A film that ticks every box

Rating: Null/10 (16 October 2004)

With Spiderman, The Hulk, and The X Men crowding up the box office, you may not think there is room for another hero. But the superheroes will have to make space, because there's another hero in town, and he may just be better than all of them. But why should the Hulk be green with envy? Because director Guillermo del Toro has put together a film that is an incredible mix of adventure, romance and good old fashioned Satanism topped off with a huge red monster with a fondness for cigars. What more could you want!!! Hellboy begins in 1944 with the Nazis conjuring up evil forces to aid Hitler. However, after a confrontation with Allied Forces, the demon made for world domination falls out of a portal and lands in the arms of a scientist on the side of good. 60 years on, and working for the FBI, the small red horned baby is now a giant red monster. Although regularly saving the world from paranormal invaders Hellboy's very existence is only one of rumour to the average citizen. To keep this up, an FBI agent John (played by Rupert Evans) is drafted in to keep an eye on the horned one, while Hellboy himself keeps an eye on Liz (Selma Blair), a hot young woman who can turn herself on fire by thought alone. But trouble soon begins when evil baddie Rasputin rears his ugly head and makes a deal with dark forces to take over earth. And so it is up to the horny hero himself to step in and save the world. Without doubt one of the greatest transfers from a comic book page to the cinema screen, Hellboy delights in it's brilliant script, explosive story and romantic subplot that never feels strained or out of place. Scenes sparkle and the director of photography relishes the religious imagery that shadows over the films every reel. Tough, funny, with a genuine heart, Ron Perlman, as Hellboy, brings a depth to a role that could easily have been one dimensional. Rupert Evans lends good support as a rookie young agent and David Hyde Pierce is terrific as Abe, the fish man.
Comic book action heroes are sometimes hit and miss, but for this reviewer, Hellboy was heaven sent.