Neues Hörerlebnis von Christophorus:

STORY
Seit den schrecklichen Ereignissen in Rumänien ist Liz Sherman, Agentin der Behörde zur Untersuchung und Abwehr paranormaler Erscheinungen, nicht mehr ansprechbar. Ein Homunkulus, eine künstlich geschaffene, menschenähnliche Kreatur, beraubte sie ihrer übernatürlichen Fähigkeiten – und somit auch ihrer Lebenskraft.
Hellboy und Kate Corrigan, ebenfalls eine Agentin der Behörde, begeben sich zurück nach Rumänien, um den Homunkulus aufzuspüren. Ihr Weg führt sie tief in die Berge zu einem abgeschiedenen Kloster. Dabei macht das Ermittler-Duo eine unfassbare Entdeckung…

KRITIK
Nach den beiden jeweiligen Doppelfolgen »Die Saat der Zerstörung« und »Der Teufel erwacht« schickt Lausch mit »Beinahe ein Gigant« die erste Hellboy-Einzelfolge ins Rennen. Rasante Action, markige Sprüche und ein düsteres, mystisches Ambiente bilden auch hier wieder die Grundlage für knackigen Hörgenuss. Damit weicht Folge 5 keinen Millimeter von der erfolgreichen Comic-Vorlage ab und vermittelt eine kinoreife Atmosphäre. Das ist nicht nur den schnellen Schnitten und der hervorragenden Sound- und Musikuntermalung geschuldet, sondern allen voran den Sprechern. So ist Tilo Schmitz als Hellboy ebenso wieder mit an Bord wie Joachim Tennstedt als Dr. Sapien. Als Gastsprecher konnte Helmut Krauss verpflichtet werden, der dem Giganten seine markante Stimme leiht.
Die Geschichte, die sich um einen Homunkulus dreht, der an sich und seiner Existenz zweifelt, wirkt mit ihren interessanten Figuren ordentlich tiefgründig und regt das ein oder andere Mal zum Nachdenken an; bremst die Fahrt, die das Hörspiel nimmt, aber oftmals unnötig ab.

Christoph Memmert

Design: Gino Verna

Produced and Distributed: Inkworks, Morrisville, NC

Inkworks announces the March 2004 release of premium trading cards based on the highly-anticipated movie, Hellboy. Hellboy is a supernatural action-adventure feature film based on Mike Mignola’s popular Dark Horse Comics series, and brought to life by visionary writer/director Guillermo Del Toro (Blade II, Cronos). Look for fan-favorite characters from the comic book saga brought to life, including: Hellboy, Liz Sherman, Abe Sapien and more. The 72-card series from Inkworks features the popular comic-turned-movie story, and include character cards, movie story cards, behind-the-scenes, movie production concept art and much more.

The art on that card has always made me scratch my head and wonder how I got so lucky. As an integral part of Vs. System’s history, that little proud zinco product not only brought one of Mike Mignola’s most magnificent paintings to real life on the Pro Circuit, it cemented something special inside of me.

See, here’s how it goes. One person crystallizes a myth in words and imagery. Then a whole bunch of others celebrate it and expand its existence in the collective psi-bank. Finally, the commercial conglomerate sanctions it with official releases. Continuity and canon arise from imagination, and we all live happily ever after.

What am I babbling about on this glorious Sunday morning? The myth of Hellboy, of course. Specifically the link between a fan-created Playmobil set that was eventually purchased by Mike Mignola himself, and our beloved Vs. System cardboard incarnations.  Feast your eyes.

(The best Liz Sherman I have seen, by Roc Upchurch.)

Flipping cards has never been finer. For the second weekend in a row, Nina and I have been turning Hellboy and Liz sideways on the kitchen table until the tentacles explode the moon and rain down from the heavens. Last night our seven-game series came down to the final swing, and I had the firestarter’s Uncontrollable Power ready to burn for the win.

Hottest. Cardboard. Ever.

The Hellboy Essential Collection contains the only 60-card constructed Vs. System decks ever produced for public consumption. It remains the pinnacle of mythological madness and trading card game bliss. Mike Mignola personally painted a large portion of the exquisite artwork, while Matt Hyra made sure the mechanics were magnificent tightness. It worked perfectly, in ways that still blow me away.

Nina and I have played two seven-game series so far this weekend. We switched teams for each house championship, with Thule Society claiming both rings. The first was 4-2, the second 4-3. The decks are wonderfully balanced. Each team has two different themes. It is the most fun we have had playing Vs. System, maybe ever.

Before we start the next series, I want to share some of the intense mythological eye candy that we have been wallowing in all weekend. Rub your eyes and blink, this stuff is for real.

Those are the original unpublished designs for the insert sleeves in the UDeck boxes. The final illustrations for the outer box holds just the arcane antiquity, without the illustrations.

The rulebook included in this set is, perhaps, the best single item that Upper Deck Entertainment has ever produced. Comprehensive, creative, colorful, and cool as anything else in the world.

As I mentioned earlier, Mike Mignola himself did most of the paintings for the cards. Kroenen drips in eternal cardboard glory because of it.

That is Ryan Sook’s hot take on Liz Sherman. If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times. Our game took her places she never would have gone in the comics.

Alex Garner broke off the horns…

Tim Townsend accepted the destiny…

… and Jason Pearson hilariously illustrated the biggest little beats we have ever seen.

That’s all the time I have to share the beauty of the Hellboy Essential Collection, I need to shuffle up and flip some cards. If you need more words, you can check out the Little Red Men deck that we built as a community.

I will see you back here soon, on the other side of Hellboy Heaven.

Here at Full Body Transplant we have been getting some sightseers surfing for squid. Watchmen squid, to be precise, but squid nonetheless. So, Save-It Saturday is serving historical calamari this morning as the next recipe in our archival soup.

The photograph at the top of this post is one of the crowning achievements of our time at Metagame. My magnificent Met-loving managing editor actually allowed me to photoshop myself and Matt Hyra into the halls of hysterical fake history. And we lived happily ever after.

So yeah. It’s not the Watchmen squid, it’s the huge, annoying tentacles from Hellboy. It’s copying over to the blog with bad spacing, and eventually the source links from the original will shut down and the images won’t load. It is delicious while it lasts, and there is nothing like squid for breakfast – or Save-It Saturday on a Sunday morning.

Bon appetit!

