One of the best films I've seen.

Rating: 10/10 (11 September 2008)

I've watched a lot of films based on comics - the X-Men trilogy, the Spider-Man trilogy, Fantastic Four and its sequel, Iron Man, Hulk, Daredevil, the Batman films and Superman Returns. I had heard of Hellboy and watched the trailer, however, I wasn't sure on watching it. However, my sister bought it and I watched the DVD - and I loved it to pieces.
Anyway, the story starts off with a bunch of American troops in Scotland during the final years of World War II. Among them is Professor Bruttenholm (pronouched as "Broom"), a paranormalist and adviser to President Roosevelt. The soldiers come across a bunch of Nazis who are using a machine to open a portal to another dimension and unleash the Seven Gods of Chaos to win the war and conquer the world. However, the soldiers interfere and stop the Nazis, their leader Rasputin (the Russian nutcase who helped kill the Zsar of Russia and his family) being sucked into the portal and vanishing. However, a small red monkey-like child with a large hand made of rock comes out and becomes the "son" of Bruttenholm, named Hellboy.
Many years on Hellboy is the protector of mankind, battling monsters and supernatural things (like a cross between Batman and Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Hellboy lives in the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defence, sort of a Men in Black-like sercet organization except they fight monsters instead of aliens. Hellboy lives with Abe Sapien, a blue-skinned aquatic fish guy who likes eating rotten eggs. Hellboy is also infatuated with a pyrokinetic woman named Liz Shaw who has trouble controlling her flames, often causing explosive infernos. Bruttenholm is in charge of the BPRD, covered up by FBI director Tom Manning who dislikes the weird team members. The BPRD is joined by John Myers, the most boring and unemotional drip in existence.
Anyway, Hellboy, Abe, Myers and Liz find themselves fighting against Rasputin, still alive but now a lot more demonic (his veins squirm about in his head and hands), his girlfriend who wields a sledgehammer, and Karl Ruprecht Kroenen, a kickass villain who wears a gas mask and fights with a pair of spinning blades. The three intend on using Hellboy to open some sort of gate and allowing a monstrous tentacled demon to take over Earth. They also unleash Samiel the Desolate One, a demonic reptile with dreadlocks who can reproduce once he is killed. The BPRD fight against the villains with amazing CGI effects (although sometimes everything is done physically without a single sign of computer graphics), cool fight scenes and Hellboy making jokes at every opportunity.
I really enjoyed this film mainly because it is the first real dark comic book film I've seen. Hellboy is a different kind of superhero. Heroes like Spider-Man, Superman and the X-Men do not mess about with an enemy and are a bit more concerned just trying to defeat an enemy as quick as possible. Hellboy instead takes his time, cracking jokes and being rather laidback. Plus he has a big gun, which adds to his awesomeness. The characters of Liz and Abe are very entertaining, plus Bruttenholm and Manning's presence adds an extra touch of greatness to the film. However, I dislike the presence of Myers. He doesn't really do much in the film, stands around looking miserable and blank-minded and has too much screen time looking blank and miserable.
As for the villains, I find Rasputin to be creepy but really interesting. I prefer the animated version from Anastasia. His sledgehammer-wielding girlfriend doesn't really do much either. But the person to steals the show is perhaps the coolest villain ever to appear on the big screen (except possibly Darth Vader): Kroenen. Kroenen is a silent Nazi officer who wears a gas mask over his head, wields a pair of spinning blades, can do impossible things, and has a severe mental issue in which he has surgically removed his eyelids and lips, making him look quite a fright when he is seen without his armour in one seen. Everything about him is brilliant and he has become one of my favourite antagonists of all time.
Seriously, I recommend this film to anyone who likes superhero films, dark films or anything made by Guillermo de Toro. Hellboy is a masterpiece.