Directed by:
Guillermo del ToroScreenplay:
Guillermo del ToroCinematography:
Guillermo NavarroComposer:
Marco BeltramiCast:
Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Jeffrey Tambor, Karel Roden, Rupert Evans, Brian Steele, Doug Jones, John Hurt, Ladislav Beran, Corey Johnson, Brian Caspe (more)VOD (6)
Plots(1)
In the final days of World War II, the Nazis attempt to use black magic to aid their dying cause. The Allies raid the camp where the ceremony is taking place, but not before a demon - Hellboy (Ron Perlman) - has already been conjured. Joining the Allied forces, Hellboy eventually grows to adulthood under the supervision of his adopted 'father', Professor Broom (John Hurt), serving the cause of good rather than evil. When the powerful and evil Nazi wizard who unleashed Hellboy suddenly reappears in modern times, he discovers that Hellboy is now working as a paranormal investigator at a secret U.S. government agency dedicated to protecting humanity from the forces of darkness. Now, Hellboy must fight to prevent the destruction of mankind. (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
(more)Reviews (12)
Hellboy is fine. It's got heart, charm, humor, a cool edge, a fantasy dimension, and you can feel that writer and director Guillermo del Toro made it with love. That said, it’s not his best film. There’s not enough action in it and the most important action scene, i.e. the last one, is surprisingly unimaginative and rushed. Not to mention the absence of overall dynamics and panache (Blade II was better in that respect), which are things that a comic-book movie shouldn’t be without. Unless, of course, it’s underpinned by more dramatic psychology (like X-Men 2), which Hellboy isn’t. Del Toro conceived Hellboy purely as light entertainment built on humor, likable heroes, the ugliness of the sleazy monsters and the magical atmosphere of “another world”. In terms of formula, he basically just interspersed relaxing scenes in which our heroes hang out in the laboratory with scenes in which they go after their enemies and kick some ass. Unfortunately, these two levels alternate for the whole two hours without anything major being resolved and we are left in suspense as to what will come next. Three and a half stars.
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A visually captivating, but plot-wise somewhat overwrought breather that, given the premise, could have been better. The action sequences aren't great, the humour sometimes misses the mark and del Toro isn't very good when it comes to psychology. A lot is made up by the visuals, which are quite striking despite the average budget of 60 million, with decent effects (even if sometimes too computer-ey) and good make-up (Hellboy and especially Abe Sapien are simply awesome). The script didn't give Roden much space, but Perlman radiates charisma for a hundred lengths of his devil's tail. On the other hand, there is the very bland character of a young FBI agent who tries to woo Hellboy's girlfriend, but is otherwise completely useless. All in all, a film that entertained me on average and didn't resonate with me after I left the cinema. We’ll see with the sequel.
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Hellboy is a comic book Accenture exactly to my taste. It has a devilishly dark and sometimes perversely disgusting atmosphere, humor as black as a freshly filled grave and a hero so sympathetically unsympathetic that there’s nothing quite like it. The main winner of Guillermo Del Toro's film is Ron Perlman, whose mask creation surpasses everything I have seen so far in the comic book remake genre. Hellboy is a hero with a soul who doesn't have to define himself to the world through tons of explosions and fights... it's a little big poem about the eternal feud between hell power and good human aspects, which turns into something almost poetically tender in that big red body. The scenes where Hellboy strokes a kitten with his stone hand or eats cookies on the roof in the company of a nine-year-old boy, debating love with him, are the highlights of the film. Del Toro was able to properly balance the ratio of action and conversation, thus joining the commendable trend of X-Men 2. It's amazing how a movie about a horned monster managed to impress me... but not only that. The film was able to entertain me with well-crafted action sequences (which, however, are rather only above average and old-world nowadays), and it suggested an atmosphere to me that balances on the edge of black comedy and horror. It too bad that in the end the film loses some of the escalation and directorial cleverness with which it is conducted (with a slight exaggeration). Hellboy's world is very sympathetic and understandable to me, which is why I hope that "Red" does not end his brash journey with this film. It would be a pity if this muddy hellish relic doesn’t get a successor...
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Hellboy has huge potential, but the creators didn’t do a good job in transferring it to the screen. The greatest mistake is that they completely ignored the mysterious Gothic atmosphere that simply oozes out of the comic books. In terms of story this is an almost disrespectful mishmash and the only thing that saves the day is Ron Perlman in the title role of Hellboy himself. Add to that the rather sluggish pace, over-long running time and a lame finale. So the result is unfortunately a mediocre affair that can be watched once, but never again.
