 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
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 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
- Review Date: June 29, 2008
- PG-13
- Genre: Science Fiction
- 2008
Common Sense Media says
Imaginative, campy comic book fun; lots of scares.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this action-packed sequel includes a plethora of scary monsters and supernatural creatures and extensive fantastic violence, including shootings, superhuman fist-fights, and grisly deaths at the hands of nightmarish creatures. That said, the movie's overall tone is so light and fantastical that it never becomes too oppressive or grim for fantasy-loving teens and adults, and its sheer visual imagination is stunning to behold. The title character is a demon, albeit one with a soft spot for kittens. He likes his cigars and Baby Ruth candy bars; characters also drink, and other brands pop up here and there.
What's the story?
Following up on 2004's Hellboy, HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY sees writer-director Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, The Devil's Backbone) return to Mike Mignola's comic-book creation. This time around he pits supernatural monster-stopper Hellboy (Ron Perlman) against the machinations of evil elf-prince Nuada (Luke Goss), who's searching for the lost segments of a golden crown that, when united, will give him control of the titular Golden Army -- an unstoppable legion of mechanical warriors that he plans to use to destroy humanity in order to protect the world of enchantment. But even as he works the case, Hellboy has to come to terms with his team's existence becoming public knowledge -- and the resulting prejudices of the general populace. Oh, and his fire-starter girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair) really needs to talk to him about some important stuff. ...
Is it any good?
After the dizzying high art of the Oscar-winning Pan's Labyrinth, del Toro downshifts a little to deliver high entertainment with Hellboy II . Meshing the supernatural with the super-heroic, Mignola's comic-book creation is a wise-cracking, gruff-yet-good tough guy played with pitch-perfect swagger and comedy timing by Perlman. Hellboy's intrinsic goodness shines out through his bizarre appearance -- and Perlman's talent shines out through bizarre, brilliant makeup and special effects. The movie takes place in a world of gods and monsters, and some of its creations are startling, inventive, and as scary as they are fascinating.
Loaded with action (some of which is intense, if otherworldly), Hellboy II: The Golden Army also takes the time to give us full-drawn characters. Hellboy sincerely cares for Liz, is a good friend to the team's psychic -- a genteel man-fish named Abe Sapien (Doug Jones), and even comes to terms with his higher-ups at the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense, including the all-too-human Tom Manning (Jeffrey Tambor) and the disembodied spirit Johann Kraus (voiced by Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane). For every eye-popping effects sequence or line of hokey comic-book dialog, there's also a brief moment of human warmth or goofy comedy, and if the film's a little loose and slapdash, that hyper-inventive spirit surprisingly enhances its charm instead of undercutting it. Hellboy is hardly the best-known big-screen superhero, but Hellboy II: The Golden Army is the most brilliantly bizarre, visually vibrant, slyly self-aware and freakishly funny example of the genre you could hope for.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the film's underlying message of tolerance. What's more important, how someone looks, or how they act? How does the movie move Hellboy toward adult responsibility (although he ages slowly and is supernatural, Hellboy is fairly immature and teen-like at the beginning of the film)? Does that strike any chords with teens? What does being "human" mean for Hellboy? Where does he have the power of choice?
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AGE
Great Movie
I love this movie I watch it over and over I'm even playing it at my halloween party
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AGE
let us all have a laugh at this
A year ago a movie like this was supposed to be good "I mean come on what happened"(qtd. The Dark Knight). The big red guy is a D**n girl in this one compared to the first one. The badass from the first movie is completely non existent in this one almost a different character all together. Plus every line that hellboy has is forced and doesn't feel right. The movie itself was made more into a joke after the original which was truly outstanding. I dont like the direction the movie went and where a possible third could go from here, which shouldn't even be a thought right now.
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AGE
awesome!
It was a very entertaining movie that i was surprised to like. If you are new to hell boy this is more action,comedy, and romance than horror.
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AGE
This Movie is A LOT Better than the First
The first one was scary and really macabre, but this one is more about fantasy and sci-fi than the 'raise the dead, nazi' stuff. There are a lot of scary parts, especially at the beginning, but when you get down to it, it's a violent love story. =) Very cute.
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Kid, 10 years old
January 25, 2011
AGE
outstanding
hellboy is a butt kicker
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Kid, 12 years old
December 26, 2009
AGE
fun.
very fun worth it.
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AGE
Cliche Action Flick Doesn't Offer Much
It has cool make-up, art direction and visual effects but is that enough to see the movie? I don't think so
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| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | Guillermo Del Toro |
| Cast: | Doug Jones, Ron Perlman, Selma Blair |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
| Run time: | 110 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | July 9, 2008 |
| DVD release date: | November 10, 2008 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and some language. |
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