Would you sacrifice the world to give life to your loved one?

Rating: 9/10 (11 July 2008)

I am a fan of part one and therefore could not wait to lay my eyes on the sequel. Finally, it did "come to a cinema near me" - in the form of a preview shown at an awkward time. I did not think twice - even if I had to pay extra and stay late.
The movie started slow. First, they showed us - in a couple of dated stills - the history of the prequel: how Hellboy was originally found - and then jumped a few years into the future to tell us how he first learned about the Golden Army. This first scene - with the little red horned boy brushing his teeth - left me with mixed feelings, it looked so odd and out of context.
However, the film starts to pick up speed and really gets better by the minute. Prince Nuada is introduced with his swift martial arts moves that - I dare say - put to shame some of the scenes in the Matrix. But most importantly - the story is well thought through and when you think about it after leaving the cinema, it still "holds water" so nothing of the beautiful imagery is spilled.
And beautiful it is! It is breathtakingly hauntingly beautiful... There are so many fantastic characters, real and unreal blend perfectly - both the work of the CGI experts and the writers of the script. Most if not all characters are designed and executed with such perfect attention to detail on both levels - philosophical and visual - that it must really take a lot of thinking to find a weak spot.
But trust me when I tell you, that you will not have a lot of time left for thinking. The visual storytelling talents of Del Toro have always been praised, but here the strength of their expression truly reaches a peak! Elves, Trolls, Gods of the forest and Giants of stone - one might think that he has seen it all in the LODR trilogy, however this director's vision is something else. Elves are white and ethereal but there is also something wicked in their chalky faces and cat-like eyes. Trolls are ugly, menacing and at the same time - comic. There is a plethora of cunning gadgets and a universe of seamless magic co-existing in an uneasy equilibrium in Hellboy 2.
There are also some laughs - well thought through and perfectly timed - that were maybe missing from part one. But the most interesting of it all lies not in the visual stunts or clever tricks - it is in the simple fact that this film tells a moving story that touches the heart. It is a story about love and what it can make us do: betray and kill those closest to us, or lay our life down to save them - and be ready to destroy the world in the process...
Remember I told you that the film gradually picks up speed? This masterful dance gets almost hectic towards the end - both visually, philosophically and emotionally. The mechanics of the Golden Army are deadly and perfect in their own way. Our hero saves the day, but we are told that he lives for the world to get destroyed. "Would you sacrifice everything you know to give life to your loved one?" It seems that there is no correct answer to this question. And if that is so, then we are all going down in flames - just like Guillermo del Toro predicts in this second installment of his Hellboy saga.
Go watch this movie. It is better than the polished and hollow 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull', because it has heart. It is much better than 'Wanted', because it is visually stunning, but not showy and it has moral integrity. It is even better than 'The Hulk' - which is the best of the three mentioned but still looks one-dimensional and shallow when compared to del Toro's masterpiece. I would not say it is perfect... but for its kind it is not just engaging - it is captivating, and it is a lesson in philosophical storytelling, given by a Master.