"Hell" yeah!

Rating: Null/10 (5 April 2004)

HELLBOY (2004) ***1/2 Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, John Hurt, Jeffrey Tambor, Karel Roden, Corey Johnson, Doug Jones, Biddy Hodson, (voice of David Hyde Pierce). Cult comic book gets a superlative big-screen adaptation from visionary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro with a sly, funny turn by Perlman (under Rick Baker's amazing make-up) as the red-skinned spawn from Hell turned-good-guy fighter against evil in the form of the one and only Rasputin out to rule the world at any cost with his army of slimy tentactled monsters. Virtuoso visuals and slick cinematography by Guillermo Navarro, underscored with a relentless soundtrack by Marco Beltrami make the most of this slam-bang action adventure with peppering of just the right amount of tongue-in-cheek wry comedy. Blair lends able support as the ethereal flame-throwing misfit Big Red has eyes for and Hurt is understatedly crusty as his father figure. Winningly entertaining.