When it comes to the best of comicbook movies, they are always the ones that deal with the heroes like humans. We get to know what it's like to be them. Hellboy (Ron Perlman, ENEMY AT THE GATES) is half-demon half-human, who is bright red, has a tail and files down his giant horns. To say he doesn't fit into the world would be an understatement.
He works for the top-secret paranormal division of the FBI, under his adoptive father Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm (John Hurt, THE ELEPHANT MAN). His fellow "freak" partner is Abe Sapien (Doug Jones, ADAPTATION), a super-intelligent psychic who is half-man half-fish. The third member of the team has recently left to try and create a normal life for herself. Her name is Liz "Sparky" Sherman. She is pyrokenetic and when she loses control of her firestarter powers you better watch out. Unlike Hellboy and Abe, she looks normal. Added to the mix is rookie FBI agent John Myers (Rupert Evans, TV's PARADISE HEIGHTS). This sets up a love triangle between Hellboy, Liz and Myers.
And what would a comicbook movie be without its villains? The film begins with an immortal Grigori Rasputin (Karel Roden, BLADE II) opening a portal to hell and being sucked in. Years later, his dutiful cronies Ilsa (Biddy Hodson, TV's THE MISTS OF AVALON) and Kroenen (Ladislav Beran, BLADE II) bring him back to Earth. As the father of Hellboy, can he lead the hero down the dark path toward his destructive destiny?
The characters are so rich and iconic that some of the bumpier moments in the film's action and dialogue can be looked over. I really liked Hellboy's interaction with Myers and Liz. With Myers, he's cocky and standoffish. With Liz, he's tender and awkward. Perlman is perfectly cast as the laconic hero. Kroenen is a great villain. The self-mutilated assassin is dressed all in Nazi black with large blades concealed under the sleeves of his trenchcoat. From his look to his mental state, he is one evil dude. I mean he has sand running through his veins.
One thing this comicbook movie remembers to do is have fun. Director Guillermo del Toro nails the tone perfectly. It's goofy and humorous without being childish. Hellboy and his fellow freaks are heroes we want to see in new adventures. This film serves as a great set-up for the characters and I hope the impending series goes in the great direction that X-MEN and SPIDER-MAN has gone.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
