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Hellboy II: The Golden Army review
Posted : 7 years, 6 months ago on 27 October 2016 04:40
Nice Creature!
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Hellboy II: The Golden Army review
Posted : 8 years, 6 months ago on 18 October 2015 03:35
This is a major improvement over the first film. A lot of the characters were more fleshed out, and the new monsters are even better.
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Hellboy II: The Golden Army review
Posted : 11 years, 12 months ago on 7 May 2012 08:03
Never has a sequel been so pumped up, so exciting, so over-the-seat, so AWESOME as Hellboy 2: the Golden Army. Director Guillermo Del Toro has done it again, ladies & gentlemen. The CGI was much better this time around and the whole presentation was one exciting trip.
However, I do have one qualm: Prince Nuada. The character was weak. Not to say that I didn't like Luke Goss's performance, it was quite good, but the character was very weak and not the least bit intimidating. In short, Nuada was just another Hollywood cliche. I personally am a fan of villainous characters with intimidating and dominating screen-time power and what Grigori Rasputin emitted in the previous film, Nuada lacked in this. Even though the fight scenes were spectacular, they seemed too similar to what Jackie Chan might do in his movies and that was, in my opinion, quite a setback but nevertheless, highly fun to watch!
Another thing is that I kinda liked Selma Blair's performance this time around, although her line delivery was a little off at times. So, all in all, a worthy sequel and worthy of being watched and it embraces the modern culture and you also get to see Hellboy laugh... which is something.
8.5/10
However, I do have one qualm: Prince Nuada. The character was weak. Not to say that I didn't like Luke Goss's performance, it was quite good, but the character was very weak and not the least bit intimidating. In short, Nuada was just another Hollywood cliche. I personally am a fan of villainous characters with intimidating and dominating screen-time power and what Grigori Rasputin emitted in the previous film, Nuada lacked in this. Even though the fight scenes were spectacular, they seemed too similar to what Jackie Chan might do in his movies and that was, in my opinion, quite a setback but nevertheless, highly fun to watch!
Another thing is that I kinda liked Selma Blair's performance this time around, although her line delivery was a little off at times. So, all in all, a worthy sequel and worthy of being watched and it embraces the modern culture and you also get to see Hellboy laugh... which is something.
8.5/10
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An average movie
Posted : 13 years, 5 months ago on 8 November 2010 12:38
After 'El laberinto del fauno', Guillermo del Toro suddenly became hugely popular among the mainstream audience and everybody seemed to be pretty excited to see his following feature, even more than when the first installment was released. Personally, I wasn’t sure about it (I wasn’t exactly blown away by the first installment) and eventually, I was right. I mean, pretty much like the first movie, I have to admit it, it was visually pretty impressive but the story was seriously not really inspiring. Sure, it was interesting and entertaining enough and some of the characters looked pretty bad-ass but I really had a hard time to care about the whole thing. Maybe I was bothered by all the romantic stuff, maybe the whole thing should have been darker, I don’t know. But I guess that's not the point here. Since then, there has been some never ending discussion about a possible 3rd installment but it seems unlikely that it will ever get made. Not only there is apparently some rights issue involved but also Del Toro seems to be one of the busiest directors in the world, even though he manages to make only 1 movie every 5 years. Anyway, even though the whole thing didn’t really convince me, it still looked really gorgeous, and only for this, it is definitely worth a look.
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Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Posted : 13 years, 8 months ago on 6 September 2010 01:54
Equal in quality to its predecessor, Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a decent film, thanks mostly to its good humor and well-crafted visuals. It is interesting to note how several of the images and even many of the creature types that we come across are reminiscent of what we saw in Pan's Labyrinth, which was Guillermo Del Toro's last cinematic project prior to this sequel. Through praiseworthy cinematography and an enjoyable plot that never takes itself too seriously, Del Toro and his team haven't created a great film, but they've definitely crafted an entertaining summer movie, and that's exactly the point of the Hellboy films.
Many will be outraged by what I'm about to say, since a lot of people would think it's an insult to compare Del Toro's work to that of the creators of the Fantastic Four movies, but I have to admit that I sort of enjoy the Hellboy series in the same way that I do the Fantastic Four series: both sets of films are pretty much just having fun with themselves and don't aspire to delve into the darker themes that other superhero films have covered. Before I start getting hateful comments, I'll concede that visuals in the Hellboy films are (obviously) much better, and the acting is also certainly better (especially now that Selma Blair has apparently finally learned how NOT to give wooden performances). But I think that, still, both series are characterized by an effective overall sense of fun, and I think it's commendable in both cases.
