Deadpan Action Film

Rating: 3/10 (1 April 2004)

I did not enjoy Hellboy. I began fidgeting in my uncomfortable theater seat about 40 minutes into the movie. I wasn't gripped by the action sequences because Hellboy quips nonchalantly during them. I would call it "deadpan action" so to speak. The humor in the movie isn't my type of humor. It's very unsophisticated. Like Hellboy will get smashed into a wall, pick himself, and say, "Damn." There are a few funny parts, but not many. The story doesn't hold up under the slightest scrutiny. Who are these bad guys? What motivates them? Why are they committing these evils acts? I decided to stop thinking during the movie because otherwise I would have kept thinking to myself: "What is truly going on here?" I am sure that fans of the comic will enjoy this, but if you don't like special-effects-driven action movies with thin plots, I'd stay away from Hellboy.