Post by bladestarr on Jul 11, 2008 20:25:55 GMT -5
I had to start writing this review as soon as I got back from the movie, before all the ideas in my head start to leak out through my ears. 
Hellboy II is a different kind of Hellboy movie. Where the first was a movie that explored the eponymous character's origin and destiny, by the time of the second movie all of that's been figured out and we can get to the fun stuff. Where the first movie was filled with dark angst, dark storylines and dark characters, the second movie jumps right into the world of fantasy. It is a much more lighthearted "popcorn" film that I think more people would appreciate... it's fun for the whole family!
Why is it? Because if you know inherently the Laws of Hollywood movies (and who doesn't anymore, we're programmed with them from BIRTH now), and once you've heard the "fairy tale" presented at the beginning of the movie, well you'll know exactly what's going to happen for the rest of the movie. Is that a bad thing? Maybe for Roger Ebert, but for us mini-mutants who just want a film to ENTERTAIN us, this movie does it in spades. You can turn your brain off at the door, and just sit back and take it in with your eyes and ears, no translation necessary. And it is a beautiful and entertaining film to watch.
Oh, you want a basic plot summary? Well I'll give it to you from the lips of the Co-Writer and Creator himself, Mike Mignola:
"The focus is more on the folklore and fairy tale aspect of Hellboy. It's not Nazis, machines and mad scientists but the old gods and characters who have been kind of shoved out of our world.
I kind of equate it to the whole American Indian situation. The Indians were shoved onto reservations. You had your old, wise Indians who said, "You know, this is the way it is. We can't fight anymore. We just have to accept our fate." You then have your Geronimo character saying, "Or we could just kill the White Man." That's kind of the situation we have in the film. We have our elf characters resigning to the way things are and then there's one saying, "Or we could take the world back." The main difference is - what if the Indians had a nuclear warhead? The elves have their equivalent of the weapon that is too terrible to use. What if this guy decided to use it?"
And that weapon? The Golden Army, an indestructible army of magical mech men. Yeah, beat THAT!
This film is about 30% action similar to the monster-bashing action of the first film, 10% character development with the addition of Johann Kraus as the new ghost in town with a chip on his shoulder, 10% dark beauty when you see the fantastic world of the Fae, and 50% comedy. What type of comedy? Mostly the slapstick-three stooges-Sam Raimi variety and I loved it! I think you will too.
So what are you waiting for? Go check it out while it's still in theaters. Because honestly, I still think it's worth putting up with the kid kicking the back of your chair to join in the whole audience laughing because of Abe and H.B. singing a love song drunk together.
Yeah..... it goes there. It also had a nice setup for a sequel, leaving a couple dangling threads, but they also made it a good stopping point if no one ever picks up the rights to Hellboy 3.
If the series ended right now, I'd be happy. If it continued.... I'd be more than happy to keep going to the theaters! ;D
Hellboy II is a different kind of Hellboy movie. Where the first was a movie that explored the eponymous character's origin and destiny, by the time of the second movie all of that's been figured out and we can get to the fun stuff. Where the first movie was filled with dark angst, dark storylines and dark characters, the second movie jumps right into the world of fantasy. It is a much more lighthearted "popcorn" film that I think more people would appreciate... it's fun for the whole family!
Why is it? Because if you know inherently the Laws of Hollywood movies (and who doesn't anymore, we're programmed with them from BIRTH now), and once you've heard the "fairy tale" presented at the beginning of the movie, well you'll know exactly what's going to happen for the rest of the movie. Is that a bad thing? Maybe for Roger Ebert, but for us mini-mutants who just want a film to ENTERTAIN us, this movie does it in spades. You can turn your brain off at the door, and just sit back and take it in with your eyes and ears, no translation necessary. And it is a beautiful and entertaining film to watch.
Oh, you want a basic plot summary? Well I'll give it to you from the lips of the Co-Writer and Creator himself, Mike Mignola:
"The focus is more on the folklore and fairy tale aspect of Hellboy. It's not Nazis, machines and mad scientists but the old gods and characters who have been kind of shoved out of our world.
I kind of equate it to the whole American Indian situation. The Indians were shoved onto reservations. You had your old, wise Indians who said, "You know, this is the way it is. We can't fight anymore. We just have to accept our fate." You then have your Geronimo character saying, "Or we could just kill the White Man." That's kind of the situation we have in the film. We have our elf characters resigning to the way things are and then there's one saying, "Or we could take the world back." The main difference is - what if the Indians had a nuclear warhead? The elves have their equivalent of the weapon that is too terrible to use. What if this guy decided to use it?"
And that weapon? The Golden Army, an indestructible army of magical mech men. Yeah, beat THAT!
This film is about 30% action similar to the monster-bashing action of the first film, 10% character development with the addition of Johann Kraus as the new ghost in town with a chip on his shoulder, 10% dark beauty when you see the fantastic world of the Fae, and 50% comedy. What type of comedy? Mostly the slapstick-three stooges-Sam Raimi variety and I loved it! I think you will too.
So what are you waiting for? Go check it out while it's still in theaters. Because honestly, I still think it's worth putting up with the kid kicking the back of your chair to join in the whole audience laughing because of Abe and H.B. singing a love song drunk together.
Yeah..... it goes there. It also had a nice setup for a sequel, leaving a couple dangling threads, but they also made it a good stopping point if no one ever picks up the rights to Hellboy 3.
If the series ended right now, I'd be happy. If it continued.... I'd be more than happy to keep going to the theaters! ;D