Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Jeffrey Tambor, Luke Goss, Anna Walton, John Hurt, Seth McFarlane (voice)

Dir & Scr. Guillermo del Toro

Well, del Toro has done it again – created a slew of visually exciting and wonderfully realised creatures in a fantasy world just on the edge of our own. Perhaps it isn’t as much of a feat in a superhero, comic book movie as it was in Pan’s Labyrinth, where we have come to expect a visual treat. Nevertheless, del Toro’s vision makes Hellboy a cut above most movies of this genre. Some clichéd dialogue and about 20 minutes too many doesn’t detract too much from this stunning, witty film.

Hellboy II picks up where the first film in the franchise left off. Hellboy, Abe Sapien and Liz Sherman are the key players at the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defence, a secret organisation doing its best to keep the human world and the mythical world separated. When the prince of a magic elfin race starts a rebellion against humanity, and tries to unleash the Golden Army (thousands of indestructible soldiers) to gain power over Earth, Hellboy and company are called in. Along the way, Hellboy and Liz have some domestic troubles, Abe falls in love, we are introduced to a new member of the team (containment suit proportioned like a man holding pure ectoplasmic energy), and (predictably but reassuringly) the world is saved.

The film clips along at a satisfying pace, perhaps a little long (the end is especially drawn out). But I don’t begrudge getting to spend time with the likeable and visually interesting characters in Hellboy. The addition of Krauss (the man-shaped ectoplasm) brings some comic relief but his character is hugely clichéd and hard to connect with, understandably so. However the host of other characters we meet along the way are a treat. Del Toro has an imagination like no other writer/director working today. His creations are frightening and enchanting, other simultaneously. The Angel of Death is particularly breathtaking. You just never quite know what you’re going to see in a del Toro film.

It would be easy for the acting to take to back seat in this film, but there are some very solid performances in Hellboy. Doug Jones is again brilliant as Abe Sapien. For me, Selma Blair (playing Liz) is always a little wooden, and the same is true in Hellboy. Luke Goss (of Bros fame) gives an outstanding performance as Prince Nuada, and Walton’s performance (playing the Prince’s sister, Nuala) is equally compelling. But the star of the show is Hellboy himself, and Ron Perlman looks to be having the time of his life in this role.

Many will enjoy Hellboy, not just your usual set of graphic novel junkies. This film is truly a visual treat. It will help if you’ve seen the first Hellboy movie, but it’s not fatal if you haven’t. I happily recommend this film.


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Hellboy: You're in love. Have a beer.
Abe Sapien: Oh, my body's a temple.
Hellboy: Now it's an amusement park.