Sequels very rarely live up to their predecessors, most seemingly produced just to cash in on an initial success but is the Hellboy brand any different?
Directed by comic book movie fan, Guillermo del Toro, who won an academy award for 2006’s Pan's Labyrinth, and starring journeyman actor Ron Perlman, this supernatural action-thriller is hoping to repeat the original’s critical and box office success.
Perlman was introduced as Hellboy, aka “Red”, in 2004’s HELLBOY, a bright red demon who entered earth’s dimension after a Nazi experiment was destroyed. Naturally, he joins the American Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense and battles seven monsters brought about to destroy earth.
In HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY a truce between humankind and thousands of fantastical creatures living in an invisible underworld is broken by the rebellious Prince Nuada (Luke Goss of Bross fame) who intends to use a mystical army to overthrow humanity.
Cigar-chomping, crime- fighting Hellboy battles the cool villain, Prince, with the help of his girlfriend Liz, best friend Abe Sapien, and the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense travelling between the two worlds to quell the onslaught.
This comic book inspired blockbuster is imaginative, endearing and at times charming.
Although not a work of art like del Toro’s Oscar-winning Pan’s Labyrinth and at times repetitive HELLBOY II is never boring and capable of delighting even the most jaded comic-book-summer-blockbuster film fan.
STAR RATING ****
