Close, but no cigar.

Rating: Null/10 (4 July 2004)

I haven't read the comics on which the film is based, but what I had seen from it looked pretty interesting. Unfortunately, the look of the film is also what is best. The look and feel of it is really like a comic with nice sets, colors, and cinematography.
I also really liked the characters - how can you go wrong with a wise cracking devil, a psychic fish (where did he go for the last half of the film?), and a deadish, blade swinging Nazi assassin - but I still don't know as much about them as I'd liked to. Although the film is close to two hours, you never get to know the characters enough. Like the Harry Potter films, it feels like you have to read the source material in order to understand everything that's going on.
Even more devastating is that there's no plot either. People show up and disappear without explanation, and nothing much happens (except for a couple of pretty uninspired action scenes). When something does happen, it's often marred by major plot holes that doesn't make sense.
Overall, it's barely worth the watch. If they make a sequel I hope that they allow the audience to get to know the characters better, and write a script that, at least, includes a clearly defined mission and bad guy. After all, there is some potential here. I give it 4/10.