Hellboy 2: The Golden Army

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Myself

What a great movie. I'd forgotten. After watching this again, why the hell wouldn't you want to hire Guillermo del Toro to do the Hobbit?

I love the world he's created here. You can see he love of creatures seeping out of every inch of the frame. Not to mention the story, which is filled with nasty and sympathetic creatures and constantly questioning which side audience and characters are on. Practical and CG blended so well together. I love the Tooth Fairies, Wink, the Bag Lady, the tragic Elemental, the creepy Angel of Death, they are all great. That troll market is a true work of art.

No one makes the horrific as beautiful as he does. Guillermo Navarro's gorgeous cinematography probably has a great deal to do with it. And the story is much tighter than the first film I think, now they've dispensed with all their main exposition and origin stories. Over all this film is leaps and bounds over the first, the effects, the action, the story and characters. I really did enjoy the first one but this one is what every sequel should be, it's got everything you love about the first film, gets rid of the excess, adds more awesome and naturally develops the story and characters further.

I doubt we'll see a 3rd film any time soon, if any. They left this one with such a great set up though after having watched it again I kinda wish he'd add it to his list of 89 films he's got lined up next. I'm pretty sure I saw a Lovecraftian monster in the background of the Headquarters. I know I saw a See You Next Wednesday reference, it's even there in the trailer.

I watched with the actors commentary, but I probably should have just watched the directors commentary again, they didn't have anything very interesting to say other than being completely in awe of all the practical fx.

I hope one day he gets time to finish this trilogy before Ron Perlman gets too old and refuses to don the makeup. He IS Hellboy to me now.