The Flipcritic

Hellboy is a comic book fan’s dream, and more. It has an entertaining premise, solid acting, crisp special effects, and brisk action. But what sets it apart is its quirkiness, and its willingness to be droll without losing grip of its taut execution. And in Ron Perlman, it delivers this quality through a remarkable performance that conveys an unmistakable humanity, within an unlikely superhuman protagonist.

The movie begins during World War II with the most reliable and cliché of movie villains, the Nazis, under the instruction of Gigori Rasputin (yes, the same one who stubbornly resisted death at the hands of pre-World War Russian monarchy). In serving the Fuehrer, Rasputin (Karel Roden) attempts to open a portal to hell in hopes of summoning dark forces to destroy mankind. Isn’t it odd though when ominous power-hungry villains try to do so? Facilitating “the end,” ends their dreams of power as well.

But I digress. A young Professor Trevor ‘Broom’ Bruttenholm (later played in old age by John Hurt) foils this plot, which results in Rasputin being sucked into his portal, and the appearance of childlike imp (with an oversized right hand) from it. Broom’s military cache aptly names the young devil Hellboy. Fast-forward 50 years or so, and Hellboy (Perlman) is fighting the occult, sometimes alongside the half-man, half-fish, all psychic named Abe Sapien (Doug Jones), and with the oversight of his adopted father, Professor Broom.

Sure enough, Rasputin’s minions bring him back from the dark side, none of them as deadly as Kroenen, a menacing looking swordsman who wields and twirls his blades in very creative ways (it seemed to me though that he was channeling Darth Maul most of the time). A love interest will inevitably be brought into a mix, this time she’s a pyrokinetic named Liz Sherman (Selma Blair). She and Hellboy are a match made in… err… heaven, since she’s a fire starter, and he’s fireproof. There’s also a sidekick who will bear witness to it all, in the guise of John Myers (Rupert Evans), a young g-man assigned to Professor Broom’s band.

A lot of comic-book movies have been single-mindedly grim as of late. Take Spider-Man who has to deal with the burden of “responsibility”; Bruce Banner fears his destructive nature as the Hulk; The X-Men constantly worry about protecting humanity and the bigotry from those they are trying to protect; Daredevil has to fight criminals through physical and legal means; and Blade is obsessed with the destruction of his semi-kind.

I do not fault these heroes for their crises, nor do I fault the filmmakers who bring their dilemmas to life. But a movie lover can only take so much anguish, which is probably why I gravitate encouragingly towards HELLBOY. Like its predecessors, it contains a formidable hero, capable of striking intimidation and Herculean feats. But we expect the impressive physique, the imposing brows, and the lavish eye-candy that accompanies their abilities and/or their weaponry. What makes this devilish brute so refreshing is his light approach to his supposedly dangerous situations. He is concerned with mankind’s fate, but is impudent towards threats. Like a cop who has seen it all, he knows the routine, and has the sass to take it all in an assured yet gleeful stride.

The movie’s lead performance personifies this character to a tee. In casting Ron Perlman as a soulful demon, the material stands out among its mediocre peers. Mr. Perlman is no stranger to playing monstrous individuals, as he played Vincent in the much-loved BEAUTY AND THE BEAST television series. And though his character here is pretty much the temperamental opposite of Vincent, both of them share the same innate kindness, despite their brutish appearances (one nice touch was Hellboy’s affection for kittens).

Ron Perlman has also been accustomed to playing coarse characters (see ALIEN RESURRECTION, ENEMY AT THE GATES, and BLADE II for some of his more memorable ones), and it his amalgamation of compassion and nastiness that serves as the film’s rich treat (watch as he tries to hide a cigar from his human father). It produces the most human individual in the movie, and assists the film’s lessons (which I wish it didn’t have to harp on, but necessary for youngsters I suppose) quite well. It also complements his character’s snappish and impish sense of humor, resulting in some of the best one-liners that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger proud.

The movie is hardly a one-man show. Guillermo del Toro, who has directed some of the more fascinating supernatural and fantasy-based films in the past few years (CRONOS, MIMIC, and THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE), can proudly add HELLBOY to his list. It’s filled with as much wondrous detail any comic book fan could want, and contains sharply executed special effects and rich ambiance to strongly interest non-fans. I liked his depiction of hell, which doesn’t come across a fiery realm where horned beasts thrive, but a cold region of space (in a parallel universe?) that holds equally, if not more, frightening monstrosities. And the scope of these apocalyptic creatures made me smile. This contained the ending that BLADE should have had.

I also enjoyed John Hurt’s portrayal of Professor Broom. Like the rest of his distinguished U.K. counterparts (e.g. Ian McKellen, Brian Cox, and the late Richard Harris), he has cheerfully joined the Fantasy / Sci-Fi bandwagon by playing estimable sages (remember Mr. Ollivander -- The keeper of wands of the Harry Potter series?). He plays Hellboy’s old man as well as anybody. And he adds gravitas to dialogue that would seem cheesy if pronounced by anyone else.

I enjoy comic book action adventures as much as the next guy. But I usually know what to expect. HELLBOY exceeded my expectations by supplying me with a rich personality with recognizable human traits. He’s huge, imposing, and fierce. But he’s also one of the sweetest and damned funniest film heroes I have ever come across. That’s what separates Hellboy from the Spider-Mans, the Hulks, the Daredevils, the Blades, the Wolverines, and such. He’s not only incredible, he’s also personable.

Posted by FLIPCRITIC at April 27, 2004 10:19 AM