Hellboy Preview: Huge, Annoying Tentacles and Karl Ruprecht Kroenen Rian Fike January 15, 2007 View all articles by this author

What are you afraid of? If you are Selma Blair, the answer is simple: Huge, Annoying Tentacles. When she was creating Liz Sherman on film for Guillermo del Toro’s version of Mike Mignola’s Hellboy, Selma had to face her deepest, darkest phobia. This is what the brilliant actress had to say about her experience with Vs. System’s latest Army characters: They actually scared me. Tentacles are the one thing I have problems with. In person, those tentacles were so terrifying, moving on their own and going everywhere. They really made me sick. I was repulsed, and you didn’t see them as much in the final cut because of it. Yeah, I don’t like them. I don’t like slugs or tentacles or calamari or anything. Tentacles made me turn into a vegetarian in high school. I’m not any more, but in high school, we were dissecting squid. Huge, Annoying Tentacles scared the pants off the former winner of MTV’s Best Movie Kiss of the Year. Now they are going to be mad fun to play with on the kitchen table and in the tournament hall. They are non-unique Army characters and they are a near-perfect representation of the timeless fear that is unleashed and celebrated in the Hellboy Essential Collection. Let’s find out where these creepy crawlers came from. When Mike Mignola first penned the legend of Hellboy, he drew upon the most hideous and horrible source material that humanity has ever known. Some of his inspiration was non-fiction, but that will need to wait until the second half of the article. Right now, we need to look toward H.P. Lovecraft. Widely acknowledged as a master of modern horror, H.P. Lovecraft gave us Cthulhu. No single being carries as much weight when it comes to terrifying its audience. Cthulhu is one of the Old Ones, sometimes described as of the sum total of all human fear. Huge, Annoying Tentacles are its signature move. If you are having trouble pronouncing the name, don’t worry. Cthulhu cannot be spoken. Lovecraft himself explained it like this: The actual sound—as nearly as human organs could imitate it or human letters record it—may be taken as something like Khlul’-hloo, with the first syllable pronounced gutturally and very thickly. The best approximation one can make is to grunt, bark, or cough the imperfectly formed syllables Cluh-Luh with the tip of the tongue firmly affixed to the roof of the mouth. That is, if one is a human being. Directions for other entities are naturally different. Mike Mignola created the Ogdru Jahad as homage to Cthulhu and the Old Ones. Like its predecessor, this indescribable evil is an ageless being from the beginning of time. It continuously strives to destroy the world completely and throw us all into a state of utter chaos and madness. When Guillermo del Toro interpreted the Ogdru Jahad for his feature film, it had one resounding characteristic: it had Huge, Annoying Tentacles. Luckily for us, Hellboy and the B.P.R.D eventually thwarted the Thule Society and their attempt to awaken the Ogdru Jahad. The world did not end, and we get to live on for many more games of Vs. System. For better or worse, there will now be Huge, Annoying Tentacles involved, and they will take some getting used to. Playing against these suckers can be exhausting. The fear caused by this card turns any lower-cost Thule Society character into Rogue, Anna Raven. Aside from the upgrade in looks, why is that good? What is the benefit in attacking an exhausted character unless it is She-Hulk, Jennifer Walters? I hope you are ready, because there are some amazing powers that can answer those questions. Exhausted defenders are not able to attack back on your initiative turns. Huge, Annoying Tentacles will form the basis for some suicidal stall strategies. Since it gives its power to any smallish characters that it can team-up with, it has me dusting off the Armies of Qward and preparing a new world order for Army swarms. Whether or not you stun the defender that you turned sideways, you can stick it to the board for the next turn with Adhesive X or Nahrees. There are some amazing pumps that key off exhausted defenders. The Arkham Inmates are singing “Let’s Go Crazy” as we speak. Every character in the game is practicing their Sucker Punch for a Crushing Blow thanks to Huge, Annoying Tentacles. Two words: Golden Death. Some of the darkest, scariest characters that I know just got a whole lot better. Check out Charaxes, Drury Walker; Yelena Belova ◊ Black Widow; and Mystique, Villainous Shapeshifter. Huge, Annoying Tentacles will bring them out of the binder and turn them into the KO machines they were born to be. As frightening as Huge, Annoying Tentacles are, there is another card in the Hellboy Essential Collection that takes even more of my breath away. Karl Ruprecht Kroenen will chill you to the bone. He is a character that Mike Mignola invented to personify the coldness and cruelty into which the human mind can condense when its sights are set on true evil. This is what happens when the warmth of the human heart is completely extinguished. The pulp version of Kroenen actually froze himself for years, waiting until the proper time for his apocalyptic agenda to be completed. Over the course of their translation from comic book to feature film, both Liz Sherman and Karl Ruprecht Kroenen received a major upgrade and an expanded presence in the Hellboy mythos. Guillermo del Toro fleshed them out thoroughly, allowing Liz to love and Kroenen to kill. In the director’s hands, they became a yin/yang supernova of opposite power and symbolism. Their migration to Vs. System in the Hellboy Essential Collection captures these content extensions intact, and our cardboard contests are going to get wicked because of it. Karl Ruprecht Kroenen is one of the most disturbing villains ever created. The skin-crawling evil that his character distills is nearly non-fiction. The Thule Society team affiliation that he represents is based on tragic historical fact. The bizarre and unsettling psychosis of surgical addiction that he unveils in the cinema is an all-too-real example of abnormal human behavior. This character is a true horror. He is also nearly impossible to kill. This is neatly represented by his evasion ability. You can be assured of his presence for multiple turns, and at the beginning of each combat phase, he will be prepared to employ one of his twisted toys. If the top card of your deck is an Army character that has been brainwashed to follow the orders of the Thule Society as they continue their mission to ritualistically destroy the entire world, then Karl Ruprecht Kroenen will add it to your arsenal. He may find a natural minion with Huge, Annoying Tentacles, or he may expand his troops with a Team-Up. Either way, he brings a terrible beauty to the tortured eyes of Vs. System Army lovers everywhere. What are you afraid of? Rian Fike is also known as stubarnes and he is not afraid of anything that he can eat with hot sauce. He wishes that he really could meet Selma Blair, with or without Matt Hyra. If you wish to speak with him about some fears of your own, make an appointment at fullbodytransplant@dadeschools.net.

The Plot: The identities of Hellboy (Ron Perlman), Liz Sherman (Selma Blair) and Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) are exposed to the general public as they face a new threat: The Golden Army, assembled of long-hidden mythological creatures, is prepared to attack. As fantastic monsters and paranormal phenomena begin to take over, the trio races to stop the army’s leader, the vengeful Prince Nuada (Luke Goss). John Alexander co-stars in Guillermo del Toro’s visually entertaining sequel.

The music was well done for this type of movie. It included most of the same theme music from the first movie, with some added tracks as well. Most of the music commanded the mood as the movie progressed. The one thing I hated, was when they were trying to be funny, and played Barry Manalow’s “I Cant Smile without You”. This gag just wasn’t funny to me…

The cinematography was decent. All the main scenes were done well. It had a lot of steady panning shots with little to no shakiness. The lighting was great as well and the colors use made everything look really surreal. These things definitely made the film more enjoyable over all.

