In association with

Hellboy [2004]
from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
starring Ron Perlman, Doug Jones, Selma Blair, John Hurt, Rupert Evans
directed by Guillermo del Toro

Features:

• Anamorphic
• Dubbed
• PAL

Editorial Review:

In the ongoing deluge of comic-book adaptations, Hellboy ranks well above average. Having turned down an offer to helm Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in favor of bringing Hellboy's origin story to the big screen, the gifted Mexican director Guillermo del Toro compensates for the excesses of Blade II with a moodily effective, consistently entertaining action-packed fantasy, beginning in 1944 when the mad monk Rasputin--in cahoots with occult-buff Hitler and his Nazi thugs--opens a transdimensional portal through which a baby demon emerges, capable of destroying the world with his powers. Instead, the aptly named Hellboy is raised by the benevolent Prof. Bloom, founder of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, whose allied forces enlist the adult Hellboy (Ron Perlman, perfectly cast) to battle evil at every turn. While nursing a melancholy love for the comely firestarter Liz (Selma Blair), Hellboy files his demonic horns ("to fit in," says Bloom) and wreaks havoc on the bad guys. The action is occasionally routine (the movie suffers when compared to the similar X-Men blockbusters), but del Toro and Perlman have honored Mike Mignola's original Dark Horse comics with a lavish and loyal interpretation, retaining the amusing and sympathetic quirks of character that made the comic-book Hellboy a pop-culture original. He's red as a lobster, puffs stogies like Groucho Marx, and fights the good fight with a kind but troubled heart. What's not to like? --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0

• Hellboy - a parent's pov
  I am a fan of Del Toro's Spanish language films, but had not seen Hellboy, dismissing it as teen-horror-flick nonsense. I hold my hands up and admit it, I was wrong!
  I LOVE this film - and so does my 8 year old son. In fact, I've watched it (as I type this) 12 times. And yes, I still love it.
  From a parent's point of view, there are a couple of scenes that you need to keep an eye on - when the mask-wearing baddie is laid out on the slab and you get to see what he looks like (yeuk!).
  I'd... more info

• Very entertaining film
  This has a lot of oddball parts to it, but overall it's very good fun and a good way of spending a quiet evening in. There's some great lines and a lot of very entertaining visuals, with some good action too. Great!

• Warm but not scorching
  Ron Perlman (Beauty and the Beast) stars as Hellboy, a creature who arrives in earth after an experiment during the war went wrong, and now in modern day works for the government as a protector of the good from the bad.
  Based on Mike Mignola's comic books, this charming and action packed fantasy adventure delivers on a wonderful entertaining basis, though with a few flaws.
  With an entertaining and magical opening, Hellboy will invite you into a fantastical world filled with dark magic and... more info

• Del Toro does it again
  I love this film... It's funny, but not in the wrong places. You know what i mean - when someone cracks a pitiful joke in the middle of a sad scene. Perlman does a good job of the tough guy, but the emotions really show through too. Even the music is excellent! I can't wait to see Hellboy 2.

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