Did I miss the stargate to the alternate film dimension?

Rating: 10/10 (14 December 2013)

I look at the IMDb review tally and I have to wonder aloud whether I missed the Stargate to the alternate film dimension where every director is as good as Del Toro, and therefore every film is as good as Hellboy?? Because only in such an alternate dimension, where such films are commonplace, would the mediocre score be justified. Lets get to the point. Tel Toro is one of the greatest living directors, period. Although I did not "love" MAMA, for example, as a total experience, I was mesmerized. That's what Del Toro does. He mesmerizes. (I did love the Orphanage, one of the greatest horror films of all time and largely unknown in NA). But what makes this production extra-special is Perlman. In case anyone missed it, Ron is a solid actor whose career by and large is one B-movie after another. And, if he is not starring in a B-Movie, then he is in a supporting role in an A-movie -- eg, Driver. Here, Ron not only gets to star but steals scene after scene. For all his size and presence, he manages to present Hellboy both as a capable hero and at the same time a fratboy jealous of his girl (Blair.) As much as I loved the sequel (it was great) I gave a top score to this one because of the sheer joy of discovery the viewer gets to experience when encountering this team (Del Toro, Blair, Perlman) for the very first time.