Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Crusade>Raiders

New member
I can't believe we don't have a Hellboy II thread.

I saw this one earlier today. In a word: FANTASTIC. I don't won't to spoolge all over the page about my love for this film, but its so damn good. The only two things I can complain about is that crappy young Hellboy makeup in the intro, and the plot hole at the end, but I can forgive that because everything else is simply...man. There just isn't a whole lot I can complain about, really. Its everything I could ever ask for in a summer movie(except being a bonefide crime film like TDK). Its not Wall-E level of perfection, but I put it right above Iron Man as my second favorite film of the year.

The Dark Knight has his work cut out for him this year.
 

Crusade>Raiders

New member
mutt willams said:
i saw the previews... no offense, but in my opinion, it looked soooo stupid....(n) (n) two thumbs way down....

Don't know what you're missing kid.

I admit, it won't convert people who aren't a fan of crazy creatures, cigar smoking badasses, and awesome movies. I understand.
 

TheMutt92

New member
mutt willams said:
i saw the previews... no offense, but in my opinion, it looked soooo stupid....(n) (n) two thumbs way down....

I too was also initially opposed to Hellboy. Now four years later, I'm willing to give the films a try (mostly because of Guillermo Del Toro).
 

|ZiR|

New member
Crusade>Raiders said:
I can't believe we don't have a Hellboy II thread.

I've been wanting to start one for weeks but I was afraid no one would respond. :I

To be honest, I've been looking forward to this more than The Dark Knight. Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I'm seeing it on Saturday -- can't wait!!
 

bonoferox

Active member
I hated the first one the first time I saw it, but the more I watched it, the better I got into it.
I'm seeing the Golden Army tomorrow morning and really looking forward to it :)
 

mutt willams

New member
Crusade>Raiders said:
Don't know what you're missing kid.

I admit, it won't convert people who aren't a fan of crazy creatures, cigar smoking badasses, and awesome movies. I understand.

hey come on, no need to be mean... anyways maaybe you need to be an adult or teen to like it...
 

Nurhachi1991

Well-known member
I'm 17 and I think it looks stupid so Mutt you don't have to be a teen its just your opinion Im not a fan of Batman either and I could care less about the Dark Knight but it looks 100 times better than Hellboy 2.
 

deckard24

New member
I'm going Wednesday night, and I'm really looking forward to it! I liked the first one quite a bit, and from what I've heard this one takes it to a whole new level!(y)
 

mutt willams

New member
Nurhachi1991 said:
I'm 17 and I think it looks stupid so Mutt you don't have to be a teen its just your opinion Im not a fan of Batman either and I could care less about the Dark Knight but it looks 100 times better than Hellboy 2.

k thanks!!!!
 

TheMutt92

New member
I hear the amount of creature design in the Troll market (at least I think its there) is extraordinary, and will probably be the highlight of the future DVD. Del Toro is so good at this kinda stuff, thats why I'm so excited for the future Hobbit films!
 

Niteshade007

New member
This movie does absolutely nothing for me. I'm not really a fan of comic book movies or fantasy, and this seems to be a major combination of the two. I was surprised at the reviews for the movie though. They were much better than I would have expected. Everytime I see the preview in a movie theater it isn't greeted too warmly. In fact, at the midnight showing of Indy, there was absolutely no applause, whereas The Dark Knight got a major hand, and even Hancock got a quiet applause. This one looked like a dud.
 

Crusade>Raiders

New member
Niteshade007 said:
This movie does absolutely nothing for me. I'm not really a fan of comic book movies or fantasy, and this seems to be a major combination of the two. I was surprised at the reviews for the movie though. They were much better than I would have expected. Everytime I see the preview in a movie theater it isn't greeted too warmly. In fact, at the midnight showing of Indy, there was absolutely no applause, whereas The Dark Knight got a major hand, and even Hancock got a quiet applause. This one looked like a dud.

I have NEVER been to a theater where people applaud. That sounds odd.

Yeah, I guess you have be fan of this kind of movie(and have seen the first one) to truly enjoy it like I did.
 

The Drifter

New member
Is the first one any good?
I seen the dvd at Walmart with a few bonus discs at Walmart for 9 bucks; I may get it and watch if first before I go see this.
 

Agent Z

Active member
Lonsome_Drifter said:
Is the first one any good?
I seen the dvd at Walmart with a few bonus discs at Walmart for 9 bucks; I may get it and watch if first before I go see this.