Hellboy II does have plot holes at the end, particularly in certain areas that aren't consistent with the story that we get at the beginning on the Golden Army. For the most part, though, they are things that sort of need to happen in order to have the conventional "happy" ending (hopefully you don't think that's much of a spoiler), even though certain things aren't completely resolved. In fact, one of the good things about the film is that it introduces something that is certainly going to lead to further sequels, and that even leads me to suspect that things could get even better from here. Much is revealed about the choices that our title character will have to deal with in the future, and this sets things up very nicely for future entries into this series. I also appreciated the lighthearted note that the film ended on, particularly the final exchange between the two characters that are on-screen before credits roll and the same song that we heard during a very funny drunken scene between Abe and Hellboy starts playing.
Though I certainly was looking forward to this sequel, what I absolutely cannot wait for is to see what Del Toro does with The Hobbit. I expected Hellboy II to be as enjoyable as the first film in the series was, just like I expect The Hobbit to be a worthy prequel to the supremely masterful Lord of the Rings trilogy. That task will be a little bit harder, because in my opinion, the three Lord of the Rings films FAR AND AWAY represent the finest cinematic achievement ever reached, and that nothing comes even close to rivalling them. But I also have no doubt that Del Toro can accomplish it. I didn't think Pan's Labyrinth was perfect, but it definitely is a near-masterpiece and it's got everything in it to prove that the man is more than up to the challenge, and the day can't come fast enough when we finally get to see what he does with it.
At this point, Iron Man (which I rated 7/10) remains the best superhero film I've seen this year (though I've yet to see The Incredible Hulk). So, now it's a matter of waiting four days to see what Christopher Nolan has in store for us, and for that matter, whether it's even fair to place The Dark Knight in the "superhero film" category, as the hype is warning us that it's more in the territory of crime dramas like The Untouchables and The Departed (in which case it goes without saying that it has a truckload of things to live up to). But as far as Hellboy II is concerned, it is a worthy accomplishment by a filmmaker who we know is capable of a lot more, but in this case, he's simply having fun with the images and specimens that his visionary mind has come up with, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that because, in this case, it still makes for a good film that has at least set a precedent for potential greatness in future entries.
Many will be outraged by what I'm about to say, since a lot of people would think it's an insult to compare Del Toro's work to that of the creators of the Fantastic Four movies, but I have to admit that I sort of enjoy the Hellboy series in the same way that I do the Fantastic Four series: both sets of films are pretty much just having fun with themselves and don't aspire to delve into the darker themes that other superhero films have covered. Before I start getting hateful comments, I'll concede that visuals in the Hellboy films are (obviously) much better, and the acting is also certainly better (especially now that Selma Blair has apparently finally learned how NOT to give wooden performances). But I think that, still, both series are characterized by an effective overall sense of fun, and I think it's commendable in both cases.
Hellboy II does have plot holes at the end, particularly in certain areas that aren't consistent with the story that we get at the beginning on the Golden Army. For the most part, though, they are things that sort of need to happen in order to have the conventional "happy" ending (hopefully you don't think that's much of a spoiler), even though certain things aren't completely resolved. In fact, one of the good things about the film is that it introduces something that is certainly going to lead to further sequels, and that even leads me to suspect that things could get even better from here. Much is revealed about the choices that our title character will have to deal with in the future, and this sets things up very nicely for future entries into this series. I also appreciated the lighthearted note that the film ended on, particularly the final exchange between the two characters that are on-screen before credits roll and the same song that we heard during a very funny drunken scene between Abe and Hellboy starts playing.
Though I certainly was looking forward to this sequel, what I absolutely cannot wait for is to see what Del Toro does with The Hobbit. I expected Hellboy II to be as enjoyable as the first film in the series was, just like I expect The Hobbit to be a worthy prequel to the supremely masterful Lord of the Rings trilogy. That task will be a little bit harder, because in my opinion, the three Lord of the Rings films FAR AND AWAY represent the finest cinematic achievement ever reached, and that nothing comes even close to rivalling them. But I also have no doubt that Del Toro can accomplish it. I didn't think Pan's Labyrinth was perfect, but it definitely is a near-masterpiece and it's got everything in it to prove that the man is more than up to the challenge, and the day can't come fast enough when we finally get to see what he does with it.
At this point, Iron Man (which I rated 7/10) remains the best superhero film I've seen this year (though I've yet to see The Incredible Hulk). So, now it's a matter of waiting four days to see what Christopher Nolan has in store for us, and for that matter, whether it's even fair to place The Dark Knight in the "superhero film" category, as the hype is warning us that it's more in the territory of crime dramas like The Untouchables and The Departed (in which case it goes without saying that it has a truckload of things to live up to). But as far as Hellboy II is concerned, it is a worthy accomplishment by a filmmaker who we know is capable of a lot more, but in this case, he's simply having fun with the images and specimens that his visionary mind has come up with, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that because, in this case, it still makes for a good film that has at least set a precedent for potential greatness in future entries.