The acting was defiantly on the mediocre side. I hate to be harsh but Selma Blair, although nice to look at, is kind of a bland actress. I’m gonna have to blame her for the complete lack of chemistry between her and Perlman. Other characters were similar…that could be blamed on the fact that they were CGI’ed, but overall the lack of emotion took away from any type of natural reaction.

The effects were really the best part of this movie. There were all types of different creatures with amazing designs. This is something I have come to expect from Guillermo Del Toro. The fight scenes were defiantly entertaining…and abundant throughout the film.

Overall the movie was very visually entertaining. If you’re the type of movie fan that just likes to sit down and watch all hell break loose on the screen then this you will enjoy. As for me, due to character flaws, choppy storyline that failed to keep a good flow going, and lack of drama, I cant say that I loved it.

2 ½ Out of 5 Crom’s

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Hancock
[ 1 star out of 4 ]

This movie is pretty terrible and the trailers reflected that. This picture not only suffers from a lack of focus but also a lack of aim and resolution. I feel like the filmmakers were coming up with ideas right on the spot as it went along. With a confusing backstory, it was hard for me to care for the characters. I know that the filmmakers are trying to make a funny superhero movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously. I believe they could have made that kind of film with a better script, visual effects, and with just the right balance of tone and pace. Not even the star power of Will Smith, Charlize Theron, and Jason Bateman could save this wreck. Smith’s character was annoying and I felt like I didn’t know anything about him; Theron’s character was moody the whole time; the only character I could stand was Jason Bateman because he has that natural charm. Another problem I had was the lack of a villain. I know that not all superhero films have to have a villain but this one desperately needed it because there’s absolutely nothing that drives the story forward. I felt like we were stuck in one place the whole time and it was sickening. I have nothing more to say other than I expected nothing and was still disappointed. Give this one a pass if you’re highly doubtful of seeing it in the first place.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army
[ 3 stars out of 4 ]

I liked this installment as equally as its predecessor. The script has a nice balance of action and humor, the characters are interesting, and the visual effects are nothing short of magnificent. Guillermo del Toro has once again outdone himself when it comes to giving his audience creatures that are beyond out of this world. Some of the images reminded me of “Pan’s Labyrinth” only without the dark fairytale that drives the story. I’ve also seen del Toro’s “The Orphanage” and I’m often at awe when it comes to his talent. Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, and Doug Jones reprise their roles as Hellboy, Liz Sherman and Abe Sapien, respectively. I felt like four years didn’t go by after the first film because they feel so at home with their characters. Therefore, the pace wasn’t slow because the audiences don’t have to watch the actors become comfortable with their characters. As for the story regarding the Golden Army, Prince Nauda (Luke Goss) and Princess Nauda (Anna Walton), I must admit that I didn’t care much about it as long as the film delivered adrenaline-fueled action scenes. Although the pace may be a little too fast and therefore not answer certain questions, it’s more than forgiven because the fantasy world that they live in is so vast to the point where it’s impossible to find out everything about them in the first place. What this film lacked that the first one thrived in, though, was the backstory regarding Hellboy’s childhood. I thought that the first “Hellboy” had more heart but less action scenes while “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” is the complete opposite. Still, if there is going to be a third picture, I’d like to find more about Hellboy’s origins and the unanswered questions that this installment brought up.

P2
[ 3 stars out of 4 ]

I was pretty surprised that I enjoyed this movie quite a bit because a lot of critics didn’t like it. While I don’t disagree that this is no different than most cat-mouse thrillers out there, I thought it was solid when it came to delivering the thrills. If one expects nothing but to be entertained when it comes to the characters making stupid decisions, the killer popping out of nowhere, and missing opportunities of escape, one will bound to like this picture. Wes Bentley (“American Beauty”) is pretty effective as the parking attendant who terrorizes Rachel Nichols (“Alias”). I wasn’t that surprised to see Bentley as an effective stalker because I noticed a little bit of craziness in his eyes on “American Beauty.” His charisma works worked with him in the beginning and I wish they could’ve established that a little more before diving for the kill. But I was surprised to see Nichols as an effective potential scream queen, which reminded me of a somewhat weak version of Jamie Lee Curtis on “Halloween.” I also really liked the this film was set during Christmas. I will never perceive “Santa Baby” the same way without thinking of someone being held against their own will in a parking structure during Christmas dinners. Despite the film’s inadequacies regarding its background story, the pace of the film is brisk and the tone is cold (yet strangely involving). I recommend this film during sleepovers on a rainy night. (Did I mention that this movie contains one of the most gruesome deaths involving a car in recent memory? I covered my eyes!)

I did this at John’s place during my internet’s downtime.

And some sketch studies I did at work last Sunday. It was a boring day, so I just spent most of the day reading stuff on the internet and not doing any work at all. Yeah, I work on weekends.

I’m also planning on reviving my sketch-a-day thing. That’s all for now.

Wir kämpfen gerade durch einen ganzen Haufen von Hörspiel-Erscheinungen, die alle im fantastischen Sektor angesiedelt sind: Sacred, DSA, Punktown und Hellboy. Letzteres hat Christoph am schnellsten fertiggekriegt, also, bitte, Du hast das Wort!

Während sich Schauspieler Ron Perlman derzeit auf der Leinwand als Hellboy einer goldenen Armee in den Weg stellt, stellt sich seine deutsche Synchronstimme Tilo Schmitz ganz anderen Gefahren. Denn pünktlich zum Starttermin des zweiten Hellboy-Kinofilms bringt der LAUSCH Verlag eine eigene Hörspielreihe rund um den großen roten Sonderermittler heraus, die sich an der Comic-Vorlage des US-Autors Mike Mignola orientiert. Zwei Doppelfolgen haben die LAUSCHer bislang produziert. Der vorliegende erste Teil, »Die Saat der Zerstörung«, beleuchtet vor allem die Entstehungsgeschichte des Höllenjungen und seine Konfrontation mit seinem Beschwörer, dem russischen Mystiker und Mönch Rasputin. Die Hamburger haben es sich nicht nehmen lassen, ihre Werke mit den Synchronsprechern der Leinwandfassung zu veredeln. Herausgekommen ist eine Produktion, die vor allem eines macht: Laune!

