Hellboy

"I'm fireproof. Not you." I understand that a person who hasn't had the pleasure of reading Hellboy on paper might not appreciate the movie as much. But trust me, it's perfect (although many, many things are changed and many, many things are left out)! As far as Ron Perlman is concerned - that's what you call the role of a lifetime.__P.S. The extended version contains rather cosmetic changes and improvements, but the scene with Rasputin's eyes is excellent. (20/09/2007)

A visually captivating, but plot-wise somewhat overwrought breather that, given the premise, could have been better. The action sequences aren't great, the humour sometimes misses the mark and del Toro isn't very good when it comes to psychology. A lot is made up by the visuals, which are quite striking despite the average budget of 60 million, with decent effects (even if sometimes too computer-ey) and good make-up (Hellboy and especially Abe Sapien are simply awesome). The script didn't give Roden much space, but Perlman radiates charisma for a hundred lengths of his devil's tail. On the other hand, there is the very bland character of a young FBI agent who tries to woo Hellboy's girlfriend, but is otherwise completely useless. All in all, a film that entertained me on average and didn't resonate with me after I left the cinema. We’ll see with the sequel. (24/09/2004)

Hellboy has huge potential, but the creators didn’t do a good job in transferring it to the screen. The greatest mistake is that they completely ignored the mysterious Gothic atmosphere that simply oozes out of the comic books. In terms of story this is an almost disrespectful mishmash and the only thing that saves the day is Ron Perlman in the title role of Hellboy himself. Add to that the rather sluggish pace, over-long running time and a lame finale. So the result is unfortunately a mediocre affair that can be watched once, but never again. (05/07/2004)

If it wasn’t for Ron Perlman in the role of his life, I would have a hard time understanding this movie. It is he and his immense charisma that give the whole film an unadulterated comic touch, interspersed not only with great catchphrases and action, but at times also with natural human concerns. As a true Hollywood superhero, Hellboy has it all: he's rugged, fearless, committed to goodness, oozing with dry humour and, most importantly, his heart is in the right place; simply great potential, which Guillermo del Toro exploits to the fullest, tailoring the script around Hellboy's characteristics. As a result, we don’t have a grand drama full of twists and turns and dark atmosphere as in Snyder's Watchmen, for example, but we are presented with a lovingly made fantasy diversion that, despite the story's shortcomings, still offers the best entertainment one could wish for in the genre. I was just a bit disappointed by the surprisingly unimaginative final action set-piece, I expected something more than what del Toro served us. But that doesn't change the fact that Ron Perlman is really cool and Karel Roden once again confirmed that as a villain he has hardly any competition. 3.5* (28/08/2012)

What does make a person human after all? Mentally he is 20, in love, irritated, strong, conflicted - and because of that, irresistible. I still remember that I didn't believe in Hellboy at all after watching the trailer, and then I stayed staring. A very fragile bond with Liz, constant teasing from the agents around, a complicated relationship with his father, or just battles with Sammael - this hellish boy gets me everywhere. After many, many screenings, I simply have to admit that my beloved genre of comic book adaptations has its inconspicuous, red king. (09/04/2006)