A Great Story Crumbles

Rating: 5/10 (2 June 2009)

I just want to start off saying that I thought the first Hellboy film was an amazing accomplishment, complete with a sturdy story, stunning visual effects and acting that didn't go overboard like most comic books films. Having said that, I thought that The Golden Army was a monumental disappointment.
Selma Blair's character pulled a 180 in this film when compared to her performance in the first. From her unnecessarily ridiculous hair-cut to her less than satisfying acting, she completely downgraded everyone else around her. I haven't had the luxury of reading any of the Hellboy books yet, but if she had the same hair-do in the comics, please comment and tell me why.
Once again, I'm not entirely sure if he was in the comics, but Johann Krauss ruined the entire film for me. He had no significance; contributing absolutely nothing to the story and having the hilarity level of about a made-for-TV Disney channel movie. Please, for the love of God and all that is holy, why was this unimportant, uninteresting and downright inexcusable character allowed any screen time?
People who are used to watching new and experimental films during this modern era of cinema must learn to not be so black and white about what they see. A movie needs more than witty action banter and showy special effects to be worth a move ticket. And though I have seen much worse, don't get me wrong, The Golden Army just didn't measure up.