Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy was a masterful work of action, sci-fi, and fantasy goodness. It gave us a new world to explore, one full of demons, elves, and fantasy creatures but in a setting that was completely modern and contemporary. There was nothing else like it at the time of release, and that is what made Hellboy such a unique experience. Not to mention, this was the film where Guillermo del Toro truly hit his stride with phenomenal CGI and visual effects direction.
So, naturally, expectations were extremely high for Hellboy 2, and I’m happy to say that Guillermo del Toro did not disappoint.
How to Download Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)
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Hellboy II: The Golden Army – the Movie Review
Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a direct sequel to the original, taking place only a year or two after the events of the first film. Hellboy is now a certified superhero with fans all around the world, and he’s seen protecting the world quite often by the public. However, while most challenges are easy for him when a prince of the mythical world decides to start a rebellion against Earth for the way they have destroyed the environment and the mythical world, Hellboy, Abe Sapien, and Liz must get ready for battle once again.
They must stop the evil prince Nuada from locating the Golden Army, which will be a devastating challenge to overcome if it’s activated.
Straight out of the gate, the stakes are so much higher in Hellboy II: The Golden Army than they were in the original. Perhaps that in itself makes this film more intense than the first one. There are new characters introduced in this one as well, such as the evil Prince Nuada, and his sister, the kind-hearted Princess Nuala.
These characters add a lot of depth to the story, as the main antagonist of Nuada is a commendable villain, while Nuala is a wonderful character that brings more nuance to Abe Sapien’s character.
There is even more action in Hellboy II: The Golden Army than there was in the original Hellboy film, and 2008’s upgraded technology allowed for some of the best computer graphics and visual effects the industry had seen. The sequence starring the Golden Army, in particular, is one of the most stunning sequences in the film, along with a little sequence starring a terrifying demonic creature, that genuinely made this film memorable to me.
The make-up and prosthetic work are just as gorgeous as you would expect from a Guillermo del Toro film, it’s well done and well designed.
The characters are the main meat of this film, and it’s safe to say that Ron Perlman’s Hellboy is the star of the show here. Perlman plays Hellboy with a charm and angst to him, which fits the teenage character’s personality.
Abe Sapien is still the voice of reason in these films, whereas Selma Blair’s Liz is as fiery as you’d expect her to be. Anna Walton as Princess Nuala is a great addition to the team, though her performance feels a bit too plasticky. Whereas Luke Goss as Prince Nuada becomes an identifiable threat to the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense.
Now, speaking of visuals, the computer graphics, visual effects and prosthetics can only go so far, you need cinematography that will stay with audiences forever. Guillermo Navarro comes back for the sequel and helps del Toro create a film that is somehow even more stunning than the original.
This film has beauty unparalleled, along with some of the most striking colors, unique camera work, and breathtaking action choreography. Though I do wish the film had better pacing, it was lingering too much on some sequences while other key moments were glossed over.
Danny Elfman on the music is what truly makes this experience such a highlighted one. The man is a legend of his craft, and he takes the score of the original Hellboy and elevates it by making huge improvements to a soundtrack that was already just perfect. Somehow though, Elfman manages to make the soundtrack his own and elevates the film to a much higher degree.
The Verdict
Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a film with higher stakes, a higher budget, and a higher aura of mystery to it. The film builds itself up through its moment-to-moment excitement, while also giving you genuinely good entertainment value with its dialogue and slapstick comedy. The actors all play their parts well, aside from Anna Walton who sticks out a bit more when among these high-level actors.
A story full of twists and turns, Hellboy II: The Golden Army is definitely a fresh experience, and one that has style.
