by all ages. My rating (7/10)


Oh yea, there is also the funniest rendition of a Barry Manilow song EVER.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

I’m not well versed in the Hellboy universe, other than the previous film and a few issues and cartoons I’ve seen, but I can say that this is one of the most entertaining films I saw in 2008, not just in terms of action and story, but visually.
Ron Perlman’s performance as Hellboy is even better in this one than the first. He seems more comfortable with the character, and at the same time it feels like he was born to play him.
I’ve read reviews that have said that Selma Blair’s performance as Liz Sherman left a lot to be desired. I’m not so sure I agree, but she did seem to be on the rag for a good portion of the film, then all of a sudden switched to being supportive. Can we say mood swing?
Doug Jones had the chance to reprise his role as Abe Sapien, but this time he was able to use his own voice, as well as give vocals to the Angel of Death and The Chamberlain. As far as Abe goes, I didn’t even really notice the change from David Hyde Pierce to Jones until it was mentioned. The Angel of Death is one of the best looking characters in the film and Jones gave it a voice that was both creepy and fitting.
Seth McFarlane really brought life to Johan Krauss with his voice. Not to mention the funniest part of the film. A German accent and saying “focused” don’t go together. I can just imagine how many uptight parents had a cow about that.
Nuala and Nuada are pretty cool, but the fact that when Nuada was hurt in battle it would hurt Nuada reminded me of Tomax and Xamot from the old  G.I. Joe cartoon. That’s not to mention the creepy incest type relationship it appears they have and the fact that when they died they turned into some sort of soap looking material.
As I said before, this film is visually stunning. Honestly, did you expect less from Benecio del Toro, the man who brought us Pan’s Labyrinth?  The sets and creatures are works of art and compliment the styling of the source material.
This is what a comic book film should be, filled with action and fun, and not dark and broody to the point that you’re depressed when the film is over *cough* Dark Knight *cough*.  I hope that this isn’t the last in the Hellboy series, but it could be a while before he returns to the screen since del Toro is busy in Middle Earth. It’ll be worth the wait, though. Watch this one and you’ll see why!

http://thankyounetflix.wordpress.com

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