Why can't they make more comic book films like this?

Rating: 10/10 (3 April 2004)

To start, I don't want to explain the exposition, because the origin of Hellboy and the villians is part of the movie's fun. Suffice it to say, Hellboy is a demon raised as a human, who works for a secret organization fighting monsters (think Men in Black). Certain mythical beasts are let loose, and it starts hitting the fan in about 3 minutes. Hellboy (Ron Perlman) works alongside aquatic creature Abe Sapien (voiced by David Hyde Pierce) and pyrokinetic Liz Sherman (Selma Blair). Along with a team of slightly inept humans, our heroes set out to find and destroy the source of the monsters. What follows is one of the best comic book adaptations in recent memory. Great action sequences, superb special effects (the opening sequence is a killer!), and a wonderful sense of humor makes Hellboy a very enjoyable experience. Despite his horns and tail, Ron Perlman plays Hellboy as though he were as normal as the rest of us. In effect, the audience sympathizes with Hellboy as he clashes with his emotional troubles. Though the plot degenerates in the last few minutes, the nearly 2 hours leading up to it are a lot of fun. Even if you're unfamiliar with the source material (guilty), give this movie a chance. It's worth it. 3 stars.