For the most part, today's audiences associate superhero films with Marvel Comics and DC Comics. However, in the past, Hollywood sought out more diverse and "exotic" material from comic books, such as those published by Dark Horse Comics. One notable example of this is the 2004 film Hellboy, written and directed by Guillermo del Toro.
Hellboy is based on the comic book series created by Mark Mignola in 1994. The plot follows the story of a demonic creature, Hellboy, who was summoned to Earth as a baby by Nazi occultists before the end of the World War II in an attempt to alter the losing conflict. The plan was foiled by Allied soldiers, while the baby was adopted by Professor Trevor “Broom” Brutenholm (played by Kevin Trainor). Decades later Hellboy (played by Ron Perrlman) works for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, using his supernatural abilities to fight other demons and similar creatures. Young agent John Myers (played by Rupert Evans) is sent to become the part of Hellboy’s team which, under the guidance of elderly and mortally ill Broom (played by John Hurt) must try to stop Nazis from summoning powerful demons that could bring apocalypse. His efforts are complicated by feelings he has developed for Liz Sherman (played by Selma Blair), pyrokinetic who is part of his team.
Del Toro was drawn to the film because of the unconventional protagonist, Hellboy, who appears as a grotesque monster but is a hero at heart. Ron Perlman, known mostly for supporting yet impressive roles, uses rare opportunity to star in the film and brings Hellboy to life with his powerful physical presence and memorable performance. Despite his monstrous appearance, Hellboy is a relatable character with a strong sense of justice and a dry wit.
Unfortunately, del Toro is less successful with the rest of the cast. The characters, aside from Hellboy, are one-dimensional and forgettable, even with the talents of veteran actors like John Hurt. The romantic rival, played by Rupert Evans, and the pyrokinetic, played by Selma Blair, feel like afterthoughts rather than fully realized characters. One exception to this is Abe Sapien, an amphibian humanoid creature played by Doug Jones and voiced by David Hyde Pierce. Abe is a fascinating character who shares similarities with the creature from del Toro's 2017 Oscar-winning film, The Shape of Water.
The villains in Hellboy are a mishmash of demons, Nazis, and the historical figure Grigori Rasputin, played by Czech actor Karel Roden. While this may be seen as a sensationalist view of history, it is not the film's intention to be a historically accurate portrayal. For the most part, this flaw can be forgiven by the audience.
Del Toro's direction is solid, with a series of competently directed and mostly impressive action scenes that blend spectacle with humor. The film's visual effects and creature designs are top-notch, and the practical effects work is particularly noteworthy.
Hellboy was a commercial success, leading to a sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, in 2008. However, del Toro was unable to complete a third film in the series. Instead, the series was rebooted in 2019 with a new Hellboy film directed by Neil Marshall and starring David Harbour. Unfortunately, this film failed to replicate the success of the original.
Hellboy is a fun and visually stunning film that showcases del Toro's unique vision and love for the source material. While it has its flaws, particularly in the one-dimensional characters, it remains a cult classic and a standout in the superhero genre.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
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