What Do The Critics Say?

"Del Toro's compositions are dense with effects and background creatures, and he clearly sympathizes with the misfits and monsters who are weary of humankind's greed and ecological destructiveness; yet the movie is light on its feet and generous of spirit. Guillermo del Toro, probably the most imaginative popular director in movies today, is Satan-hot, and he was able to use his clout to revisit the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense and create what may be the most entertaining movie." John Beifuss COMMERCIAL APPEAL "The talented fantasy filmmaker and heir to the Lord of the Rings throne gets the tone right." Peter Hartlaub SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE "Prepare for some devil worship. Hellboy is the hottest, strangest and most fun comic book hero." SUNONLINE "With Hellboy II, the comic-book blockbuster has finally grown up — without giving up the fairy-tale wonders of our youth." Cosmo Landesman UK TIMES "Here's a comic-book movie with a heart, a soul, a brain and a personality of its own: as personal in its own way as del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. A huge advance over del Toro’s original Hellboy (2004)." Ken Hanke MOUNTAIN XPRESS "If Hellboy ever tired of putting the world to rights then he could always count on a career in stand-up He's the Jack Dee of sardonic superheroes as opposed to The Dark Knight's dour Gordon Brown. Second time around, director Guillermo Del Toro scores another direct hit with a monster yarn as keen on the gags as the global destruction. Where The Dark Knight impresses yet never involves, Hellboy is just the kind of superhero you'd like to shoot the breeze with." Tim Evans SKY MOVIES

"Del Toros is simply the right person to being the world of Hellboy to pass, and thankfully this isn’t a sequel that fails to deliver on its promises. A blast with Del Toro working on all gears of fantasy, horror, and raw unadulterated storytelling. I'm ready for a third film, only if Del Toro is on board." Felix Vasquez Jr CINEMA CRAZED "Golden Army is the work of a master filmmaker operating with unbridled invention and even in an age of digital overkill, it doesn't look much like any other movie. The picture has a unique, warm glow, though. The movie's heart is in all the right places." Kurt Loder MTV "It's an entertaining, visually stunning romp busy with fantastic ideas and well-rounded characters." Rudy Joggerst REELCOM "Poetic, funny, darkly romantic and beautifully structured." Stephanie Zacharek SALON.COM "Hellboy II gives us a taste of the magic del Toro is sure to bring to J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit." Carla Meyer SACRAMENTO BEE "If you have seen "Pan's Labyrinth" (and if you're an adult who enjoys the fantastic you definitely should) you'll be reminded of del Toro's earlier movie. I won't even bother to try to describe the creatures who inhabit this film, you'll just have to see them for yourself, especially the denizens of the Trolls' Market.Is this fun? Hellboy, yeah!" Linda Cook QUAD CITY TIMES "The film itself is lovely, a breathless feast of fantasy anchored by an authentic humanism. It's the product of a director in complete command of his medium and its ability to transmit the contents of his subconscious. Del Toro articulates the ineffable. A late appearance by death, its wings rimmed with eyes, its teeth impossibly smooth and white, speaks to the idea that the picture is about ultimate questions and the indelible importance of small moments." Walter Chaw FILM FREAK CENTRAL

