Hellboy II - L'armée d'or

This is something special; when a second film in a series is able to surpass or equal to it's predecessor. It's not just because the first Hellboy was so excellent, which it was, but they handled this second film with such care and pizazz, it's almost better, in ways, than the first.

It's very rare in a saga that the second films rises over the first, which is why when I say that Hellboy II: The Golden Army was almost in every way better than Hellboy, I mean it, and for me to love Hellboy like I do, that's saying a lot. Hellboy II had everything the first had, but with bigger and better qualities. The action was superb, story line was great, and acting, directing, etc. was just as perfect.

I was entertained through the entire film and I enjoyed every minute and in the end I was left with a big smile on my face for how great this sequel turned out to be, but here again, I still think it is on par with the first because of how the first was so perfect at setting up the story from the comics and how amazingly entertaining it was as well, with all the great performances that the second had and just when I put the two films together, I honestly can not decide which is better. All I have left to say is that if you loved Hellboy, this is no disappointment whatsoever, and you need to see it right away!

HELLBOY II threatens to be nothing more than your latest CGI-laden braindead Hollywood action movie, and yet it's not, thanks to the presence of director Guillermo del Toro. Del Toro has to possess one of the most imaginative minds in Hollywood and he brings a level of creativity to the movie that's sorely lacking in most genre fare getting released these days. Del Toro's imagination comes to the fore in the myriad creatures he creates for this movie, bringing to life monster upon monster with no end to the creativity in sight.

Even better, the producers have the budget to match the vivid creations coming out of the minds of this film's makers, and the special effects do not disappoint. The CGI in this movie is phenomenal, with not a single effect out of place. Having just sat through the dodgy, odd-looking chimpanzees of RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, I'm doubly impressed by the quality of the CGI in this movie (which was made with a lower budget than the ape film, it has to be said). It's an entirely visual film, one which never disappoints.

The plot, of course, is secondary to the effects, but that doesn't matter so much this time around. As usual, there's a bad guy (Luke Goss, returning as a del Toro villain after BLADE II) who wants to take over the world and who has all manner of mean and wild creations to help him in the process. Up against him is Hellboy and his companions. The return of welcome old faces is great (and kudos to the writers for giving the excellent Abe Sapien a bigger part this time around) and the new character of Johann Krauss is similarly a work of genius. Hellboy is his usual wisecracking self and Perlman brings plenty of laconic humour to the part.

The narrative pretty much leads from one wild set-piece to the next, with some more effective than others. Hellboy's encounter with the nature god is my favourite part of the film, although the run-in with the titular army at the movie's climax is also fairly exhilarating. Okay, so this isn't a great movie – the story doesn't hold up to a great deal of scrutiny, after all is told – but it looks the part and I can't dislike any movie with this level of sheer inventiveness behind it.

A lot more fun than the original, though unlike many reviewers I kind of miss the darker, real-life villains. (Is anything hotter than Rasputin the Russian mystic making love to a stunning blonde Valkyrie of the SS?) Anyway, the cute elf princess and the fish-like Abe make a surprisingly romantic pair, the fight scenes rock, and the dialogue is sharp and funny almost all the time.

Only one regret: I do wish they could have yanked "Can't Smile Without You" by Barry Manilow, and replaced it with a song with a bit more soul. I would suggest "When A Man Loves A Woman" by Percy Sledge. Or "Hello Stranger" by Barbara Lewis. Or "Walk Like A Man" by the Four Seasons. Or just about anything but Barry Manilow!

My Take: An elaborate set of imaginative creature effects and the always interesting lead character make the show worth watching.

I have a confession to make: I haven't seen the original HELLBOY yet. And neither have I seen it when I saw the much-praised sequel HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY. But that's just what I really like about this sequel: It doesn't require you to have seen the original to fully enjoy this weird and entertaining excursion. Seeing the original would certainly add to the experience, but taken in its own rights, HELLBOY II does what a sequel should do: Not just live up to the expectations left by its predecessor, but also shine as a stand-alone effort.

And yet I have another confession: I have not seen Guillermo Del Toro's crown jewel PAN'S LABYRINTH yet. But seeing HELLBOY II, I am more than impressed by his wild imagination. HELLBOY may have been based on a comic book, but for anyone who isn't a fan of the comics, Hellboy is Del Toro's own creation. Like what Tim Burton did with BATMAN, Del Toro has modeled Hellboy (Ron Perlman) as his own creation on-screen, and he's a very interesting character. Perlman never wastes his opportunity to provide depth as well as nuance to his character. Perlman proves himself worthy, not just an ideal action hero (under tons of make-up), but as yet another actor who successfully embodies the role of a comic-book character.

As in PAN'S LABYRINTH, Del Toro populates the world of HELLBOY II with some truly fascinating and intriguing creatures. Roger Ebert made a truthful compliment by stating that the world of HELLBOY II reminded him of the famous Cantina scene from STAR WARS. What George Lucas has conceived within only a few minutes of screen time in his movie, Del Toro manages to do for 2 hours. The creatures are imaginative, not just in look but in personality, and they are at an abundance. Plus, they're also mostly done using make-up effects rather than CGI, which makes them all the more real. Add to Del Toro's imaginative set pieces, he is a master storyteller. From the opening scene, where "Broom" Bruttenholm (John Hurt) tells the legend of the "Golden Army" to a young Hellboy, Del Toro exhibits is true talents at telling a good story. There are moments of thrills and even laughs, and the visuals are superb. Supporting performances and some neat special effects (notice that I praised the CGI later in in this review) make for one worthy adventure ride. HELLBOY II isn't perfect, but it sure is great at what it was doing.

Rating: **** out of 5.

I was excited when I heard that the first Hellboy film was getting a sequel. And considering Guillermo Del Toro and Ron Perlman were returning, it was guaranteed to be a hit. More supernatural elements, more Abe Sapien, and more weirdness. I don't know how this movie fared at the box office or the critics, but I enjoyed it and I wouldn't mind seeing it again.