Not as fiery as it could have been

Rating: 7/10 (6 September 2008)

Ron Perlman (Beauty and the Beast) stars as Hellboy, a creature who arrives in earth after an experiment during the war went wrong, and now in modern day works for the government as a protector of the good from the bad.
Based on Mike Mignola's comic books, this charming and action packed fantasy adventure delivers on a wonderful entertaining basis, though with a few flaws.
With an entertaining and magical opening, Hellboy will invite you into a fantastical world filled with dark magic and extraordinary creatures.
The war settings and the business surrounding the opening are highly intriguing and will grab your attention straightaway, and when the child of Hellboy arrives you will be hooked as time moves forward with a montage of the creature growing up under the government's influence.
The plot revolves around Hellboy, and his relationship with society and evil, and somewhat ironic that a guy from hell is good, which gives the ideology of the film a sweet edge. There isn't much reference to heaven and hell as one or opposites, which would have created more depth and a greater understanding of Hellboy's home and instead, focuses upon the good nature of the hellish man, and it's interesting to see him portrayed as a man, with human emotions and beliefs rather than an animal, which is the view of the society in the plot, which creates emotional tension and entertainment, and a sort of controversy for current society.
Filled with action packed sequences, Hellboy dives into a horror and fantasy genre with its use of different creatures and appearances, giving the film a unique and approachable appeal, which is largely helped by Del Toro's stunning and gripping direction.
The Hellboy himself is interesting. Though funny, every phrase he utters feels like he knows he is a superhero, thinks himself cool, and adds way too much sophistication and daftness to his character. These phrases add up to unnecessary egotistical central protagonist, who despite being funny, can be very annoying and clichéd.
The plot is consistent, delivering action and suspense on a consistent basis with a different approach to the superhero genre. The ending however feels put of place with a dramatic climax which had no proper build up. Nevertheless and entertaining surprising action film