STORY

Im Winter des Jahres 1944 versuchen die Nazis der drohenden Kriegsniederlage zu entgehen, indem sie, mit Hilfe eines Magiers, ein Bündnis mit den Mächten der Finsternis schließen. Doch die grausamen Pläne scheitern und der Abgesandte der Hölle landet bei den Alliierten.
Als Ermittler bei B.U.A.P. (Behörde zur Untersuchung und Abwehr paranormaler Erscheinungen), trifft Hellboy ein halbes Jahrhundert später auf den Mann, der ihn einst heraufbeschwor und ihn nun endgültig für seine apokalyptischen Pläne einsetzen will…..

KRITIK

»Hellboy« ist, produktionstechnisch betrachtet, im besten Sinne eine Mischung aus den anderen LAUSCH-Publikationen »Caine« und »Die schwarze Sonne« – derbe Sprüche und satte Action treffen auf eine atmosphärisch dicht gewobene, aber komplexe Erzählstruktur. Klingt ungewöhnlich, wurde aber gekonnt zusammengeführt. So kommt beim Zuhören keine Langeweile auf. Zwar zwingen Situationen wie unangekündigte Szenenwechsel zum genauen Hinhören, doch in ein Gehirnknoten-Monster wie »Die schwarze Sonne« verwandelt sich »Saat der Zerstörung« nie. Dem Handlungsverlauf lässt sich stets folgen.

Die Stimmen von Tilo Schmitz (Hellboy), Ranja Bonalana (Liz Sherman) und Joachim Tennstedt (Abe Sapien) verleihen dem Hörspiel zudem ordentliches Hollywood-Flair. Unterstrichen wird das Ganze durch den Einsatz des Hamburger Hörspiel-Orchesters, das mal pompös, mal melancholisch-ruhig für musikalische Untermalung sorgt und den hohen Anspruch hervorhebt, den der LAUSCH Verlag an die eigene Produktion stellt. Lediglich der Einsatz einiger weniger “Nichtprofi”-Sprecher stört das Gesamtbild etwas, wird aber durch Michael Prelles’ wunderbar bösen Einsatz als Rasputin mehr als wett gemacht (Herrgott nochmal, gebt diesem Mann doch endlich mal ‘ne Auszeichnung!).

FAZIT

Die Hölle scheint kein schlechter Ort zu sein, wenn sie schon Protagonisten wie Hellboy ausspuckt: Mit markigen Sprüchen zieht der rote Ermittler eine Spur der guten Unterhaltung durch’s komplexe Erzählwerk und punktet außerdem mit gewohnt hohen LAUSCH-Produktionsstandards.

Christoph Memmert

Now for the final part of this feature, we shall look at the rest of the comic book characters turned movie icons. Also included here are the ones I overlooked for the previous parts such as DC Comic’s The Shadow.

Part 1: Marvel Heroes | Part 2: Marvel Teams | Part 3: Marvel Villains | Part 4: DC Heroes | Part 5: DC Teams | Part 6: DC Villains | Part 7: Miscellaneous

HANCOCK

Portrayed by: Will Smith [Hancock (2008)]

THE CROW

Portrayed by: Brandon Lee [The Crow (1994)]; Vincent Perez [The Crow: City Of Angels (1996)]; Mark Dacascos [The Crow: Stairway To Heaven (1998)]; Eric Mabius [The Crow: Salvation (2000)]; Edward Furlong [The Crow: Wicked Prayer (2005)]

SPAWN

Portrayed by: Michael Jae White [Spawn (1997)]

CLOWN

Portrayed by: John Leguizamo [Spawn (1997)]

HELLBOY

Portrayed by: Ron Perlman [Hellboy (2004), Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)]

ABE SAPIEN

Portrayed by: Doug Jones [Hellboy (2004), Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)]

LIZ SHERMAN

Portrayed by: Selma Blair [Hellboy (2004), Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)]

FLASH GORDON

Portrayed by: Buster Crabbe [Flash Gordon Movie Serials (1936)]; Steve Holland [Flash Gordon TV Series (1954)]; Sam Jones [Flash Gordon (1980)]; Eric Johnson [Flash Gordon TV Series (2007)]

MING THE MERCILESS

Portrayed by: Charles Middleton [Flash Gordon Movie Serials (1936)]; Max Von Sydow [Flash Gordon (1980)]; John Ralston [Flash Gordon TV Series (2007)]

BARB WIRE

Portrayed by: Pamela Anderson [Barb Wire (1996)]

THE SHADOW

Portrayed by: Alec Baldwin [The Shadow (1994)]

TANK GIRL

Portrayed by: Lori Petty [Tank Girl (1995)]

V FOR VENDETTA

Portrayed by: Hugo Weaving [V For Vendetta (2005)]

JUDGE DREDD

Portrayed by: Sylvester Stallone [Judge Dredd (1995)]

RED SONJA

Portrayed by: Brigitte Nielsen [Red Sonja (1985)]

As an added bonus here’s a preview of the upcoming G.I. Joe Movie characters *cringe*

AND I’M SPENT!

It’s been quite a long time since I made a new post for this blog. My apologies. I found no interest in the mid-August to mid-September movies recently shown here in my locality. Then at last, just last week, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army finally opened here in the Philippines. Adding to that was Journey to the Center of the Earthbeing finally being shown here in Baguio City when it was actually screened all around the Philippines months ago. That is one trouble that a movie freak such as myself faces: Delayed screening dates lasting for at least two months. But at least they were still screened for the local’s enjoyment. Only thing is, I’ve already read the plot synopsis of Hellboy II on Wikipedia. Talk about spoilers.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army theatrical poster.

It was in the late afternoon of Last Friday that I got the privilege of being reunited with Hellboy (aka Red), Abe Sapien (aka Blue) and Liz Sherman (aka Fire Lady?). Joining them is the infamous gas-man (ectoplasmic being, actually), Johann Krauss. Their adventure, this time, extends beyond the standard supernatural (the spiritual kind). They now face the supernaturals of the earth (as in the case of Lord of the Rings, the beings of Middle Earth): dwarfs, trolls, and tooth fairies. It’s a good diversion actually, which adds richness to the central story plot of Hellboy. Additional characters would be the golden army itself which resembles the primitive iron man. Supporting characters are much more vibrant in this installment, as well as the effects, costumes, and make-up. The opening sequence was in CGI, more like the clay-like animation. With Del Toro at the director’s seat, Hellboy brought a refreshing experience combining goth, art, and fantasy.

Golden Armypresents the vulnerability of the characters: Hellboy and Liz in marital disputes, Abe Sapien falling in love, Hellboy and Abe Sapien getting drunk (???), those kinds of things. We get to see a school-aged Hellboy. Also, the superheroes at long last get to be in the spotlight of being famous (at Hellboy’s constant urging, anyway). But in the end, Hellboy realizes that the celebrity status is not always a dream to die for.

