Director Guillermo Del Toro continues his uncanny ability to stir the imagination of children and adults. Hellboy II: The Golden Army showcases Del Toro’s talent for bringing art to life, once again successfully adapting Hellboy from the Dark Horse comic to the big screen.
The film features the same cast and crew, with comic creator Mike Mignola contributing to Del Toro’s script. Ron Perlman returns in the role he was born to play as Hellboy, a demon who works for the government agency, Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, alongside love interest Liz (Selma Blair), Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) and newcomer Johann Kraus (voiced by Seth McFarlane).
The story is centered on Prince Nuada (Luke Goss), who is from another realm, and his quest to unleash the golden army to reclaim Earth. To obtain the power of the golden army, Nuada must acquire the last piece of the gold crown, which is held by his twin sister, Princess Nuala (Anna Walton). Nuala enlists the help of Hellboy and the BPRD. In addition to battling Nuada and his monster allies, Hellboy is also at odds with his girlfriend Liz and the BPRD. Liz is pregnant with Hellboy’s child, and the only other person who knows is Abe Sapien. Hellboy eventually finds out, adding some humanity to the character.
There are subplots dealing with the relationships between Hellboy and Liz, and Abe Sapien and Princess Nuala, that add to the occasional comedic moments. Sapien’s attraction to Nuala mirrors that of a kid’s first crush or love. Hellboy and Liz’s bickering are like a married couple with Hellboy assuming the role of the guy who "just doesn’t understand."
One subplot on which the film fails to capitalize is when the public discovers Hellboy’s existence, which was previously held under wraps from the media by the BPRD. The public is at first enamored with Hellboy, but after one monster-filled fight damages the city, people are quick to turn their backs on him. This idea is never fully explored or developed and seems to come out of nowhere. The idea of having Hellboy face scrutiny from humans is intriguing and would work better if it weren’t an afterthought. There’s a sense of rushed character development and missed opportunities throughout the film.
As a sequel, the film stands as a solid companion piece to the first film, and a possible upcoming third in the franchise. Del Toro brings the fairytale aspect of his 2006 hit Pan’s Labyrinth, to the world of Hellboy. The special effects and makeup crew do a brilliant job bringing trolls, tooth fairies, monsters and various other folklore characters to life. Pan’s Labyrinth worked for being visually stunning and emotionally effective. Hellboy II: The Golden Army works in a similar way, just not as poignant.
