Movie Review: Hellboy II: The Golden Army

There is something about the way Guillermo del Toro does not shy away from sweeping, dramatic shots that prove difficult for most directors and cinematographers, that proves he is not afraid to take risks.  He blends that visual candy with grandiose symphonic soundtracks that would normally be a little too much for a testosterone powered audience.  But, just when you think the crowd cannot take the beauty any longer, Hellboy cracks a joke or lights a Cuban cigar.

Even more than the first film, Hellboy II: The Golden Army  delves deeper into the supernatural world that exists all around us.  Though the story is not a easy for many movie goers to digest, compared to the easy consumption of hand me down stories like The Incredible Hulk, it is much more elaborate and meticulously conceived.  I could see how some might view the story as too far out there for them to enjoy, but then they have not been graced with a drunken duet from Hellboy and Abe Sapien.  This movie knew just how to make fun of itself at the right moments, how to bring the outlandish down to earth.

There were some parts of the film that dragged.  Periods of slow going, however, only enhanced the rest of the hyper-intense scenes and gave you a chance to sip your drink and munch your popcorn.  The humor employed in the sequel hearkens back to the kind of humor found in Star Wars.  It is Jabba the Hut’s lair or Mos Eisley Cantina’s type humor.  Where wildly strange creatures take on human personalities and the audience cannot help but laugh.

The movie saw two rather large changes to the cast.  First John Myers, a sort of caretaker for Hellboy in the first film, played by Rupert Evans, is gone from the sequel.  His disappearance is explained briefly, which is appreciated.  Brought into the cast is the much more interesting, ectoplasmic, Johann Krauss.  A character from the Dark Horse Comics, he is a spirit form held within what strangely resembles an ancient diving suit.  He provides one of the more hilarious moments in the movie.  Selma Blair continues to show she has little capacity for humor, but her character Liz is good on the other end of the scale from the rest of the characters.  Will Hellboy be able to stop evil Prince Nuada?

I was thoroughly impressed.  It was not quite as novel as the first encounter with the son of Satan, but of course that was because I had never known the story or character of Hellboy.  It continued on the theme of Hellboy’s internal and external conflicts with mankind and left plenty of room for more story to be told.  Bigger, badder, and redder, this movie does not take it self as seriously as all the other comic films you have seen this summer and that continues to be refreshing.

Rating **** (out of five)