Watching the film gave me an impression of being a cross between Pan’s Labyrinth and Harry Potter. The mythical characters belong to Pan’s Labyrinth and the abodes of these characters, such as the Troll Market, belonging to Harry Potter. But what makes it original is it IS a superhero movie with out-of-this-world superheroes. All in all, a satisfying second installment, with a possible third.

In case you were wondering, I titled this post “Two Kids” due to the fact that Liz is ‘gonna have two babies. Guess who’s the father?

Abe Sapien: My favorite Hellboy character.

Words.

They are so important to me.

If you’ve heard of the 5 love languages, you will know that words of affirmation are one of them.

Perhaps to people, I am too sensitive, but words have an effect on me. Discredit me in my strengths even as a joke will not get you very far into my life. Flatter me too much & you will be out of my life.

Not that you would care very much to be in any part of my life.

I’m not a good listener? I think I’m a better listener than anyone of you there.

I’m so capable? But the tone you used sound so condescending I can’t even feel your sincerity although I’d like to believe what you said.

I must admit I’m getting a little too prickly lately. I have no idea why. I am getting shorter & shorter with the ppl at work. If I had superpowers, I would be Liz Sherman, the girl in Hellboy, who is a firestarter when provoked. I would summon the fires so great, it would burn everyone to the bones.

Oh wait. I’m Lara Croft in Tomb Raider. I shall whiplash them instead.

Later.

Hellboy II The Golden Army

Although this film had many singular-looking creatures of a "not quite human" kind, martial events, love, and some good humor, I thought it was basically stale and apparently commercial-uber-alles. Ever since the first Star Wars, there have quite a few films that flashed a veritable zoo of living oddities successfully. I don't say that it all started at a Tatuene bar, but that scene was the modern mother of a bunch of similar strange beings gathered in films, generally to participate in mayhem.

In this film nearly all the scenes and events seemed “ripped off” in fairly raw fashion, regarbed, and pasted (or edited) into a presentably streamline flick. That’s why virtually anyone who sees this film will feel that “been there, done that” feeling. The film clearly owes a storyline of re-packaged Star Wars. It also seems to borrow from The Lord Of The Rings quest myth. Even the X-Men variety of “genetic freaks” who are somewhat isolated as a group and live in a tense, uneasy relationship with humans is introduced. From this set of films is also derived the impelling “we vs them” mentality that characterizes the conflict central to the main theme of the movie. The seed of all these films may well be traced to Tod Browning extraodinary tale, Freaks (1932). Even the 1948 Bud Abbott & Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein may be considered in this line, as Frankenstein’s Monster, Dracula and the Werewolf all managed to interact with the comedians and each other.

 Furthermore, subsequent TV “sitcoms,” perhaps for reasons of budget constraints, combined the characteristics of Abbott and Costello into one being, who was a quipping, lovable “mensch” that had a tough, practical side, too. Which side was given dominance might well depend on the female co-star. It may also be argued that the male teams of the forties and fifties were transformed into married couples. In more modern times these couples need not be married.

Be that as it may, Ron Perlman’s character blends the Harrison Ford character, ”Han Solo,” with a variety of lower-middle-class, urbanites of TV fame, spouting wisecracks, street-toughness, and practicality. I believe that Perlman has been doing this sort of character more often then not. I seem to recall seeing him in Washington, D.C., during the eighties, playing “Stanley” in A Streetcar Named Desire. He subsequently played a similar role in one of the Aliens, as I recall. Hence, I think of him as being among a “big screen” group of actors that would include the likes of Vin Diesel and Bruce Willis. All of these are glorified versions of the old Aldo Ray characters, usually found in war flicks. This is the tough, cigar-smoking, plain-as-the-streets American character. Only, these are “not quite right” human specimens. Are they quietly preaching diversity here?

Selma Blair’s “Liz” is a fiery freak when she wants to be, usually she’s playing a character not too far removed from Audrey Meadows’ “Alice Kramden.” She’s not deadpan in her approach to the role, but still exhibits the same “war of the sexes” dynamics that Meadows and many others have flashed in a similar situation. Hence, there is something beyond “comfort level” in seeing these familiar types interacting in familiar ways.

Luke Goss’s character struck gold briefly in this film, both in the role of a “Returned Prince” and as an oddly outre warrior. Somehow he managed to be the creepiest, scariest of all the characters, and the special effects people did “yeoman duty” in their creations. All the others were a combination of odd, ugly, and sometimes big–but not scary. There were little “Tooth Fairies” who recalled such things as schools of piranha or army ants. There was a towering floral beast. And there was “Wink” (Steele) the beast, who looked to be about the size of Mighty Joe Young with some lower tusks similar to a warthog’s and a metalic fist that could be shot forth like a mace on a yoyo string. The oddest of all was “Abe Sapien” (Jones), who clearly was inspired by The Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954), but who has been “homo-sapienized” with a comely blue exterior accentuated by nifty slashes of marine camouflage. He’s leaner and smoother than the “creature” and has the sort of “heart” that the Tinman longed for in The Wizard of Oz (1939). Also, he has mannerisms similar to D2R2 and even to the Star Trek android, Data. Naturally, this glorified fish falls in love with a princess. Have we seen and read this before?

This is not to say that the acting is bad in the flick, but that the viewer tends to be distracted by the freak show.

Goss and his stunt man (presumed)  were very effective at projecting a formidable warrior in Prince Nuada. He looks a little like Johnny Winters in the face-head-hair departments. He has a twin, “Princess Nuala” (Anna Walton), he is obviously not an identical twin, yet still is so closely related to her brother that they are like twin empaths, each feeling what the other feels. Still, they do not think alike, which leads to his undoing. In a sense these two are a parallel to Hellboy and Liz, as they, too, have a battle of the sexes conflict throughout the film.

The film opens with an unfortunately extended preamble involving the appearance of a strange “life-form” on Earth, which is taken into a sort of protective custody by the federal government of the U.S., and reared–more or less–by military and scientists. At one point at the special institute for paranormal research where the adult Hellboy and Liz are employed as “agents,” one sees in very large letters the number “51.” Certainly, this was no accident and meant to be suggestive. At any rate the unearthly boy is seen by viewers as a boy relating to his “father” in a normal sort of way. The father was a kindly, wise model for the boy, reading him a story which tended to blend into the film story being viewed by moviegoers. The wholesome background did not produce an adult whose home culture was clearly evident. Nurturing could not overcome his genetic uniqueness, apparently.

