This movie compares to everything and nothing.

Rating: 10/10 (26 March 2004)

Lucked into a screening of this film, a week ago. I've gotta tell you that the trailers don't begin to do this movie justice. This is the closest we've seen of a direct translation of the methodology of the comicbook on the screen.
Color palette - right out of Mignola's inks.
Framing - the director managed to get some of the trademarks of the source onto the screen. Remember the great shots where Mignola goes from action to static shots of statues and back to action? It's in here.
Comicbook action - Hellboy the comic is famous for great monster vs. monster action and this film translation spares no expense in making sure we get just that. He fights like 20 monsters in this film. There's lots of OUCH moments, which are my favourite moments.
Unique - You've never seen monsters as cool as these. Sammael has so many tricks up his sleeves it's sick! sick I tell you! Oh, and you're so in for a surprise when you see the Ogdru. The freaking Ogdru will rule your world! You've never seen monsters this awe inspiring. Ever!
Heart - on top of all this non-stop monster battering, this film has pulled off something that never quite worked in previous comics2film. Sure you might have cried when Jean Grey drowned herself at the end of X2, but you were still detached. You'll never been in a position like that so, you don't really relate. In this film. There are so many scenes of real relateable emotion that you'll leave the film still thinking about them. You've probably been that person at some point in your life.