Hellboy (2004) Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Jeffrey Tambor, Karel Roden Movie Review

Hellboy (2004)   4/54/54/54/54/5


Ron Perlman in Hellboy (2004)

Big Red

With things going against them towards the tail end of WWII, the Nazis have turned to the paranormal to try and aid their war. But before they can completely manifest what they were aiming to create with the help of Grigori Rasputin (Karel Roden) the American army intercede before a baby, known as Hellboy is manifested. Raised by scientist Trevor "Broom" Bruttenholm (John Hurt), Hellboy (Ron Perlman) grows up on the side of good, fighting dark forces with the aid of some other unique beings and inexperienced agent John Myers (Rupert Evans). But when Grigori reappears in the modern world accompanied by a sword fighting automaton and an assistant, Hellboy is going to have to deal with his creator to save the planet.

Big props, big effects, big action, big actors and big one liners oh and a story about a devil child fighting on the side of good and a Nazi wizard who is his creator showing up in the modern world. Job done, "Hellboy" reviewed on to the next movie. You think I am kidding but all those big things are what make up "Hellboy" and it is why it is still as entertaining now as it was back in 2004 when it came out. And that comes from some one who has never been overly fussed by the whole comic book movie adaptation thing which has been popular for a lot longer than I ever thought it would be.

John Hurt in Hellboy (2004)

So the quick part of "Hellboy" is the storyline as 60 years after they thought they had got rid of Rasputin and his small group they are back and are hell bent on causing an apocalypse. Alongside this there is a subplot surrounding Hellboy, aka Red, and his feelings towards Liz (Selma Blair) who has the ability to create fire. But in truth the storyline whilst perfectly adequate is really just a vehicle for all those big things.

Now I keep on saying big things and in truth it is not all big things which make it entertaining as just the effectiveness of a plume of green smoke or the humour of Hellboy filing down his horns with an angle grinder it works. Okay so it helps that Hellboy is a great character who has the wit and attitude of Wolverine which makes him easy to find likeable and amusing but from beginning to end with Ron Perlman having a whale of a time with all the brilliant one-liners he gets to deliver.

What this all boils down to is that "Hellboy" is my sort of comic book movie with big characters, lots of snappy humour and one big action scene after enough. Yes it is a popcorn movie with no depth, darkness, or brooding heroes but so what as when you want big and fun who better than Red to deliver it.


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