‘Hellboy II’: Plain great fun
Hellboy isn’t your typical comic book superhero. The big red guy smokes cigars (with a fondness for Cubans) and drinks beer for starters. His home at the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, hidden in a top-secret location in New Jersey, is filled with cats and a multitude of TV sets where he watches the news (looking for a glimpse of himself), Abbott and Costello comedies and old monster movies.
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY
Three stars (Out of four)
Rated: PG-13
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones and Jeffrey Tambor star in second movie based on superhero comic. Opens Friday in area theaters.
As “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” opens, the wisecracking Red isn’t such a superman on the homefront where his girlfriend, the feisty pyrokinetic Liz Sherman (Selma Blair) is on his case for being a slob. “I would give my life for her, but she wants me to do the dishes,” he moans to his buddy Abe Sapien (skillfully performed by Doug Jones), a fishlike government agent reminiscent of the creature from the black lagoon. No, nothing about “Hellboy” is typical superhero stuff and that’s why it’s such a refreshing departure from those self-indulgent, mega-budget Hollywood flicks that are politely called popcorn movies to make up for what they lack in soul and artistry. Neither “Hellboy” nor its sequel can be called a popcorn movie, per se, since that means you can chomp away on the buttery treat while watching it. Try that with the “Hellboy” movies and you’ll be spitting out the popcorn because you’ll be laughing so much.
No, these films are just plain great fun.
Based on a comic book by Mike Mignola, the movies were brought to the screen by one of its biggest fans, visionary director Guillermo del Toro. He’s a man who, to our advantage, is a movie lover first and then a filmmaker.
In the world of movies, del Toro is the equivalent of the guy who isn’t afraid to poke fun at himself or wear his heart on his sleeve. How else would you have a scene where Red and his walking fish friend sing along to Barry Manilow while commiserating over their love lives? (It’s brilliant in its hokeyness.)
“Hellboy II” is just as humorous as the first movie (another factor setting this franchise apart) and it’s surprisingly romantic with two “interspecies” romances. (Not only does del Toro subtly make his point about racial and ethnic discrimination in this movie, but he’ll make you think about the environment, too.)
“Hellboy II” opens in 1955 where a very young Red (of, about 12) is watching “Howdy Doody.” His adopted dad is trying to get Red to go bed, but he has to tell him a story first.
The bedtime story is delightfully brought to life in a childlike manner of animated wooden figures depicting an ancient war where the humans attacked the original sons of the Earth. To save his people, the one-armed King Balor agrees to have a Golden Army created. But this indestructible force causes so much destruction in the world that the king calls a truce with humans — breaking his crown into three parts so that the army can’t be awakened again. The story puts young Red to sleep (with his Howdy Doody doll and a gun for protection), but it’s one he should remember.
Flash forward to modern day. The king’s son, Prince Nuada (Luke Goss), returns with plans to awaken the army at any cost. He crashes a big Christie’s-like auction, steals a part of the crown and unleashes a tiny army of “tooth fairies” — spider-like creatures with sharp teeth that leave nothing but some leftovers of the well-dressed people in attendance. The prince now has two pieces of the crown, but needs the third from his twin sister, Princess Nuala (Anna Walton). She knows the evil power of the Golden Army and runs — lucky for her, nearly right into the protection of Red and the gang.
Nuada and Red face off a few times, although Red is hampered by the fact that wounds he inflicts on Nuada will also harm the princess. These battles take them from New Jersey to Ireland, where the dormant Golden Army is sleeping in an underground city. For Red, the bigger the battle the better and he’s met his match here.
Still, the evil in this movie isn’t quite as terrifying as the Satanic overtones in the original film. The prince isn’t actually such a bad guy and doesn’t inflict as much damage or death as he could. It’s understandable where he’s coming from when he admonishes humanity (mostly Americans by the sounds of it). “The humans have forgotten the gods and destroyed the Earth . . . they will never have enough,” Prince Nuada says. Can’t argue with that.
Just as the “Hellboy” movies wouldn’t be what they are without del Toro, the same must be said for actor Ron Perlman who wears his red skin proudly and chews hungrily on his lines like the Baby Ruth bars he covets. It’s the kind of acting that unfairly goes unnoticed because it’s behind such heavy makeup.
“Hellboy II” overflows with all sorts of inventive creatures, including a long scene in a troll market that recalls the cantina sequence from “Star Wars” and the glorious Angel of Death, a large creature with eyes on its wings that foresees a not so superhero-like future for Red. Guess it’s time to gear up for “Hellboy III.”
