Coming from the unique mind of Guillermo Del Toro, Hellboy II: The Golden Army is the sequel to the 2004 comic book movie Hellboy. With help from Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, the duo has managed to create a sequel that surpasses its predecessor in almost every field.
After generations, the truce between mankind and the underworld has been broken with the return of the exiled Prince Nuada (played by Bros. member, Luke Goss). He wishes to take over the human race with the help of the Golden Army - an ancient, indestructible militia locked away when the truce was formed.
To awaken the army, he needs the three pieces of a crown that controls them, one of which was given to the humans as apart of the truce. The B.P.R.D (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Development) catch wind of the situation, and they soon are on the case.
The Original Cast Returns
Ron Perlman returns as Hellboy, who we can tell straight away is still in love with the character. From his dry humour to his witty comebacks, Perlman manages to surpass his performance from the original. Hellboy has more to handle this time, now the B.P.R.D is public knowledge. After longing to be outside with people, he soon realizes that it isn't as great as he thought.
On top of everything, he has to deal with his growing relationship with his pyrokinetic girlfriend Liz Sherman (Selma Blair). Returning with short hair and more on-screen time, Blair is better than before. The banter between herself and Hellboy makes up some of the best parts of the movie.
Abe Sapien also returns as the empath of the group, with Doug Jones back on top form. This time Jones also does the voice, taking over from David Hyde Pierce from the first movie. This change is one of the only flaws of the movie - Jones doesn't live up to Pierce's tone, but his body movements and style are better than ever.
Like Blair, Jones is given more time on-screen, now with his own love interest with Princess Nuala (twin sister of Prince Nuada). There's more interaction between himself and Hellboy, with one spectacular scene where they have too much to drink.
New Additions To The Team
The lack of Pierce doing voice-over work is made up for with Family Guy creator/voice actor Seth MacFarlane. A new member is brought in to help called Johann Krauss, an ectoplasmic being, caged in a containment suit. It's hard to imagine the man who voices the crude Peter Griffin doing the talking, but he manages to pull off a great performance, becoming one of the best things on screen.
The main antagonist is the weakest element of the movie, not in terms of strength but in performance. While his sword fight sequences are entertaining, Goss isn't convincing as Prince Nuada, whose wish for world domination isn't as strong as the enemies from the original.
Del Toro's Gorgeous Imagery
What's impressive about this movie is its under reliance of CGI. Del Toro brings in his own ideas from his masterpiece Pan's Labyrinth, without using too much computer animation. In the Troll Market, you'll see hundreds of unique and vivid creatures, all made up of costumes and heavy make up. One cannot see this and not think of Diagon Alley from Harry Potter, which used a lot of CGI - the Troll Market looks more like a fantasy land than Diagon Alley.
With only minor flaws, Hellboy II is a great film, making it one of the best movies for the summer. The title for best comic book movie still belongs to The Dark Knight, but this will not disappoint.
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