The Inside Story Hellboy’s first adventures were published by Dark Horse Comics in 1994. Guillermo del Toro’s debut as a feature film director came a year earlier with the critically acclaimed horror film "Cronos", starring Ron Perlman as the thug in search of an immortality device. As del Toro’s work gained international attention, he kept his eye on Mignola’s creation as a possible future project. "I had always been a Mike Mignola fan," the 2007 FIPRESCI Prize winning director("El Laberinto del fauno") offered. "I fell in love with the brooding, Gothic, atmospheric work he was doing. When I was shooting Mimic in 1997, the best part of the day was going to the comic book shop to look for more Hellboy issues. By then, I thought it was taking a direction that made sense for a movie." Del Toro admits he envisioned a filmed version of Hellboy just the way that Mignola wrote him in his comics: "a blue-collar guy, a plumber or an electrician, who comes in with a box of tools and says, ‘Where is the leak?’ and goes at fixing the leak. But he is a very jaded, reluctant investigator; his method of investigation is to beat the crap out of a monster." The filmmaker’s interest in turning the demon into a film star surprised the pragmatic Mignola, who thought the tales of his antiheroes would forever stay on the page. "I never in a billion years believed Hellboy would be a movie, and when it was discussed, I said, ‘Sure, good luck.’ But when I met Guillermo, I knew right away that if anyone was going to do it, I sure as hell hoped it would be him. We agreed right away that Hellboy had to be Ron Perlman." In a world of caped heroes who sport chiseled good looks and profess all-American values, audiences found it refreshing to have a good guy look so, well, bad. "Hellboy is not your traditional superhero. This is a character who has horns and a tail and looks like the devil; he shaves his horns off to try and look as human as possible. He’s a blue-collar hero who just wants to be one of us," producer Mike Richardson ("Mystery Men" & "30 Days of Night") says. With impressive figures for the action-thriller "Hellboy" and del Toro’s growing international acclaim from the adult fairy tale "Pan’s Labyrinth", del Toro had the pull to get the second chapter in Hellboy’s continuing adventures greenlit. Changes in the film business, however, would bring the Hellboy sequel to a new studio. "Because Revolution closed shop, we were able to bring the sequel back to Universal where, many years before, we had originally started developing Hellboy," producer Lloyd Levin ("K-PAX" & "United 93") explained. "The possibility of making the sequel at Universal was a thrill for us because we always loved the idea that Hellboy could be part of the great legacy of Universal Monsters." Notably, every Sunday as a child, del Toro would watch two Universal Monster movies, from "Frankenstein" to "Creature From the Black Lagoon", at his hometown theatre. This time, del Toro wanted to tell Red’s (Liz’s nickname for Hellboy) developing story on a grander scale, including many more practical creatures that inhabited the universe Mignola had created. The man producer Gordon says "eats, sleeps and breathes film," admits he aspired to bring Hellboy to both the dark corners of the fairy-tale world and out in the open to a blissfully ignorant public. As before, he designed at least half of his imagined goblins, trolls and creatures of the night to be played by actors in elaborately designed prosthetic makeup. Puppeteers would enhance the range of their movements with radio-controlled animatronics. "Mignola’s universe demands a strong physical component to the creatures," says del Toro. Especially when that world also includes creatures who have sprung from del Toro’s imagination: such as Prince Nuada’s faithful henchman, the troll Wink; the enigmatic, winged Angel of Death; and an array of other goblins, chamberlains and nasties. As del Toro drafted the sequel’s screenplay, he knew he again needed to infuse CGI to step in when practical effects were not possible. Double Negative Visual Effects came on board to execute his vision of the merciless robotic Golden Army that King Balor, the one-armed ruler of Bethmoora, had created a millennium ago, as well as the unstoppable Elemental creature and other fantasy effects. For Hellboy II, del Toro and co-producer Mike Mignola ("Hellboy") also wanted more layers to the story than they were able to achieve in Hellboy, as they didn’t have to worry about the origin story that the first film well covered. "Mythology and folklore have always been present in the 'Hellboy' comics, and we didn’t go there in the first film," Mignola notes. "So instead of Rasputin, Nazis, mad scientists and H.P. Lovecraft-type stuff, we went for the supernatural." After working out the storyline with Mignola, del Toro spent two and a half years writing the screenplay for "Hellboy II: The Golden Army". When last we met, Hellboy had saved humanity from a centuries-old mad monk who was hell-bent on raining destruction upon Earth. Now, he’s about to face a prince who’s been biding his time until he can lead the creatures of the dark to take back what used to be theirs. With the script in place, the filmmakers would begin the search for the monsters and freaks who fit naturally into Hellboy’s universe, including our favorite kitten-loving red hero and 'big baby'. Fortunately, it took little more