Attention, Wall-e detractors (i.e. Conservative Republican Nutballs), there's yet another movie at your local multiplex this summer to speak out against. Can you believe that Hellboy II insinuates that human greed is a major factor in the destruction of our environment? How dare Hollywood make such blatantly false statements! Not only that, Hellboy II expects you to have sympathy for a guy who looks a whole lot like the Devil. Hollywood truly is a land of tree-hugging, Jesus-hating, gay-marriage-approving heathens.
You know, I still find it hard to wrap my brain around the idea that there is a large group of individuals in this country that would denounce a movie because it contains a pro-Earth message. Really? I mean, what are conservative talk-show hosts and newspaper columnists telling us when they speak out against a movie like Wall-E? Why is it such a bad thing to remind mankind the responsibility we have to take care of the planet we call home?That's why it's hard to completely despise Prince Nuada (seen above being strangled), the villian in this summer's Hellboy II. He is sick and tired of the human greed he sees in the modern world, the rampant consumption of resources which is threatening the very existence of his kind. While I do not support his decision to awaken an invincible army of mechanoid soldiers to eradicate all of mankind, I do think he should be given a few minutes on, like, Oprah or The Dr. Phil Show, to explain his side of the story. I would not suggest entering the No Spin Zone however--that douchebag never lets anyone else say a damn thing.
I'm sorry. This was supposed to be a review of Hellboy II: The Golden Army, the amazing new film from Guillermo del Toro, director of my favorite film of 2006, Pan's Labyrinth, wasn't it? Hellboy II is a collection of amazing set-pieces, each filled to the brim with odd-looking beasties, each more amazing then the next. Del Toro's brain is a bottomless well of creativity and I get excited every time he puts out a new film (I can't wait for The Hobbit--OMG!).
This summer is clogged with movies about misunderstood superheroes (The Incredible Hulk, Hancock), but Hellboy remains the most interesting. In this film we learn more about his past and his future, which turns out is pretty grim for the human race. I welcome more Hellboy sequels, though I do need a little breather after the final sequence in which Hellboy and Company take on the hulking golden army of the title. That tuckered me out and I just sat on my fat ass the whole time.
I've enjoyed all the comic book films this summer has offered up so far. They've served as tasty appeitizers for the main course coming to theaters this weekend. But for this week, at least, make mine Hellboy.
GEP's grade: B+
