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top film really funny lots of action
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
After enjoying Hellboy so much, I decided to buy Hellboy 2. I've got to say though, it was no where near as good as the first one. The story line had too much focus on Hellboy's relationship with his girlfriend. It was far too soppy for me!
I brought hell boy 2 cos i had already got hell boy and really enjoyed that 1 so wanted to watch number 2 and wasn't disappointed
Guillermo Del Toro has become the new master of dark fantasy -- first with the quirky clockpunk "Hellboy," then with the Oscar-winning "Pan's Labyrinth." Not to mention forthcoming travels to Middle-Earth. So you know he has the skills to pit Mike Mignola's scarlet anti-hero against an army of fairies and elves, and not make it silly. Instead, it's a spectacular dark fantasy full of humor, action, quirky appeal, romance, and some truly astounding special effects. But what really shoves this movie over the top is Del Toro's brilliant direction, and the stunning performance by Ron Perlman. Decades ago, Professor Broom (William Hurt) told a small Hellboy a yuletide bedtime story about the Elf King Balor and his unstoppable Golden Army, and how the crown that controls the Army was split into thirds and divided among fairies and humans. Well, you can't really expect that kind of power to never be revived. Cut to current day. Hellboy (Perlman), Liz (Selma Blair) and Abe (Doug Jones) investigate a strange supernatural attack on an auction house, where the archeological curiosity known as the Crown of Bethmoora was being sold -- only to be attacked by savage tooth fairies. Turns out the crown was stolen by Prince Nuada (Luke Goss), a resentful young elf who is determined to take the world back from humanity -- using, of course, the Golden Army. And while Hellboy chafes against strict new commander Johann Krauss (a suit filled with ectoplasm), Abe encounters Nuada's sister, Princess Nuala -- who also happens to have the last third of the crown. But Nuada will not allow anyone to oppose him as he searches for the Golden Army's location, and Hellboy and his friends must venture into a strange, ancient kingdom to stop him from destroying all of humanity. The worst you can say about "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" is that it sticks to the formula of the demonic outsider with a dark destiny, and his continuing romantic woes. There's some retreading as Hellboy realizes anew that he'll never fit into the world of humans, because he's big and red and has horns and a tail. Okay, we got it. Next big psychological issue! Fortunately those flaws are relatively minor ones. Del Toro is still able to spin a dark, twisted story with some truly bizarre creatures (the utterly alien, eye-winged Angel of Death), clockpunk robots, trippy underground goblin markets and a new BPRD agent who is basically ectoplasm in a suit. And for the action scenes, Del Toro does not pull punches when it comes to the smashing action scenes -- giant thrashing vines and a one-on-one duel with Nuada are among the highlights. But what really sets this movie apart is the "children of the Earth." No flitting Victorian sprites -- these are creatures that are weird, grotesque, dangerous and immensely powerful, from nasty little tooth fairies up to vast rock monsters and plant gods. There's an alien, bizarre aesthetic to these creatures that feels wholly real, as if Neil Gaiman casually dropped a few sketches onto the drawing board. But as amazing as the visuals are, Del Toro never neglects the characters. Perlman is perfect for the role of "big Red" -- he's gruff, sarcastic, moody, but also endearing and self-deprecatingly likable. There are more hints of his potentially dark future, and he faces some delicately-handed temptations. But Big Red's good heart is still very much in the forefront, no matter how much human beings fear him. Hellboy 2 is definitley worth watching.Read full review
On the face of it Hellboy 2 is a really silly film! Although there are some interesting ideas in it. What saves it from being another run-of-the-mill superhero film is the humour, and the gorgeous detail in every frame. The diretor, who also directed Pans Labrinth, another fascinating, albeit strange film has put together an enormous spectacle of colour and inginuity. The story, about an elf prince returning to restore the world to fairy rule is perhaps on the face of it a bit strange but the director Guillermo del Toro and his team have created a world of monsters and strange creatures to delight the eye and fill the senses. But the execution, sets, costumes, CGI and camera work lift it above the usual blockbuster film. The copy I bought also came with a second disk with a documentary about how the film was made, and the creation of the creature effects, sets and costumes, really fascinating stuff, which gives an insight into the mind of Guillermo del Toro. Suspend disbelief, buy a copy!Read full review
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