Hellboy (2004) was directed and co-written by Guillermo del Toro, based on the comics by Mike Mignola, and stars Ron Perlman as the titular character. From the result of a failed Nazi experiment to open the gates of Hell, a demon escapes and is taken into the custody of the government. Now going from the FBI to being an agent for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D.), John Meyers finds himself working with the hybrid spawn, Hellboy, as they’re assigned to hunt the returning Nazis, that want to awaken Hellboy’s potential.
The new millennium opened up a new wave of filmmaking, especially when it came to comic book movies. At the time, there weren’t that many successful attempts, and unless you were Batman or Superman, nobody was really interested in seeing it; all that changed with the release of the first X-Men by Bryan Singer, and the rest is history.
Between the time of his first two films, Cronos (1993) and Mimic (1997), Guillermo del Toro became very interested in the comics, to the point that this became a passion project for him; however, no studio was interested in it, due to del Toro wanting creative control, specifically in the casting. Due to the success of both Spider-Man and Blade II in 2002, Sony was confident in adapting another comic book property and felt del Toro’s eagerness would help them in the long run.
So after 15 years since its release, how does it stand? For the most part, this is still a damn impressive movie, and I especially like how it’s more a supernatural noir film than a superhero flick. One of the major pluses to del Toro’s work is that he never skips on the production value; no matter the budget given, he always has the right team to craft the best looking set and utilize the effects proper. While a little bit of the CGI has aged, the make-up and practical effects are still great, especially in the action scenes with the creatures like the Sammael; it helps emphasize the presence they all carry in the film, especially when the titular character is one of them.
Speaking of which, Ron Perlman is awesome as Hellboy. Being a known, but not popular actor, his casting was the main reason studios were hesitant about making the film, but del Toro wanted nobody else in the role if he was going to direct it. His work on Blade II did convince them to give them the go ahead, and it’s been one of the best casting choices, right up there with Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. With how the character's age and mind are explained, Ron tends to keep it grounded and relaxed, not wanting to get his hands dirty, unless it's desperate. He's a chill frat boy is the best way I can put it, and he's fun to watch. Whenever he shares the screen with Jeffrey Tambor, who plays Tom Manning, the head of the department, always had me laughing, with how he taunts him about being spotted in public.
I especially love the chemistry he shares with Selma Blair as Liz Sherman, an agent who left to hide her pyrokinesis; since Hellboy’s the only one who can’t be hurt by her (being fireproof), you understand how a guy like him would be crazy for someone like her, and only want the best for her. It does take a predictable turn when it brings up the “damsel-in-distress” and “love-triangle” tropes, but considering we were still in the early age of the comic book adaptations, filmmakers were still working to see what sticks. John Hurt is fantastic, and is the other actor who works best with Perlman in this movie. Being the father that Hellboy needed, you definitely feel the relationship that these two share; with how both actors have played disfigured outcasts prior, it felt like there was always a connection they had about how the world views them, and what it means to be a man, accepted by society.
Doug Jones, another del Toro collaborator, as Abe Sapien also has his moments. Jones is credited for his body work, however he was dubbed by an uncredited David Hyde Pierce, who is a good choice to voice Abe, but he later felt it was unnecessary to bring him on, and Jones has voiced him definitively since then. Being the cautious investigator of the group, as well as a literal fish out of water, Jones takes his time to allow Abe’s observational movements to be absorbed onscreen. His work is so impressive, he ended up landing the role of the Amphibian Man in del Toro’s Oscar masterpiece, The Shape of Water. Heck, when it came time for the reboot in early 2019, he was the only cast member they called back to return, but declined (most likely out of respect for del Toro and Perlman). He’s given more time to shine in the sequel, but we’ll cross that bridge eventually.
As for any complaints, I have to admit, I didn’t feel much of an impression with John Myers and Grigori Rasputin. I get that Myers is supposed to work as the audience surrogate character, but Rupert Evans performance felt a little too standard, like any actor his age at that time could have played it. To me, his scenes only get good once Hellboy is there. As for Rasputin, I felt like there could have been a little more for Karel Roden to work off of, but that could be from how the character was written. However, once it does get into the third act, then I start getting invested with him.
In conclusion, Hellboy (2004) isn’t a perfect comic book movie and I get where some might feel bored by it; but for someone who enjoys a mix between the noir and supernatural, especially with charismatic and passionate people working on it, it’s a damn good time. Ron Perlman is a great lead, the supporting cast is all memorable, the creature effects look awesome, and it makes for a fun ride. A good balance between a buddy cop comedy and a supernatural horror thriller.
Rating: B+
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