than a phone call to get the close-knit original cast back in their Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense uniforms. Hellboy wouldn’t be Hellboy without Ron Perlman ("Blade II" & "Happy, Texas") returning in the title role. Fortunately, the actor was up for getting back into the boots of his favorite role, a character he describes as "a complete underachieving, lazy slob. A beer-drinking, football-watching average American guy who has no desire to be a superhero. He just happens to have these abilities commensurate with where he’s from and who he is. His idea of a perfect day is pizza and beer and watching The Three Stooges and Marx Brothers movies. His extraordinary superhuman traits are coincidental and not something he aspires to." Perlman says he was looking forward to working again with his longtime director. "The depth of his intellect and accumulated knowledge, based on this voracious curiosity to read anything about why people need to tell stories: including all types of mythology from all cultures, is what sets him apart." Del Toro also knew Hellboy couldn’t return without his sarcastic romantic sidekick, Liz, back for another round of dazzling pyrokinesis. Perlman’s partner in crime fighting would again be actress Selma Blair, the only performer the director and producers felt could do Liz justice. "In the comic, Liz is always very brooding, very dark, distant; she’s never relaxed. Selma nailed that," del Toro states. Blair respected the fact that fans of the comic book and film franchise have a special place in their hearts for Liz. The pyrokinetic remained beautiful, yet untouchable, to anyone for fear that she would accidentally harm them, until she met Hellboy. "Hellboy has some really die-hard fans, and all of us are grateful that their devotion has given us the chance to tell the story with Guillermo," the two time Young Hollywood Award winning actress said. As Liz and Red move into a relationship, they are coping with the same irritations as most couples: plus some unique issues that occur when a recovering demon falls in love with a fire starter. "Petty things are really amplified when you have superpowers," says Blair, who went on to explain that's it's not just a matter of "Okay, I’m going for a walk, see you later." She says it’s more like, "I’m going to blow up this damn kitchen and will see you later." Actor and movement specialist Doug Jones returns again as Abe Sapien. Jones was happy to tackle Abe again. "Abe has so much more decision-making and character development and, he wields a weapon this time. Me with a gun? That’s funny." Tasked to not play only Abe, a process that took up to five hours a day in the makeup chair, Jones agreed to portray both the fleshy court Chamberlain, who lives in service to King Balor, as well as the elusive, multiwinged Angel of Death. Jones, who played Norin Radd in "Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer" and both Pale Man and, Fauno in the triple Oscar winning "Pan’s Labyrinth", has a love interest this time around. The only problem is that she’s eternally connected to her evil twin. "Abe’s going through a certain adolescent period of life, and it’s a nice chance to revisit those teenage years," Jones said. Thanks to unauthorized sightings of Hellboy, Washington bosses have saddled the B.P.R.D. with a new leader, one who can contain the damage from Hellboy’s accidental 'outing' of the agency to the public. No longer can the team hide in Trenton, New Jersey, under the guise of the Squeaky Clean Management Company. That new character is by the book type Dr Johann Krauss, who once once flesh and blood but now exists only as ectoplasmic gas inside a containment suit. The voice of Krauss is provided by Seth MacFarlane (110 episodes of TV'S "Family Guy"), and the movements are shared by an actor who has played a gorilla and a robot, John Alexander ("Mighty Joe Young" & "Zathura: A Space Adventure ") and in his first credited feature film role, James Dodd. The arch-villian in "Hellboy II" is one very ticked-off son of the earth: Prince Nuada Silverlance, exile of the Bethmoora Kingdom, played by 2007 CAMMIE Award winner Luke Goss who portrayed the vampire Nomak for del Toro in "Blade II". "I wrote the part with Luke Goss in mind, and he delivered all the way," del Toro shared. Milan International Film Festival Best Actress AWard winner, British actress Anna Walton, was cast as Princess Nuala. Walton was drawn to the part by the chance to play a character divided by her own conscience. "Everyone has a sort of evil person in one ear and a little angel in the other ear. Nuala’s brother is the heart and the passion of her. She admires it in one respect, but knows that she has to quash it, because it can’t be. It’s very hard for her, but, ultimately, she won’t let him win." One cast member who really has his hands full is Brian Steele ("Monkeybone"). He not only plays the role of Prince Nuada’s troll henchman, Wink but also those of Cathedral Head, Fragglewump and Cronnie Troll. del Toro and the crew went to great lengths with "Hellboy II". For example, production designer Scott took three months to transform a four thousand square-meter cave, most recently used for growing mushrooms, into del Toro’s vision of the teeming marketplace. The site was found in a former limestone quarry situated twenty five miles southwest of Budapest in the village of Tarnok, Hungary. Synopsis

