A beautiful moving comic book...

Rating: Null/10 (4 April 2004)

This movie was amazing. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. I'm sure that if you're a Hellboy fan, you were relatively pleased and if you're just a fan of superhero movies or just movie in general, you were also pleased.
The images were beautful, the characters beleivable, and the story well done. Many people don't know much about the Hellboy comic (unlike say Batman or Superman) but the reluctant hero of Hellboy, is masterfully pulled off by the Director Guillermo Del Toro. And the fact that Mike Mignola (creator of Hellboy) approved and helped helm this film makes it all the better.
fore those of you who do not know the comic, it stays as true as possible (for a movie) to the story and it's images. The hellboy costume is right on, and the dialogue fits right in with the style Mignola wrote for years. Also, the lighting in the comic books (hyper-realistic lighting; lots of solid blacks obscuring views and showing very heavy shadows)is reproduced with astoiunding accuracy in this movie.
WARNING POSSIBLE SPOILER IN THIS NEXT PARAGRAPH!
Notice I say movie and not film, as we all know that there is a considerable difference between the two. One is done for the art, the other is done for the fun of it (more or less, yet again, my opinion). This is definetly a movie, and not one without some flaws. Such as some subpar acting from lesser characters, underplayed scenes, and muffled dialogue( Hellboy, take the damn cigar out of your mouth!). But if you look at it, it is a relatively realistic fantasy movie. I mean it's more likely you'll just have an intense conversation, rather than fire and brimstone rising everywhere making each bit of dialogue like the last words of god (i.e. Rasputins "No listen to me!" before the coming of the Ogdru Jahad god).
If I have one complaint, it's that Marco beltrami really copped out on the score for this film. He did such a wonderful job making the soundtrack for other Action hits like Blade II, I really felt that he didn't punch it up to the grandiose and dark scale Hellboy was reminiscent of. Shame on you Marco, try harder next time!
So all in all (and cheating a bit because I'm a Hellboy fan) I'd give this one an 8 out of 10 as a good film, but a 10 out of 10 for staying true to the original. I mean how many times can you say that about Batman, superman, or any of the other millions of Superhero flicks out there? The Hulk? Give me Hellboy anyday.