Incidentally, his mythic position in the film was that of the “fallen angel.” He’s red of complection, and the religio-mythic implication is that he is of the Lucifer-Satan branch of Creation. His woman, “Liz” (Blair), constantly wears a cross on a band or necklace around her neck. It is eerie to see her thusly, when she goes fiery. A few may recall the many martyrs who suffered a “burning at the stake.” Furthermore, to see her with this Christian symbol about her neck on the one hand and to see her as the lover of the Satan figure in this flick on the other might well lead one to infer a mocking denigration of the Messiah, His mother, and His parentage rarely seen outside the Talmud. That Liz is a mother figure is clear, as the film expends some time on her concern about being pregnant (Abe told her he sensed it), about her being pregnant certainly, and at the end about the knowledge that there would be twins. As Liz and Hellboy are far more akin to Jewish couples on TV and in movies, as well as “real life,” one wonders why she wasn’t sporting a “Star of David.” It would be at least consistent. Some may object that “crosses” in this context have no religious meaning, being mere decorations. I don’t believe that any such item is introduced in films without premeditation. Premeditation is a prerequisite to guilt.

Story outline: A strange foundling is discovered on Earth by U.S. authorities and reared in a protected and observed home environment. He appears to be a normal boy except for his red skin and horns (we don’t see his feet). He does have a tail. He seems to be bright and rather good. His “father” reads from a book, dealing with heroic events. This story blends into another parallel story being told. This is the historical strifing and warfare betweeb trolls et al and humans. There is much slaughter. Finally, the trolls’ leader, “King Balor” (Doltice), finally submits to a peaceful relationship with humans, so to halt the horrors of war. King Balor has twins, Prince Nuada and Princess Nuala. Nuada could not accept his father’s “appeasement” of the humans and storms away, vowing to return one day to lead his people once again against the humans and to rule the world. As a precaution against this happening, King Balor divides his crown into three parts, taking care to distribute them about. Whoever bore the whole crown would command an invincible army of “Golden Warriors,” which had been mechanically contived by an ingenious servant. Meanwhile, Hellboy grows up and accepts a job with a paranormal research organization, where he meets Liz, Abe and other genetic anomalies. (Abe is first encountered at the institute lulling about inside an aquarium tank.) The film spins some wheels about now, allowing interested viewers to learn more about what makes freaks “tick.” Then, with a camera cut, we see the return of Prince Nuada. First he is seen doing his “martial arts thing.” Then he summons “Wink” and off they go to claim the throne, even if it means killing his father to do it. His sister begs him not to “choose the dark side” by implication. She avails not. Nuada wants war. Meanwhile, Hellboy & company go trolling, entering eventually into a “troll quarter” where they do some troll-bashing. Both Prince and Princess are also there. Abe gets a glance of Nuala’s belt clasp, notes its royal swirls of gold, and stalks her down. They both are “sensing” one another with considerable daring. Before long their hearts draw near. From this point forward the dueling destinies of Hellboy & company and Prince Nuada & company strife for the golden crown whole and command of the invincible Golden Army. (They appear to be self-repairing.) There is also introduced earlier at the institute a German “gas bag” who is initially treated by Hellboy with contempt (“Don’t like German!”). However, the German’s spiritual ways prove to be useful in a number of tough situations. Finally, grudgingly, the “devil” gives the German his due, as being rather resourceful. The “bag of gas” also offers some comic potential to del Toro’s team. After some tough fighting with some formidable and monstrous foe, Hellboy and Nuada “get it on.” Hellboy gets “bitten” by Nuada’s spear. Taken near death to Ireland, the Hellboy is saved by the Angel of Death. (Go figure!) Now it is time for the final tussle–round two! Sudden death! Command of the Golden Army and the world are at stake. It looks bad for Hellboy. Then, Princess Nuala stabs herself in the chest! Guess whose twin feels her pain? And is Abe upset! Many a tear would fall if it wasn’t so far fetched. There is an epilogue. Liz and Hellboy give the viewer a touch of the domestic scene to come.

All rights reserved. Gobigfoot, 2008.

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Saw it Friday night. And since then I’ve been mentally debating whether or not I was going to even write a blog. Sometimes, if you don’t have something nice to say – you just shouldn’t say anything at all. I’ll split the difference, and because I don’t have a whole lot of nice things to say, I’ll just be brief instead. Hey, I tried to be brief. Honest.

THE GOOD:

Guillermo del Toro is the Frank Oz/Jim Henson of this Hollywood era of intriguing visual effects. Alright, maybe he and Peter Jackson can share the title. However you want to heap the praise on these two men, I feel like everything they are doing is leaving their predecessors (Oz, Henson, Lucas) in the dust. Which is how it should be. The apprentice must surpass the master. It is the way of the world.

Visually, their (Del Toro, Jackson) films are stunning – without having to rely too heavily on the digital creations that make George Lucas‘ recent movies cringingly difficult to stomach. If Lucas had it his way, the frickin actors would be digital as well (and I’m not the first one to make the statement about the man).

Del Toro brings the fun and imaginative and makes the magic feel real. Even in a film that I am not particularly enjoying for other reasons – you can say nothing wrong about his expert eye for cinema, and his ability to craft awe-inspiring creatures/characters.

Yes – he’s got a handle on the characters for this franchise. There were particularly amusing and lovable Hellboy moments, which I won’t divulge here, but when you see them, you know them immediately.

Guillermo also paid more homage to the source material this time around – bringing in trolls, faeries and oogly monsters that populate the pages of the comic. It’s strange then, that the creator Mike Mignola would indicate “this is more Guillermo’s world than mine,” because many of the elements featured in this film are resounding of the comic book – more so than the first film (you might say).

It seems weird to say then – that the first Hellboy movie – seems more “Hellboy” to me (having read the comics, watched the animated cartoons, etc).

Mostly because Hellboy was way more bad-ass in the first film.

THE BAD:

This movie held almost ZERO suspense for me. The plot was way-ward, sometimes spelled out too distinctly, at other times incredibly murky and distant from the audience. There was no dramatic tension, and the material was clearly angling for it on several occasions. The script wanted us to feel one way, but I was very much feeling…well, not much of anything. I was getting the facts, but I wasn’t feeling it.

I’m tipping all the bad hats to the script, because the acting, visuals, music, everything else was spot on.

The dialogue was falling flat for me. The build up of the plot was choppy – the characters were acting and reacting, but the script never allowed them room to show their motivation. They would simply tell it to the audience. That felt really cheap. In film – you should do more showing than telling.

This seems like a surprising statement to make about a director who is best known for his SHOWING. His visuals. Or maybe, I shouldn’t be that surprised at all.

He is in fact – concentrating heavily on the showing. Just not so much centered around the plot. What I felt – is that Guillermo became lost in the nuances of the puppets and monsters and set designs, so the main characters, the plot and the audience suffers for it.

There was simply too much crammed into the film to wade through it all on initial viewing. And I don’t think I liked it enough to subject myself to repeated viewings (as I have with the first Hellboy film).

