One Hell of a movie!

Rating: 9/10 (28 July 2008)

Forget what you think about fantasy films, forget what you think about monster films and forget what you know about superhero films and just go and see Hellboy for the sheer visual spectacle that it is. Director Del Toro on his second outing of the franchise has filled this film with what his last 'Pan's Labyrinth' lacked all the brilliantly darkest corners of his imagination. Here we have the vision of Burton, the madness of Gilliam, the sumptuous colours of Zhang Yimou and of course the Del Toro magic that made fan-boys all over the world let out audible whoops when it was announced that the long awaited Hobbit is his next project. But lets forget that for now and focus on big red, again played brilliantly by Ron Pearlman the demon who is happy to help, yeah right, but he wouldn't be anything if it wasn't for the supporting cast of his girlfriend Liz, old pal Abe (their drunken bonding session is particularly funny and poignant) and newcomer Johann Krauss familiarly voiced by Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, American Dad). As if that wasn't enough the excellent cast is almost overshadowed by all the weird and wonderful creatures that fill the screen, the tooth fairy, the forest god, cathedral head, the golden army themselves and that's not even mentioning the troll market which is an astonishing menagerie of all creatures great and small and weird and truly bizarre. Aside from the visuals, the music, the set pieces and the direction the thing that makes this film work, something The Dark Knight could have learned from, is that it doesn't take itself too seriously and is actually funny and although still dark (see the angel of death) it is a fun film. Del Toro has kept the themes of identity and belonging added human/inhuman emotions and still managed to add action, suspense and humour without it becoming a mess. Others have already said that this is his best English language film to date and I would even go so far as to this is his best film full stop. Very few directors make films like this anymore making it easier for Del Toro to make his mark, not that he really needs to. Peter Jackson/LOTRs fans can relax; I assure the Hobbit is in good hands.