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Aw, crap.
Posted : 15 years, 2 months ago on 2 March 2009 02:40
I really enjoy del Toro's stuff, and the first two movies in this series are no exception. I will say though that I liked the first movie better, it had a bit more love and emotion to it while this one seemed more fantasy and magic driven. There is of course the political message tossed in there about nature and such, and that we should be accepting of each other and our differences. But, I don't really think that "ruins" the movie, I still enjoy the action, the characters and the overall tone. I was extra mad at myself too that I didn't pick up on Seth MacFarlane's voice until the credits, shame on me.
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A very fantastic sequel albeit more magical.
Posted : 15 years, 5 months ago on 27 November 2008 12:38
''Let this remind you why you once feared the dark... ''
A mythical prince starts a rebellion against humanity in order to rule the Earth, so Hellboy and his team must save the world yet again from a certain unstoppable Golden Army.
Ron Perlman: Hellboy
Hellboy 2 is one of the most unexpected pleasures and combinations of genres I've seen in a while. Not only is this Hellboy sequel a comic book film but it's also a mixture of fantasy, imagination and comedy, light and dark.
Del Toro has taken the whole idea and turned it upside down and what comes about as an end result truly is refreshing. We have John Hurt popping up yet again in a much needed flashback prelude to explain about the film's backbone, the golden army.
We have a new wonderful villain in the form of Prince Nuada (Luke Goss,Blade 2), who displays some wonderful stuntwork and swordplay, not too mention some real class lines and showmanship, he gets his intent across effortlessly. I also loved his sister Princess Nuala (Anna Walton) and the connection they share.
Ron Perlman again shines as the lead Hellboy while the old team of Liz and Abe make for some fun times. Also a new character in the form of Johann Krauss(Voiced by Seth MacFarlane) provides us with laughs aplenty and a mysteriously suited ''gas man''. I mean when you get to the locker scene with Krauss and Hellboy and you can't stop laughing then you truly start to realize the many wondrous sides Hellboy 2 has.
The little tooth beasties were awesome and as they enter that fantastical troll town I began to think this is like some kind of fantasy Star Wars mixed with Pan's labyrinth and shaken with even traces of LOTR. The creatures and effects were completely perfect on the whole, overall. Think Pan's Labyrinth fused with the Silent Hill game series and that conjures up a relatively accurate description.
In the headquarters it felt to me, as Jeffrey Tambor & Abe are walking along the place, like a warped version of Men In Black where they are talking but you're also interested in seeing also what is happening in the background.
The new inclusion of Danny Elfman too for the music gives the movie an injection of vibrance also, and you really feel the momentum on the action parts and battles, as well as the chases. Hellboy 2 wasn't what I expected, which is a good thing and mixes fantasy with comic class. Throwing in laughs, romance and even a definite nod to a third installment.
A grand achievement and I'm left inspired artistically and creative wise also from Hellboy 2, a true vision from Del Toro that doesn't have to be too serious to be a bloody good show.
A mythical prince starts a rebellion against humanity in order to rule the Earth, so Hellboy and his team must save the world yet again from a certain unstoppable Golden Army.
Ron Perlman: Hellboy
Hellboy 2 is one of the most unexpected pleasures and combinations of genres I've seen in a while. Not only is this Hellboy sequel a comic book film but it's also a mixture of fantasy, imagination and comedy, light and dark.
Del Toro has taken the whole idea and turned it upside down and what comes about as an end result truly is refreshing. We have John Hurt popping up yet again in a much needed flashback prelude to explain about the film's backbone, the golden army.
We have a new wonderful villain in the form of Prince Nuada (Luke Goss,Blade 2), who displays some wonderful stuntwork and swordplay, not too mention some real class lines and showmanship, he gets his intent across effortlessly. I also loved his sister Princess Nuala (Anna Walton) and the connection they share.
Ron Perlman again shines as the lead Hellboy while the old team of Liz and Abe make for some fun times. Also a new character in the form of Johann Krauss(Voiced by Seth MacFarlane) provides us with laughs aplenty and a mysteriously suited ''gas man''. I mean when you get to the locker scene with Krauss and Hellboy and you can't stop laughing then you truly start to realize the many wondrous sides Hellboy 2 has.
