Hellboy 2 - Not what it's cracked up to be

Rating: 3/10 (27 August 2008)

I have never been a fan of tearing apart a film and highlighting its negative and positive qualities and in a year where good films a few and far between, you can't help but hope there's a decent one around the corner. Unfortunately, Hellboy 2 is not one of them. I saw this film at a preview screening last night in Australia and I was underwhelmed. The opening sequence, in particular young Hellboy's makeup, was comical and you just couldn't take it seriously. It left you wondering whether the whole film would be that bad. While the film did improve, it relied heavily on visual effects to hold your attention. With a thin storyline and very little character development, this movie jumped between scenes and left you wanting more. Moderately entertaining, Hellboy 2 is not a movie I would see again and I believe it could have been much better. Using my simple method of pass or fail, unfortunately - Fail. That said, one mans lemon is another's candy, so go see it and decide for yourself.