Hellboy (2004)

(3.5/5) super-hero, sc-fib

Hellboy (2004) has fallen out of the bottom of my TiVo at least twice. Seeing it reappear in my  TiVo listings as Fox Channel HD movie last week I decided to record it once-again on the off chance I’d actually watch it.

As a rule I do not watch horror films. I was under the mistaken impression that this was one such film. It isn’t. It’s more of a super-hero movie.

I enjoyed it.  Ron Perlman was surprisingly good. I don’t recall watching Perlman in any prior movie. I was delighted by his light-hearted sardonic performance. From the first time I saw her in Legally Blonde (2001), I’ve been enamoured with Selma Blair. She was fine in this film.

The story is paint-by-numbers, super-hero pabulum.  Much like X-men (2000) or the Fantastic Four (2004). Nothing we haven’t seen before. I didn’t quite understand why the super-heroes were kept locked up or why the fish-man (Abe Sapien), who could exit his tank with a breathing device, couldn’t turn his own pages.

But it was a fun romp. The special effects were about right for this story. And I was even invested in the love-triangle.

In the same way that Vin Diesel‘s unexpectedly good performance in xXx (2001) made that film worth seeing and made me into a Vin Diesel fan, Ron Perlman’s performance ‘made’ Hellboy for me and made me interested in seeing more of his work.

So, on the basis of Perlman’s performance alone, I’d recommend this movie for fans of the super-hero genre.

Reference: |
Other Reviews: Roger Ebert  |  IMDB External Reviews

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