The little tooth beasties were awesome and as they enter that fantastical troll town I began to think this is like some kind of fantasy Star Wars mixed with Pan's labyrinth and shaken with even traces of LOTR. The creatures and effects were completely perfect on the whole, overall. Think Pan's Labyrinth fused with the Silent Hill game series and that conjures up a relatively accurate description.
In the headquarters it felt to me, as Jeffrey Tambor & Abe are walking along the place, like a warped version of Men In Black where they are talking but you're also interested in seeing also what is happening in the background.
The new inclusion of Danny Elfman too for the music gives the movie an injection of vibrance also, and you really feel the momentum on the action parts and battles, as well as the chases. Hellboy 2 wasn't what I expected, which is a good thing and mixes fantasy with comic class. Throwing in laughs, romance and even a definite nod to a third installment.
A grand achievement and I'm left inspired artistically and creative wise also from Hellboy 2, a true vision from Del Toro that doesn't have to be too serious to be a bloody good show.
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very very good
Posted : 15 years, 9 months ago on 13 July 2008 03:26
Guillermo Del Torro's Hellboy 2: THe Golden army opens with an awesome introduction. with a younger version of beast himself in 1955 New mexico in which John Hurt is telling Hellboy(Ron Perlman) a bed time story about the Golden army. then as usual winds up fighting the army itself of course with some help from Abe Sapien (Doug Jones), Liz Sherman (Selma Blair) and johann Krauss (Seth Macfarlane) who is the new addition to the family.
Luke Goss provides one hell of a performance as the villain Prince Nuada who will stop at nothing to rise the golden army. and is well supported by Anna Walton Who plays his sister Princess Nuala who later develops a love interest for abe.
it was great to see Gullermo Bring back John Hurt even though it was only for one scene. and master yet another wonderful,colorful, and action packed yet comedic piece of art of a movie. However, Selma Blair's character even a main role it seemed she only had a few good scenes and one impticular that kind of sets you up or the next installment inf the franchise. I must say though that this has been the best Blockbuster movie i have seen so far
Luke Goss provides one hell of a performance as the villain Prince Nuada who will stop at nothing to rise the golden army. and is well supported by Anna Walton Who plays his sister Princess Nuala who later develops a love interest for abe.
it was great to see Gullermo Bring back John Hurt even though it was only for one scene. and master yet another wonderful,colorful, and action packed yet comedic piece of art of a movie. However, Selma Blair's character even a main role it seemed she only had a few good scenes and one impticular that kind of sets you up or the next installment inf the franchise. I must say though that this has been the best Blockbuster movie i have seen so far
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Surprisingly Good
Posted : 15 years, 9 months ago on 12 July 2008 10:24
Much to my surprise, "Hellboy II" was very, very good. I wasn't even a fan of the original movie, but the previews to this one totally sold me.
You can immediately see the "Pan's Labyrinth" influence in some of the new characters. I even think the little fairies from the film can be seen flying around in the Troll Market area. There were also 'tooth fairies' in the film as well, but they weren't the least bit friendly!
I just think the cast of characters and the story was so much better this time around. The addition of Johann Krauss -- a new freaky good guy -- was a really big plus. On top of all that, the fighting scenes were all quite entertaining.
While I'm not a big fan of having a lot of comedy mixed in with my action flicks, the humor in this movie is pretty good. To see Hellboy and Abe (the fish-looking guy) doing a feel-good duet of Barry Manilow's "Can't Smile Without You" is super hilarious.
When I first heard of there being a sequel to "Hellboy", I remember rolling my eyes to the idea. Thankfully, I'm not a closed-minded person or I would have missed out on this very entertaining movie. I guess my point is that even if you weren' all too crazy about the first film, you might still enjoy this one if you are willing to give it a chance.
You can immediately see the "Pan's Labyrinth" influence in some of the new characters. I even think the little fairies from the film can be seen flying around in the Troll Market area. There were also 'tooth fairies' in the film as well, but they weren't the least bit friendly!
I just think the cast of characters and the story was so much better this time around. The addition of Johann Krauss -- a new freaky good guy -- was a really big plus. On top of all that, the fighting scenes were all quite entertaining.
While I'm not a big fan of having a lot of comedy mixed in with my action flicks, the humor in this movie is pretty good. To see Hellboy and Abe (the fish-looking guy) doing a feel-good duet of Barry Manilow's "Can't Smile Without You" is super hilarious.
When I first heard of there being a sequel to "Hellboy", I remember rolling my eyes to the idea. Thankfully, I'm not a closed-minded person or I would have missed out on this very entertaining movie. I guess my point is that even if you weren' all too crazy about the first film, you might still enjoy this one if you are willing to give it a chance.
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