HELLBOY
by Mark Sells
"There are things that go bump in the night. We're the ones who bump back." Professor Bruttenholm (John Hurt) is referring to the covert operations of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD), an organization set up by President Roosevelt to counteract the practices of the Nazi Occult during World War II. Within this organization is a group of secret agents led by Hellboy, a devilish character with a talent for crime fighting. Based on the Mike Mignola comic series by Dark Horse Comics, and brought to the screen by writer/director Guillermo del Toro, a longtime fan of the comic, Hellboy is a supernatural adventure, dynamic in intent, but ineffectually conveyed.
Obsessed with the occult, Hitler creates a secret society founded on alchemy, technology, and witchcraft. The society consists of the legendary, invincible strannik (or holy man) Grigori Rasputin (Karel Roden), his devout companion Ilsa, and the walking cadaver Kroenen. Together, along with a contingent of Nazi soldiers, an apocalypse is to be unleashed onto the world with the opening of Ragnarok, the portal between hell and earth. But their plans are changed dramatically, when a small group of GIs, along with the Bureau's Professor Bruttenholm, intercept the group and sabotages their plans. During the battle, however, "The Gate of the Dragon" remains open for a brief period of time, allowing one small, red creature to cross over.
The Professor names the creature (played by Ron Perlman) "Hellboy," adopts him, and keeps him under lock and key along with another misfit - a telepathic aquarian named Abe Sapien (Doug Jones). The two evolve into paranormal crime fighting legends, and eventually come into a contact with a third mutant, Liz Sherman (Selma Blair), whose pyro-kinetic abilities remain undeveloped and untested, and whose heart belongs to Hellboy. Enter John Meyers (Rupert Evans), a rookie FBI agent who joins the team to guide Hellboy into manhood and take over as guardian. But as Meyers begins to acquaint himself with the team, a disturbance in the paranormal world forces them to take immediate action -- Rasputin has been resurrected and seeks to finish the plan he started some forty years ago.
The film revels in its bright-colored superhero, but doesn't support its enthusiasm with a plausible story. Sure, most comic adventures require the reader to make a leap of faith when it comes to superpowers and saving the day, but even within a fantasy world, there are logical constraints to define it. For instance, Abe finds a villainous nest underneath a subway and then watches newly hatched creatures escape untouched into the city; Rasputin is reincarnated by an "ageless" Ilsa and Kroenen some forty years later; and Meyers, Liz, and Hellboy go instantly from a victorious battle to a cave where they are imprisoned in shackles and chains. I'm sure there are explanations somewhere, but none appear on screen. There are also continuity problems galore: a glass of milk is full then empty then full again; clothing accessories and character positions in scenes are switched back and forth; and I could swear that I saw Hellboy's big arm on the left in one scene and the right in another.
That said, the film actually does some things very well. It has a cool soundtrack by Marco Beltrami, it incorporates witty dialogue and playful one-liners, and Perlman is the perfect choice for the energetic and personable superhero, embracing the persona without injecting the dark brooding quality you might expect from a hellish character. He has fun, and shows a great deal of energy and charm. As the resident tough guy, it's also nice to see that he has a balance, a softer side. He likes cuddly kittens, saws off his horns to blend in, and gets jealous when the new recruit makes a move on his girl. Blair gives some life to Liz Sherman, an explosive fire starter learning to control her powers, but her character was not as strong as it should have been, seeming too distant and mysterious.
Hollywood is obsessed with comic book adaptations these days. A quick look at the number of works in the pipeline is enough to make you cringe: Astro Boy, Black Panther, Catwoman, Elektra, The Fantastic Four, Ghost Rider, Iron Fist, Iron Man, Teen Titans, and Wonder Woman, just to name a few. And how about all of those previous productions that are spawning sequels? As hungry as the movie industry is to turn comics into gold, they seem to be missing something essential in the process -- quality storytelling. Anyone can grab an obscure title and make a quick buck, but how many can make something interesting out of it? To do so requires a degree of humanism and truth. And unfortunately for films such as these, their unique characters with their quirky origins and high-class look and feel, get watered down with nonsensical, action-laden story arcs.
I found Hellboy to be a run-of-the-mill comic book movie. Undoubtedly a labor of love for Guillermo del Toro, the film takes the time to do many of the little things right, but fails to deliver when it comes to connecting the details into a bigger picture. Its saving grace is the performance of Ron Perlman and the wonderful characterization of Hellboy. For if you take away his super strength, his immortality, and his demonic prowess, what you have left is an underachiever vying for attention, respect, and love. That's the story I wanted to see -- the story of Hellboy growing up to be a man.
©2004 Mark Sells
CineScene