THE BAFFLING:

I’m not sure if this is a good or bad element – so I’m slipping it in the middle category. The pacing of the film was rapid fire. There were few down moments around all the action sequences, and these brief moments were piled high with exposition, and no real emotion. Emotion was stated, but not allowed to be felt.

On the other hand (the Red Right one) – it was a comic book/action movie. Being fun and action filled is what it’s all about.

BUT – If everything else is bowing to the cause of the action, the film can only be SO good.

There was one moment in the entire flick which held promise for me. And I can guarantee you it was laying the ground-work for Hellboy 3. I’m not going to give it away, but it has something to do with this attractive monster.

IN SUMMATION:

It might be a sad statement if my favorite part of the movie was a sub-plot that will inevitably be resolved in some other movie. Which I will probably like better.

I’ve discovered that what a Hellboy movie needs is A LOT of Hellboy – Ron Perlman was not allowed to be his character on screen nearly enough. He hardly had time to crack wise and look surly. It was a shame, and there had better be improvements for the third installment.

IN A SHOCKING TWIST:

I was also a bit annoyed with the Liz Sherman character, who seemed to be over-shadowing Hellboy in many scenes. She and Abe Sapien both had so much screen-time…why bother calling the damned thing Hellboy? It would have been better to reference it as “Hellboy 2: BPRD.” Of course, I’m not bothered with team movies, if that is made clear initially. But when I go to a Hellboy movie, I expect lots of exciting Hellboy times.

Not Liz Sherman cracking wise and talking tough. Wasn’t she a neurotic mess at the end of the last film? I liked broody Liz, she seemed like a great foil for Hellboy. And her further character development from neurotic mess to kicking-ass would have made her character a bit more interesting in this second installment.

LAST BIT:

Guillermo del Toro’s movies, no matter how ham-fisted the script (which HE WROTE, BTW) are worth the price of admission for the amazing visual feast. I’m willing to extend him some house credit, and bet that he will do better by the material the third time out.

Much Love, Mindy C

I, for one, was totally entertained, and as any of my movie review readers know, that’s pretty much my only requirement when it comes to action-packed summer blockbusters. And Toro’s Hellboy 2 is definitely among them.

Ron Pearlman, whose voice you’ve probably heard in any number of animated super-hero cartoons, is classic Hellboy: rude, arrogant, and ready to f- some s- up. The movie crosses a number of subplots (relationship with Selma Blair’s character, Liz Sherman, introduction of a new paranormal good-guy, Hellboy’s public persona) with the main plot of conquering the evil prince of the Underworld who wishes to raise a long-forgotten army and battle humanity for the rights to live on earth.

I first became aware of Hellboy 2 as a preview when my father and I were going to see the new Indiana Jones movie earlier this summer. Having never seen the first Hellboy movie, my dad said we could rent and watch it together, which we did a bit later. Though he won’t get to see the second one for a few weeks, I certainly owe him a thanks for turning me onto this less than polite comic book made big-screen bad-ass.

The action was consistently good throughout, but it is little compared to the amazing monsters and creatures that appear on screen throughout the film. The plot didn’t have any gaping holes, and thank goodness that the touching lovey-dovey scenes that seemed to pock the first film were kept to a minimum in this one (though there are still a few and even Abe Sapien has a love interest).

There was even a little religious stuff, though less than the first movie. Liz sports a large cross necklace the entire time and Hellboy also has a cross on a chain on his wrist in a few scenes (funny on the biggest Jew in Hollywood – big physically, that is).

All in all Ron Pearlman is great. Selma is a little melodramatic but I suppose that’s the character. I always love Jeffrey Tambor (George on Arrested Development), and a most hilarious addition was seeing Seth MacFarlane’s name in the credits (the creator of Family Guy and American Dad). Yes, that’s right – he provided the voice of Johann Krauss, the same voice he uses for the fish on American Dad.

Good summer fun and a great flick – 8 Chocolate Salty Balls for Hellboy 2. Seven are for the movie and 1 is for the timing.

Have you seen it? What did you think? Better than the first? Buy it now: Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

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The cast of Hellboy looks dynamically off camera in Hellboy II: The Golden Army

by Gary Sundt

Last week, Hancock came out, and I was not very kind to the whole affair. The film dressed itself up (and indeed started out) as the funny superhero movie. I wanted to like it; I really did. But the movie just ran out of fresh ideas. Hellboy II: The Golden Army, on the other hand, does not run out of fresh ideas. In fact, I can’t think of a single uninventive or inauthentic moment in this superhero flick. 

The film is the latest from Guillermo del Toro, the man who gave us the everything from Cronos to Hellboy (2004) to Pan’s Labyrinth. All of his films are an exploration of the human condition through fantastical worlds and bizarre creations. While it may get slightly caught up in its action sequences, Hellboy II is a phenomenal example of what can be done in a comic book movie with a little do-diligence and imagination.

There is a whole lot of lore in these movies, so let’s run it down real fast. Hellboy (Ron Perlman) is the son of the devil (is that right?), who as a toddler was sucked into our world via Nazi hoopajoop during World War II. He was raised by the late Professor Trevor ‘Broom’ Bruttenholm (John Hurt) in the ways of fighting the things that go bump in the night in order to save humanity. All growed up, Hellboy is one of the kept secrets of the B.P.R.D. (Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense), along with his fish-man pal Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) and fire-starter girlfriend Liz Sherman (Selma Blair). The government feels that these folks should be kept a secret, and it falls to Agent Tom Manning (Jeffrey Tambor) to clean up the public relations mess every time somebody sneaks a photo of Hellboy and slaps it on the internet. He really hates Youtube.

While all this is happening, an ancient war is about to become the B.P.R.D.’s next assignment. See, a long time ago, a truce was struck between the humans and a mythical demon race. Mankind got the cities, and the other other guys got the forests. But we humans, with the pesky hole in our hearts that will never be filled, have built more and more, from parking lots to shopping malls. Our greed has taken its toll on the planet, and Prince Nuada (Luke Gross) of the mythical demon race is pissed. He is sort of a badass ninja prince, and effectively takes out his father the king and prepares for war with the human race. This includes making use of the dormant Golden Army, an army of indestructible mechanical behemoths that number 70×70. The only one to stand against him (and survive his dethroning process) is his twin sister, Princess Nuala (Anna Walton), who runs away in search for help.

Oh, and there is a new fellow leading the team who goes by the name of Johann Kraus (voiced by Seth McFarland). He is an ectoplasm who stays contained in a suit that would fit right in with those seen in the 1916 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. He obeys the rule-book to the letter, to the chagrin of a certain spawn of Satan.

Also of note: Liz is pregnant. Hellboy, you dog.

There… I think I got it all.

