Hellboy II: The Golden Army, 4 stars
Saw Guillermo del Toro’s sequel to Hellboy yesterday and liked it a lot. While the story was a bit shallower than in the original film, the better-developed characters made up that small shortage.
The sequel is not based on a Mike Mignola comic, and that shows. The story is fast-paced, and there’s too much reliance on good old fisticuffs. The fights are rarely boring, but there’s just too many of them. The plot has some holes in it, but none big enough to really detract from the enjoyment.
Ron Perlman returns as Hellboy, and feels even more comfortable in the role than in the original. Definitely the actor is a perfect match for the swaggering gruff demon with a weakness for kittens and cigars. Selma Blair and Doug Jones (rewarded with a voice role here, unlike the original) return as the rest of the B.P.R.D. trio and both carry their parts effortlessly. The interplay remains great - with one of the greatest moments being the scene where Hellboy and Abe Sapien take the traditional finnish route towards being able to talk about their feelings - by getting plastered on Tecate. Johann Krauss, the ectoplasmic new guy, gets a few scenes, but is mostly reduced to comic relief. But the character concept does have potential for the future.
Like all del Toro movies the cinematography is exquisite. Here the contrasts between uniformly gray cityscapes and a sudden verdant bloom are nothing short of magic. The troll market is pretty much how I would expect a high budget version of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere to look. And like many previous movies, it’s not the protagonists who are the most fascinating of characters, but individuals encountered only for a single scene. In addition to the breathtaking scenery concentrating on nature there’s a very pointed steampunk element in the movie. The titular golden army is powered by clockwork machinery, and the cogs and pistons are depicted with precision.
Even though the movie didn’t exactly rock the box office - it is hard to fight against the biggest movie of the year - a sequel seems inevitable. Though with del Toro hopefully very busy with the twin Hobbit-movies, it remains to be seem whether someone feels brave enough to continue the saga. The threat of the Ogdru Jahad’s displeasure ought to provide good incentive not to screw up the franchise.
And even if I will refrain from smoking in bomber jackets (as proven so cool recently in Sky Crawlers), I definitely have to try out drinking beer in the shower. Far more impressive. And far less destructive.
Right now Hellboy II has been relegated to the smallest screen of the multiplex, go see the second best comics-based movie of the year before it’s too late.
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