Hellboy II: The Golden Army--Movie Review (2008)

Directed by Guillermo del Toro, written by del Toro and Mike Mignola, 120 minutes, rated PG-13.

Guillermo del Toro’s “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” is that rare sequel that doesn’t feel as if it came only to cash in.

Unlike 2004’s “Hellboy,” which del Toro based on Mike Mignola’s Dark Horse comic book, “Hellboy II” isn’t crammed with so much chaos and disorder that it detracts from the story or the characters. This is a leaner, tighter, more balanced film, with del Toro improving the franchise with inventive action, careful character development and Academy Award-worthy special effects and set design.

Back in the red suit is Ron Perlman as Hellboy, a crimson beast with blunted horns, a right arm the size of a semi, and a big, swinging tail meant to underscore Hellboy’s virility, which apparently is substantial.

At 58, Perlman is perfect for the role. It isn’t every actor who has the necessary wit and charm that can punch through the thickest layers of latex and makeup, but that’s the case here. He makes it look easy, and you know it isn’t.

Mirroring the recent “Hancock,” Hellboy isn’t feeling much love from the locals he’s trying to protect--they can’t stand him in New York. He also isn’t feeling much love from his girlfriend, Liz Sherman (Selma Blair), who has the ability to turn herself in a raging inferno of fire and who is conflicted about whether she should leave the relationship. A plot device complicates matters for Liz, not that she is given much time to think about it.

Working against her, Hellboy and the other members of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense--fishy Abe Sapien (Doug Jones), Johann Krauss (voice of Seth MacFarlane), and their bumbling director, Tom Manning (Jeffrey Tambor)--is Prince Nuada (Luke Goss), who wants to fight to save the planet from the humans actively destroying it.

For this reason alone, his character is given unexpected depth--how can audiences fully despise a villain with such noble intentions? It’s difficult, which offers the movie its satisfying twist. In order to fight mankind, Nuada must join together three pieces of a crown that will bring back to life the indestructible yet dormant Golden Army. Since his twin sister, Nuala (Anna Walton), isn’t willing to let that happen by giving up her piece of the crown, a line is drawn, a war begins, and all involved gather to battle it.

Mirroring the director’s last movie, the darker “Pan’s Labyrinth,” del Toro’s latest suggests an imagination that feels almost restricted by the boundaries of the screen, which barely can contain it. There are scenes in this film that obviously are inspired by “Star Wars,” specifically the fantastic Troll Market creatures living beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, but del Toro creates a new plateau by jacking it all into the stratosphere.

Now more than ever, with his confidence soaring right in line with his budgets, the director seems closer to achieving the haunted fairytale nightmare he’s been honing since 1993’s “Cronos,” which firmly launched him onto the scene. Indeed, after seeing this movie, few will view the Tooth Fairy the same way again.

Grade: B+