Hellboy fights the good fight when duty calls from his employer: the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (a clandestine bureau created in 1943 by Roosevelt that uses secret technology, special powers and a network of operatives with otherworldly powers to defend the world against the more violent supernatural: also known as the B.P.R.D.). He would, however, much rather kick back with a cigar, six-pack, his pyrokinetic girlfriend Liz Sherman and their clutter of cats. But destiny has bigger plans for them. After an ancient truce between humankind and the original sons of the Earth is broken, all hell is about to break loose. The anarchical underworld Prince Nuada has grown weary of centuries of deference to mankind. He plots to awaken a long dormant army of killing machines that will return what belongs to his people. Can Hellboy stop Nuada and save our world from destruction?

The Verdict "Unlike many others, I won't compare "Hellboy II The Golden Army" to "Pan's Labyrinth". The only thing they have in common is that they have the same director, Guillermo del Toro, a man with wonderful vision and an immensely creative imagination. Apart from that point, they are both vastly different products in different genre's. What I will say is this, if you were impressed with the creature effects in "Pan's Labyrinth", then get down to your local multiplex, because when it comes to magnificent creature effects, "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" will blow you away! But it's not all just visual effects. Hellboy and Liz's relationship takes a huge turn; Abe Sapien gets a taste of love; there's a memorable drinking scene that leads to a duet between Hellboy and Abe (feel free to sing-along to this well-known song); the B.P.R.D. team get a new boss and, you can add to that villians and, a gob-smacking finale` featuring a spectacular battle with the Golden Army. del Toro has infused this second edition with a mixture of drama, action, playfulness, love, laughs and child-like wonderment. By doing this, he ensures that at film's end, your greatest wish is for a sequal. "Bring it on!" "Hellboy II" provides excellent value, and isn't that what we want? Highly recommended. 4 1/2 STARS." Crew Bytes "HELLBOY II THE GOLDEN ARMY" was .......
directed by Guillermo del Toro ["The Devil's Backbone" and "Cronos"]; screenplay by Guillermo del Tor ["Cronos" and "Mimic"]; supervising art director Art Directors Guild Award winner Peter Francis ["Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone", "Batman Begins" and "Casino Royale"]; costume design by Sammy Sheldon ["The Calcium Kid", "Kinky Boots" and "Stardust"]; production design by Stephen Scott ["Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", "Tomorrow Never Dies", "Die Another Day", "Hellboy" and "Doom"]; edited by 2007 Goya Award winner Bernat Vilaplana ["La Escapada", "To Die in San Hilario" and "The Nun"]; cinematography by Academy Award winner Guillermo Navarro ["The Long Kiss Goodnight", "Spy Kids" and "Zathura: A Space Adventure"]; original music by Danny Elfman ["Planet Of The Apes", "Men in Black II", "Chicago" and "Wanted"]. Who's Who?

Ron Perlman Selma Blair Doug Jones James Dodd John Alexander Seth MacFarlane Luke Goss Anna Walton Jeffrey Tambor John Hurt Brian Steele Andrew Hefler Iván Kamarás Mike Kelly Jeremy Zimmerman Santiago Segura Roy Dotrice Aidan Cook Jeanne Mockford Montse Ribé Colin Ford Ferenc Elek Alex McSweeney Justin Pierre Matthew O'Toole Jamie Wilson Kevin Hudson Clive Llewellyn Sándor Svigelj Brian Herring Pálma Pásztor

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Hellboy Liz Sherman Abe Sapien/The Chamberlain/The Angel of Death Johann Krauss Johann Krauss Johann Krauss (voice) Prince Nuada Princess Nuala Tom Manning Professor Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm Wink/Cronie/Spice Shop Troll/Cathedral Head/Fragglewump Agent Flint Agent Steel Agent Marble Auctioneer Distinguished Buyer King Balor Two-Headed Shop Owner Bag Lady Young Hellboy Young Hellboy (voice) Fat Slob Policeman #1 Policeman #2 Limb Vendor Cat Vendor Organ Grinder Tadpole Vendor Bagpipe Player Silkard / Fish Vendor Mummy Vendor

Run Time 119 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2008 - Universal Pictures International - All Rights Reserved ©2008 All Rights Reserved - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - Protected by Australian, International, Copyright & Trademark Laws.