This is the kind of complex nerd lore that we expect and accept from movies like Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings. In truth, understanding such history makes it all the more fun to see these movies. It’s somewhat comforting to master something that isn’t of particular importance, especially when the characters and settings are as rich as those seen in Hellboy II. Hellboy creator Mike Mignola has provided del Toro with an endless array of remarkable things to show and tell. And del Toro is a pretty quick study himself, taking it all in and spinning the whole affair with his equally eerie and beautiful visual style.

Hellboy II one-ups its predecessor in several ways, not least of which is the handling of the ever-growing cast of characters. One of the problems with the first Hellboy was that there was not enough time devoted to developing those not Hellboy. Who was Abe Sapien? And for that matter, who was Liz? And what will they do with the new characters they are adding to the cast for the sequel? The big, red demon may be the showcase, but the screenplay by del Toro and Mignola plays it right by treating this as an ensemble piece. By the end of the flick, we know these characters and care about what happens to them.

What a consistent delight it is to see Del Toro at work. His films, while not all of them masterpieces, are wonderful to behold. Hell, I may not have liked Blade II, but it was never bad to look at. With Pan’s Labyrinth and now Hellboy II, the director has cornered the market on the new and inventive. One can only speculate what he will do with The Hobbit. You knew he was doing that, right?

I hope Hellboy gives Hancock a run for his money. Scratch that: I want a box-office spanking. Will that happen? Maybe, maybe not. Will Smith is a pretty big draw for a lot of people. But I have faith. If there is a Hellboy, there must be a hell, meaning heaven must exist, which in turn means God exists. A just God will grant Hellboy II the power to kick the crap out of Hancock.

Perhaps its a leap, but a man can dream can’t he?

How do I love Hellboy? Let me count the ways.

1.  Liz Sherman, Uncontrollable Power.  When Mike Mignola’s myth burst its way onto Vs. System cardboard with the Hellboy Essential Collection, the hottest firestarter in comics was given a major ugrade in image.  She was rather muted and moody in the books.  Our game got her to shed her clothes, and that painting by Dave Johnson is one of the most gorgeous things that I have ever been a part of.

2.  Vs. System allows legends of all flavors to be blended together.  In anticipation of tonight’s premiere of  Hellboy II: The Golden Army, I was actually able to team-up Squirrel Girl and her hungry horde with Liz Sherman and Hecate.  What would have been reserved for mere fantasy became a reality… right in our own home on the kitchen table.

3.  Hecate was a major star of the new animated feature called Hellboy: Blood and Iron. It is one of the greatest cartoon films I have ever seen, and we had a special connection to it thanks to the cardboard incarnations that we had been turning sideways all day.

4.  Guillermo Del Toro is the man.  I am especially excited about the brilliant design of the big orchid-headed Angel of Death.  It reminds me so much of the Heedless One, from Magic the Gathering.  That painting is the closest thing to a fully accurate portrait of my wife that I have ever seen.  It is by Mark Zug, and I will leave you with its incomparable beauty now.  I have a premiere to attend.  The new Hellboy opens tonight, and it is the Hottest Myth on Earth.

I suppose that with the wonders that only Hollywood could bring, you’ve been under the impression that superheroes are refined, majestic, daring, and save the world in style. Wrong. Not all superheroes are gorgeous. Proof? Let me introduce you to a supernatural superhero named Hellboy.

In 1944, with the German Nazis desperate to take over America, they inquire the help of a somewhat dark priest named Grigori Rasputin to open the portal leading to an intergalactic stone prison of the Ogdru Jahad (The Seven Gods of Chaos). These so-called gods are capable of bringing about the apocalypse–the destruction of Earth. Alarmed by this plan of the Nazis, the US sends a team to stop the opening of the portal. Guided by a young Professor Trevor Bruttenholm, the team successfully intercepts the awakening of the gods of destruction. However, because the portal was opened for quite some time, Prof. Bruttenholm suggests that they scout the area to see if some evil entities managed to pass through. In their search, Prof. Bruttenholm discovers a red demon baby with “a large (right) hand.” Prof. Bruttenholm tames it with a Baby Ruth candy and decides to care for it. It is here that a name is born: Hellboy, an entity “from the dark side” who is “on our side.”

Hellboy and company

The movie then takes us sixty years later, where Hellboy has become a paranormal investigator and a slayer of supernatural entities. It takes us to a life complicated by restrictions, discrimination, feelings of loneliness, and the inevitable death of loved ones.

The film delivers genuine action with mind-blowing stunts and effects. The overall feel of the movie is one that is truly reflective of the director, Guillermo del Toro’s style–eerie, but sophisticated. Now, I’m not familiar with the comic version of Hellboy, but this, I have to say: The non-human characters were truly non-human! No stereotypes.! All original work. Especially Abe Sapien, a merman character and a teammate of Hellboy. I’m just amazed at his abilities of telepathy and seeing through time, although I was a bit disappointed at his lack of combative abilities.

Hellboy is your kind of superhero who delivers in such unglamorous ways. But you have to admire his mix of abilities: an incombustible and sturdy body, a meaty frame, acrobatics, a practical and quick-thinking mind, and a certain flair for cats (Hey, maybe that’s where he got his acrobatic abilities?). Hellboy may not be great outside, but he sure is cool! Not all superheroes are beautiful–but they all are–on the inside.

By the way, about his two horns on the top of his head, earlier, I thought they were goggles. You know, some kind of fashion statement. It turns out that those were the stumps of his horns…

I’m surprised I didn’t get to see this flick sooner than later. I kept seeing it on the video shop but was just reluctant to hire it. But then, I saw the trailer from Hellboy II: The Golden Army, and decided to give it a chance, at least before the sequel comes out. Mind you, I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel, where from the looks of the trailer, seems more of a cinematic eye-candy than the first. Here’s the trailer of the upcoming sequel from the Official Website of Hellboy II: The Golden Army, in case you haven’t seen it yet:

El otro día Snake en este post hablaba sobre el contundente cartel que habían hecho de ‘Hellboy: The Golden Army’. Nada de los típicos protagonistas en plan pose, pero se equivocaba, porque hoy han salido los nuevos carteles promocionales e individuales de los protagonistas de la función.

El primero, ya lo habeis visto al inicio del post que nos ocupa, Hellboy (Ron Perlman). Pero quedan unos cuantos más por ver.

Liz Sherman (Selma Blair). 

Abe Sapien (Doug Jones).

Príncipe Nuada (Luke Goss).

El Ángel de la Muerte (Doug Jones de nuevo).

Hasta el 29 de Agosto del presente año, no podremos ver la película en la pantalla grande. ¿Llegará al mismo nivel que su predecesora?

Karelia