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What does make a person human after all? Mentally he is 20, in love, irritated, strong, conflicted – and because of that, irresistible. I still remember that I didn't have any hope at all for Hellboy after watching the trailer, and then I ended up gaping with my mouth hanging open. A very fragile bond with Liz, constant teasing from the agents around, a complicated relationship with his father, or just the battles with Sammael – this hellish boy gets me everywhere. After many, many screenings, I simply have to admit that my beloved genre of comic book adaptations has its unassuming red king.
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Hellboy is quite likable, but not particularly outstanding, and it suffers from an undeveloped script and a weak finale. The undeveloped script, in this case, means that the evil is too feeble and incompetent, and the heroes don't exert themselves much in their struggle, leaving the audience wanting. On the other hand, the casting is appealing, with Ron Perlman fitting perfectly into the role of the demon just by his appearance (it seems they could have partially saved on a makeup artist), and Karel Roden evidently enjoying his portrayal of Rasputin. Some props and sets are visually interesting. It's slightly above average, leading to a 60% overall impression.
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An enjoyable film that gets more and more under my skin each time I watch it. Ron portrayed Hellboy exactly how I imagined him and the whole universe around him is just delicious. Abraham, Liz (Selma Blair's only sympathetic role)... everything fits together and forms a compact whole together with the second film. There is also, of course, the added bonus that the film features Karel Roden, who certainly deserves praise. Hellboy is just a guy who looks like a guy from hell and likes cats, beer, and his flammable half. It's good to watch both movies with this cool guy.
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Karel Roden in the villain role of Rasputin is not very good, but Ron Perlman as Hellboy is quite charismatic. The visual effects are decent, but overly cluttered and inconsistent. The film has all the parameters within the normal range, but doesn't excel in anything properly.
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"I'm fireproof. Not you." I understand that a person who hasn't had the pleasure of reading Hellboy on paper might not appreciate the movie as much. But trust me, it's perfect (although many, many things are changed and many, many things are left out)! As far as Ron Perlman is concerned - that's what you call the role of a lifetime.__P.S. The extended version contains rather cosmetic changes and improvements, but the scene with Rasputin's eyes is excellent.
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If it wasn’t for Ron Perlman in the role of his life, I would have a hard time understanding this movie. It is he and his immense charisma that give the whole film an unadulterated comic touch, interspersed not only with great catchphrases and action, but at times also with natural human concerns. As a true Hollywood superhero, Hellboy has it all: he's rugged, fearless, committed to goodness, oozing with dry humour and, most importantly, his heart is in the right place; simply great potential, which Guillermo del Toro exploits to the fullest, tailoring the script around Hellboy's characteristics. As a result, we don’t have a grand drama full of twists and turns and dark atmosphere as in Snyder's Watchmen, for example, but we are presented with a lovingly made fantasy diversion that, despite the story's shortcomings, still offers the best entertainment one could wish for in the genre. I was just a bit disappointed by the surprisingly unimaginative final action set-piece, I expected something more than what del Toro served us. But that doesn't change the fact that Ron Perlman is really cool and Karel Roden once again confirmed that as a villain he has hardly any competition. 3.5*
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The original Hellboy is undoubtedly a cult classic in the realm of comic book adaptations today. Guillermo del Toro's involvement in this project was top-notch, as he skillfully blended a multi-genre spectacle that surprisingly worked well in the end. Whoever was responsible for the casting deserves a medal for their incredible foresight. Ron Perlman completely silenced the skeptics; his perpetually grumpy and pessimistic Hellboy, with a generous dose of satire aimed in all directions, is a combination you simply want to see! While the action and effects might have aged a bit over the past sixteen years, the chilling atmosphere and superbly chosen sets, which occasionally make the film almost a horror experience in its own right, are excellently crafted by del Toro. However, I was disappointed by Karel Roden's performance as the main antagonist; it was nothing spectacular—just standard and somewhat uninspiring. This is the film's only downside, though quite significant. I give it 80%.
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One of my favorite comic book films, which relies heavily on Hellboy, specifically on his portrayal by Ron Perlman. He's a quip-slinging beast who's incredibly dry. A B-list hero going through his own struggles with Rasputin. Rasputin got the face of Karel Roden, which is simply delightful. Especially when it's a crucial role. The perfect combination of humor, pathos, and great special effects. It's hard to understand where all this went in Guillermo's execution in the film Pacific Rim.
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