 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Hellboy
- Review Date: July 25, 2004
- PG-13
- Genre: Science Fiction
- 2004
Common Sense Media says
Somewhat entertaining, but too scary for many.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie contains frightening images, a dark and at times macabre tone, and the sad death of a central character. There is a great deal of violence in the fight scenes, which are at times bloody, and characters must wrestle with the deadly consequences of their actions. A scary character is addicted to self-surgery, while one of the creatures summoned by the Nazis is a Hell-hound that will frighten younger audiences. Several characters (including one major character) die violent deaths. The inability of one of the characters to control her powers causes the off-screen death of innocents, which might frighten even the most mature of audiences.
What's the story?
Based on Mike Mignola's comic book series, HELLBOY centers on the titular anti-hero, who has the body of a Hell-spawned demon and the heart of a human. The film depicts how Hellboy made it to Earth as a child, then forwards to the present, in which the adult Hellboy is the supersized ward of Dr. Broom and the Bureau for Paranomal Research and Defense (BPRD). Cigar-munching, cat-loving Hellboy (Ron Perlman) has a huge stone hand and forearm that help him to pummel baddies. He is their most famous inmate, despite the fact that the U.S. government does its best to deny that Hellboy exists. When evil Russian villain Rasputin, his goons, and some rather nasty Hounds of Hell try to bring the Gods of Chaos to Earth, it's time to call in Hellboy & Co. Hellboy is endearingly human, with a penchant for wiseguy understatement and his love for his adopted family of misfits at the Bureau, especially doe-eyed and dangerous Liz Sherman (Selma Blair). They seem literally made for each other as the woman who has trouble controlling her pyrotechnics wouldn't want a boyfriend who wasn't fireproof.
Is it any good?
Director Guillermo Del Toro's Blade 2 blazed with whirling swords, back-flipping vampires and frenetic action, at times rendering the fights an incomprehensible blur. Del Toro does not make that error again, introducing a comparatively sleepy pace for Hellboy that seems to stretch its 132 minute length into a much longer movie, padded in parts by unnecessary and cliched scenes and overkill in the squiggly monsters in dripping cavernous cellars category.
To his credit, he captures some of the visual color, tone, and, yes, beauty of the comic book, but he sometimes makes you feel like you are reading it over someone else's shoulder and that person takes too long to finish a page.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the father-son bond between Dr. Broom and Hellboy, why they fight and how this relationship impacts both of their characters. The movie touches on an issue that runs throughout the comic book series, that of Hellboy's commitment to defense of humans despite his demon form. What does being human mean for Hellboy? Where does he have the power of choice?
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AGE
Uses Gods name as filth
Movie would have been good except they Profane Gods name. They did not have to to make an adventure, as in Star Wars, but Hollywood will try to make it OK to use Gods name in place of a 4 letter filth word, I would rather hear the filth word.
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AGE
good movie
Really cool Where are his horns!?!?!?!?
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Kid, 12 years old
December 26, 2009
AGE
good movie.
good, violent.
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AGE
A Good Comic Book Movie
While it's not identical to the comic, it does do a good job of adapting it and delivers very good action and horror.
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AGE
Great movie..........
it may be scary for kids under 10 but 12 and up will love it. but Red (hell boy) loves smoking. he always has cigar in his mouth. kissing that was it. one 1 or 2 kissing seans nothing more. not bad cursing nothing more then D,A,and hell no f word. overall it was a great movie.
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AGE
Great Movie
Great Movie But a little too scary for younger audiences
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AGE
Very cool action horror flick for 13+
I didn't see anything wrong, besides the fact that alot of demon resurrection and satan stuff (not like you've seen in the end of days or exorcist, but it is pretty scary). Good moral stuff besides hellboy smoking a cigar all the time which is not a good lesson for kids. Besides that, great movie!
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AGE
Perfect for children who enjoy dressing up scary on Halloween.
When my daughter was 7 she always wanted to watch scary movies. After seeing this one I decided to let her watch it, and she loved it. It was her favorite movie until she was 9.
Hellboy does smoke cigars, but it's not overly done to the point where your thinking it's an ad for kids to smoke. His main swear word is crap which isn't that high on my list of things not to say.
Overall this movie is great for kids. There is some action in it, but absolutely no nudity, and the violence is at a mild comic book level.
I think Hellboy makes a positive mole model as his story tells how he was made to do evil, yet chooses to be on the side of good. It's all about his choices and choosing the right ones. He also shows great friendship and love by willing to sacrifice himself to keep those he loves alive.
I also like the positive message that even though Hellboy looks like a demon he doesn't let what others think about how he looks degrade his self esteem.
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AGE
I love this movie! Not good with little kids, but only because they prolly'd be scared and or they wouldn't get it... -__-. there's some cursing, but nothing extreme. The best movie i've seen in all my life, terrible i know. Some blood, gore and violence, some death, but you can emphasize with 'im.... That's what i like about it! ...He has cats XD i love that.
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AGE
OK interesting but still a little zzzzzzzzzzzzz
Hellboy is great. The beginning matches with the end and the main characters' favorite word is extremely............non apropriate for little kids because of language.
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| Studio: | Columbia Tristar |
| Director: | Guillermo Del Toro |
| Cast: | David Hyde Pierce, Ron Perlman, Selma Blair |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
| Run time: | 121 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | April 2, 2004 |
| DVD release date: | July 27, 2004 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | sci-fi action violence and frightening images |
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