Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)

Director:

Guillermo del Toro

Writers (WGA):

Guillermo del Toro (screenplay)
Guillermo del Toro (story) ...

Release Date:

11 July 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy

Tagline:

Saving the world is a hell of a job

Plot:

The mythical world starts a rebellion against humanity in order to rule the Earth, so Hellboy and his team must save the world from the rebellious creatures.

Plot Keywords:

Creature | Demon | Superhero | Rebellion | Elf

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 7 wins & 12 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Jan. 2	2:30 PM	HBO
Sat. Jan. 2	10:00 PM	HBO

Cast

Ron Perlman	...	Hellboy
Selma Blair	...	Liz
Doug Jones	...	Abe Sapien / Chamberlain / Angel of Death
John Alexander	...	Johann Krauss / Bethmoora Goblin
James Dodd	...	Johann Krauss
Seth MacFarlane	...	Johann Krauss (voice)
Luke Goss	...	Prince Nuada
Anna Walton	...	Princess Nuala
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Tom Manning
John Hurt	...	Professor Broom
Brian Steele	...	Wink / Cronie / Spice Shop Troll / Cathedral Head / Fragglewump
Andrew Hefler	...	Agent Flint
Iván Kamarás	...	Agent Steel
Mike Kelly	...	Agent Marble
Jeremy Zimmerman	...	Auctioneer

Also Known As:

Hellboy 2 (USA) (working title)
Hellboy 2 - Die goldene Armee (Germany)
Hellboy 2: The Golden Army (Australia)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and some language.

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Singapore:PG | USA:PG-13 (certificate #44505) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Ireland:12A | Malaysia:U | UK:12A | Finland:K-11 | Netherlands:12 | Australia:M | Norway:11 | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Hong Kong:IIA | South Korea:12 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | South Africa:10V | New Zealand:M | Brazil:14 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Argentina:13 | Peru:14 | Denmark:11 | France:U | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

Dark Horse Entertainment

Trivia:

Revolution Studios was originally set to produce this sequel but had to pull out once Sony decided they no longer wanted to fund Revolution Studios. Sony put the rights up for sale since they felt Hellboy wasn't a profitable franchise for them. Universal felt differently and bought the rights to make the sequel immediately.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the first movie Hellboy tells Samael, "I'm not a very good shot, but the Samaritan here uses really big bullets." Though after being blown out of the window in this movie, he shoots one of the tooth fairies (which are very small) directly in front of the on-looking crowd. The bullet disappears. No fragments, no injuries to the bystanders. It's possible that his assessment of his marksmanship abilities in the first film was simply false modesty.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Professor Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm: My son, would you turn off that wretched puppet, and brush your teeth?
Young Hellboy: Don't call him a puppet!
Professor Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm: I beg your pardon?
Young Hellboy: He's not a puppet! Howdy Doody's real!
Professor Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm: Well, Mr. Dee-dee Doo-doo will have to say good night.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Troldspejlet: (#40.3)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town

Del Toro cements his place as a contemporary visionary. Brilliant, stylish, hilarious, and great.

I have long felt that the first Hellboy installment is one of the most underrated films of the 2000's. The first thing you notice about both the first film and this more than worthy successor is the passion. Everything is simply beautiful (not in the typical beautiful sense, but in that you appreciate the art that it is), and it should come as no surprise as the film's director, Guillermo Del Toro, is a long time fan of the comic stories on which the movie is based. Del Toro turned down multiple high profile projects, including multiple Harry Potter films, so he could work on the Hellboy series, which we all know will not gross as much money. Del Toro's passion for excellence is evident in this wonderful sequel, which is better than the first, and cements Del Toro's place as one of the top filmmakers of today.

The first thing I liked about the movie: the easy transition from the first to the second movie. Though I don't remember exact plot details, it was very easy for me to get back into the story, world, and especially our three main characters. I'd reckon that you could watch this movie without having seen the first and still have a great time (though, it helps). A great cast with great chemistry more than sets the tone and makes this one very watchable.

First, you've got Ron Perlman. For those of you who don't know this terribly underrated actor, he's one you can't afford to miss as Hellboy. Even though he's covered in make-up and prosthetics, Perlman does a great job of making us love him as a hero, and a man. This is something most of the superhero performers do not (or perhaps cannot) do. The just-as-passionate-as-Del-Toro Doug Jones leaves a HUGE mark on the viewer here, not just for his performance as Abe Sapien, but for his remarkable range as a couple of other characters in the movie. Luke Goss is the film's villain, and I really saw the dedication in his performance as well, something required for his character, who is of course a dedicated man. He's not necessarily the typical 'evil' character, but a somewhat misguided one, and I think Goss got that across to me very well. A fact often ignored by critics in the comic book/superhero realm of films is the supporting heroine. Most times, without the audience knowing it, this character makes or breaks the movie. Selma Blair, boy does she make it. Not only does she look absolutely stunning as Liz Sherman, she takes the final act into her hands and does wonders with it. Definitely the best performance I've ever seen from Ms. Blair. Add in a hilarious and great performance from Seth MacFarlane (yes, the voice of multiple Family Guy characters) as Johann Kraus's voice, and Anna Walton as Princess Nuala, and you've got the best ensemble of the year thusfar. Yes, this cast is better than Iron Man.

As for the action, it's stunning. Hellboy has a LOT more to work with than the traditional superhero film, and Del Toro more than takes advantage of it. With action ranging from lighting fast and well shot sword fighting and hand to hand combat to Hellboy versus a giant plant, it's a sight to behold as we watch a legendary director in the making perfect his craft. There were multiple times where I found myself saying "holy crap", or "wow". Del Toro also keeps some humor in there to balance the much darker tone of the film. This includes one of the most hilarious scenes I've ever seen about being lovesick.

I sadly feel that many will not see this movie and it will become a diamond in the rough, much like its predecessor. Hopefully that doesn't happen, and it becomes the blockbuster it deserves to be. Though the ending is a tad predictable (not too much, but it is the one thing that keeps it from a 10), I found Hellboy to be one of the most pleasing adventures at the movies I've had this year. It's a shame that it comes out between Will Smith and Batman, because this film deserves its own day in the spotlight. You know what they say...Every demon has his day...

P.S. I can't wait to see a third one.