The first one is a kinda paint-by-the-numbers (anti)superhero film. Good and serviceable, with some nice visual punch.

However, because Ron Perlman is playing the title character, you have to bump the rating up an additional star just for his presence, cause Perlman just owns the screen whenever he is on it. He elevates what is a mediocre premise into being a fun and energetic film.
 

graz

New member
I got bored first time I watched the Hellboy - but I did like it better the second time. Not really that excited by a sequel though, I think they are crazy to release it around the same time as The Dark Knight, since they will be fighting for a similar audience.
 

Dust McAlan

New member
All sequels have something that they have to live up to. Whether it's a particular performance or a character or the special effects seen in the prior entry of the series, the sequel always has a harder time because we've already seen this before; why should we want more? Well, if it's a good sequel, it shows us something we HAVEN'T seen before, and Hellboy II: The Golden Army does just that, but while we see what we haven't previously seen, we're also not feeling anything different.

The film opens up with a young Hellboy listening to a story read to him by his father, Professor Broom (who died in film number one) in 1955. The professor relates a tale of elves vs. humans in epic combat some thousands of years ago, but the elves won when they enlisted the aid of the Golden Army, a steampunk robot brigade that feels nothing and kills everything. The Elven King was saddened by the massacre that ensued, so he took the Magical Crown That Controls The Robots, broke it into three pieces, and gave one piece to the humans as a peace offering. The other two he kept for himself, but this pissed off his estranged son, who went into exile but vowed to return when his people would need him again. Young Hellboy brushes this off as "just a story" which the professor smiles at, and after a lengthy credits sequence we find out just how true this story is.

What ought to be noted here is how much Guillermo Del Toro has evolved as a visual director between Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth. The special effects on display in this film are flawless, seamlessly connecting practical and digital effects to show us sights that, sort of an 80's fantasy film, we wouldn't see on the big screen. Some of the highlights include the opening storybook narration (where the story comes to life via digital puppets---a lot cooler than it sounds); the Troll Market, where the faerie folk and monsters gravitate to trade under New York City; a Forest Elemental; and the Golden Army's chamber. Understanding that Del Toro will be moving on to The Hobbit after this, Hellboy II becomes a lot more impressive with the realization that this is some epic filmmaking and it totally works. There isn't a second where you don't believe what you're seeing.

The action sequences are very good, usually resulting in Hellboy pounding the crap out of someone, and the characters themselves are wonderful to watch, but it's the character INTERACTIONS that begin to slow the film down. There's a subplot about Hellboy and Liz's budding relationship that somehow feels like the MAIN plot due to how much time is given to it, and near the middle of the film it's Hellboy's woes that slow the film. Abe Sapien, fish man and brains of the operation, has a love interest of his own this time around, and his woes combined with Hellboy's woes equal one of the strangest, oddest, funniest "drunken buddies lamenting about women" scenes I've ever seen. What's unfortunate is that there's so much time spent on this and on other scenes that step away from the main plot of stopping the Golden Army from rising. I felt that there was an intensity to the film, like a clock ticking, and then there was a time out while everyone caught up on love woes, only to hit the timer again and get back to the action. One character, however, keeps the scenes fresh enough to prevent them from truly hurting the film, and that is ectoplasmic psychic Johann Krause. Basically a man made out of psychic gas, he walks around in a diving suit which retains his gaseous form until he needs out to do more intense work. Johann is by the book, but not without a sense of humor, and the way Del Toro utilizes him in the action moments is both strange and wonderful. Another of Mike Mignola's wonderful characters makes a great translation to the big screen.

While I recommend this film, I have to add the disclaimer that it's going to feel a little long. Does it drag? I think that's going to depend on your movie taste. It came THIS CLOSE to dragging for me, but the special effects, the incredible world on display, and the excellent action pieces kept the film from dragging down. However, the characters themselves seem to not be truly involved in the film itself, and that's what makes it slow down. Not the best film of the summer, but it aims high and deserves the praise.

7/10
 

Niteshade007

New member
Crusade>Raiders said:
I have NEVER been to a theater where people applaud. That sounds odd.

Really? They do it a lot here, but I live in a college town, so most of the audience was late teens/early twenties. I don't know if that has anything to do with it.
 
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