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Review: Hellboy II
Jul. 13th, 2008 03:47 pmIf Guillermo Del Toro hadn't directed this movie, it would have been utter shite.
The plot? Lukewarm, at best. I mean, come on! You have elves, trolls, and giant robots to work with! There could have been way more done with this, and I don't know why the scope was so limited.
The characterization? Horrible. The only one that was actually cast convincingly was Hellboy himself, with the possible exception of Johan Krauss. The boss might as well have gone around the whole movie saying "dur hurr hurr, I'm a pompous self-important ass!" I don't know if Abe was really meant to be that wimpy and frankly dull-witted (couldn't think of manufacturing a dupe for the piece of the crown? Or of hooking Red up to a bypass machine while he removed the blade?), or if the best scenes were left on the cutting room floor. Do not even get me started on that simpering little elf princess. Just. Don't.
There were some bright spots- some really dry humor. I'm not going to give spoilers, but you should look forward to the scene with Red and Johan in the locker room. And of course, anything that Del Toro touches turns out visually gorgeous. It's not the greatest movie I've seen this summer, or even in the past month, but it didn't make me wish I had my eight bucks back. If you want to go, go see a matinee.
The plot? Lukewarm, at best. I mean, come on! You have elves, trolls, and giant robots to work with! There could have been way more done with this, and I don't know why the scope was so limited.
The characterization? Horrible. The only one that was actually cast convincingly was Hellboy himself, with the possible exception of Johan Krauss. The boss might as well have gone around the whole movie saying "dur hurr hurr, I'm a pompous self-important ass!" I don't know if Abe was really meant to be that wimpy and frankly dull-witted (couldn't think of manufacturing a dupe for the piece of the crown? Or of hooking Red up to a bypass machine while he removed the blade?), or if the best scenes were left on the cutting room floor. Do not even get me started on that simpering little elf princess. Just. Don't.
There were some bright spots- some really dry humor. I'm not going to give spoilers, but you should look forward to the scene with Red and Johan in the locker room. And of course, anything that Del Toro touches turns out visually gorgeous. It's not the greatest movie I've seen this summer, or even in the past month, but it didn't make me wish I had my eight bucks back. If you want to go, go see a matinee.
