Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 2 hrs
Cast:
- Ron Perlman
- Selma Blair
- Doug Jones
- Luke Goss
- John Alexander
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Review - "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"
Reviewer: Charise Payne
Rating:
This is the summer of the superhero blockbuster, and we're not done yet. Each week, we have a new villain to hate, and a new hero to cheer on. Thankfully, we haven't had a superhero let us down yet, so the hours at the theater have been enjoyable and fun. Hellboy II: The Golden Army is the next film in line to prove its worth in the superhero comic book genre, and it doesn't disappoint.
Hellboy II's director, Guillermo Del Toro, is exceptionally talented. With past credits such as Pan's Labyrinth, Blade II, and Hellboy, his gift and dedication to the craft are a delight to watch. The fact that he also wrote the script makes you respect him even more, and with Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Del Toro has once again dazzled audiences with a world of fantasy that feels completely possible.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army begins with Hellboy as a child, being read a story by his adoptive father. The story is about a great war between the humans and the elves, and how the elves created a super army called the Golden Army. The army slaughters most of the human race, and for this, the Elvin king is horrified. He decides that no one should hold the power to destroy another race, so he forms a treaty with the humans. He gives them part of the gold crown, which is needed to control the Golden Army, making it impossible for either race to use the army again. But the Elvin king's son does not agree with the treaty, and promises to return to his kingdom when his people need him again.
Jumping ahead to present day, Hellboy (Ron Perlman) is where last saw him: in love with his fire-starter girlfriend Liz Sherman (Selma Blair) and working for the US government at the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. He, Liz, and Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) get an emergency call to an auction house where everyone inside has been eaten by a paranormal creature. And what is even more troubling is that the box that has been used to transport the creatures had the Elvin royal seal. Abe is dumbfounded; why would the royal family's seal be on a box that carried creatures which were used to murder the innocent? After handling the man-eaters, the team heads back home to learn more about what happened and to see if they can get a clue where to begin their search.
Underground, in the old subway system, Evil Prince Nuada (Luke Goss), a tall, severe-looking blond man, is planning his attack on his father's Elvin kingdom. His slaughter of the humans at the auction house went better than he could have imagined, and he now has the first piece of the royal crown. He only needs two more pieces, one from his father and one from his sister, and he will be able to awaken the army and take back the land the humans now desecrate and defile.
As the prince attacks his father's kingdom, his sister, Princess Nuala (Anna Walton), can sense her brother's intentions and runs from the battle to keep her piece of the crown safe. She goes to retrieve the map which shows the location of the Golden Army's resting place before her brother can; she knows if her brother gets control of the army, the human race will be obliterated.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a lot of fun. Perlman is just as cocky as before, and the action scenes kick some serious butt. Hellboy and Liz are quite hilarious together; they already seem like an old married couple. They also share some very tender moments where the audience can feel their love for each other. Abe even has his own romance this time around, causing one of the funniest scenes in the movie, involving beer and karaoke.
The movie doesn't have the world's best script, but it does what it was meant to do: it provides the audience with two hours of fun and thrills. Hellboy II: The Golden Army is an action-packed adventure ride you don't want to miss.
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