Movie Review: Hellboy (2004)

Hellboy (2004) written and directed by Guillermo del Toro

At the end of World War II, the Nazis are desperate enough to fund an occultist who promises to bring a supernatural weapon that will wipe out their enemies. Unfortunately, the occultist is Gregori Rasputin (as in the mad monk who caused so much trouble for the Russian Czars and died in 1917, in this story resurrected). His plan is to release the Ogdru Jahad, ancient evil ones imprisoned in another dimension eons ago. The Ogdru Jahad will most likely wipe out the Allies and the Axis powers, which is okay with Rasputin. Professor Trevor Bruttenholm (John Hurt) leads a group of American soldiers who disrupt the summoning ceremony. The only thing to make it through from the other side is a small red baby with horns and a huge stone right fist. The baby is taken in by Bruttenholm and named "Hellboy."

Jumping to modern day, Hellboy (Ron Perlman) has become a semi-mythical figure, like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness monster, appearing in blurry photos on newspapers and daytime TV talk shows. He's a paranormal investigator for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. Hellboy wishes his existence wasn't a secret. He also wishes to be with his girlfriend Liz Sherman (Selma Blair), who used to be a ward of the B.P.R.D. but recently has been trying to get control over her powers (she's pyrokenetic, i.e. she can create fire magically) at a minimum-security asylum. Hellboy and Liz are drawn back together by the reappearance of Rasputin, who is trying again to release the ancient evil ones, this time using Hellboy to open a portal between earth and the prison of the Ogdru Jahad.

While the story does have large, mythic overtones, it hardly takes itself too seriously. Hellboy is a lot more blue-collar than ivory-tower, making a nice contrast to the mysterious and oppressive reality he deals with. He speaks plainly and sometimes lets his emotions get the better of him. He loves Liz but is unsure of the best way to show it, leading to comic results. He's a lot more human than the horns (which he grinds down) make him seem. The comedy and drama are well-balanced and natural.

The movie has a very deliberate color palette and a specific kind of set design and make-up The movie clearly has director del Toro's fingerprints all over it. He has an artistic vision that is easy to see. He also reuses themes and visuals, refining them or recrafting them in subsequent movies. This movie benefits from previous works (the clockworks and color schemes are more refined than in Cronos) and anticipates later works (Hellboy's partner Abe Sapien is a fish-man much like the creature in The Shape of Water). Some of the CGI looks dated but overall does a good job. The film is visually well-crafted.

Recommended for Hellboy fans and del Toro fans.

N.B. I watched the original theatrical version, not the director's cut, which I just discovered as apparently the only available version at Amazon.