Movie Review - Hellboy

I've been slacking off on my movie reviews. We watched three movies last weekend, and I've only written about one. Here is number two...

At the beginning of Hellboy, we are thrown back to the heat of World War II. Hitler is desperate to gain an advantage over the allies, and has enlisted the assistance of the great sorcerer Rasputin to search for magical and mystical artifacts to assist the war effort. Rasputin attempts to open a portal to another dimension and call for the "7 Gods of Chaos" who would then destroy the world. Rasputin's plan is foiled an american scientist leading a group of marines. The scientist is acutely aware of the power of the artifacts that Rasputin seeks, and makes every effort to prevent the apocalypse from happening. During the brief time while the portal is open, a strange demon-child escapes the other dimension. Meet Hellboy

The rest of the movie takes us along with the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) and their mission to defend the earth against the forces of chaos. The american scientist adopted Hellboy as his son, and their relationship is tested by the typical struggles that a father and son have as the child reaches maturity. Hellboy is different in that he ages in reverse dog years, or one year for every seven human years. He has one arm that is made of brimstone, and horns sprout from his head. He keeps the horns filed down so that he can blend in better, but his bright red skin is a dead giveaway.

I really liked this movie. I liked the type of humor used. This isn't an overly sophisticated movie. Hellboy doesn't try to fight using high tech weapons or intricate martial arts. Instead, he just puts the beat down. It's a nice change from the Matrix style fight scenes which are the current Hollywood fad. Hellboy is an interesting character too. He has more of a background than some of the other recent superhero movies (Catwoman, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen). He is in love with another member of the BPRD team, but can't seem to get the relationship to workout. He has a soft spot in his heart for cats. And he isn't perfect at everything he does. Hellboy is rough around the edges. One thing that Jenn commented on after the latest Charlie's Angels movie was that, the characters are too perfect. They are always on, always over the top, and always perfect. Hellboy isn't. I really liked his character for that.

Don't be put off by the title. This is a fun popcorn movie. I think anyone who enjoys a superhero flick from time to time will really enjoy this one.