Popular reviews

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  Review by Matt Singer ★★★★½ 6

  Now this is more like it.

  The Golden Army improves on the first Hellboy in basically every way. The boring characters from the first movie have all been jettisoned (they even joke about the fact that Hellboy got the milquetoast perspective character transferred to Antarctica) and the villains are vastly more interesting this time around. (Also, given that their main motivation is “Humanity sucks,” they’re basically the tragic heroes.) The effects are sharper, the creature design is way more del Toro-ish, and all of the characters have higher stakes. (Even quirky fish dude Abe Sapien gets an arc! And a love interest!)

  I’m not sure why this franchise is quite so fixated on bad guys who love to do excessively flippy shit with pointy weapons, but other than that I have zero complaints — except that del Toro never got to make his third Hellboy.

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  Review by karen h. ★★★★★ 2

  this movie is singlehandedly responsible for my instant-cry reaction to “can’t smile without you”

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  Review by Ralph ★★★½

  Hellboy Retrospective: Hellboy II: The Golden Army

  Hellboy II is a worthy successor to the original, with stunning special effects and a funny sense of humor. Both the old cast, as well as the new characters were very enjoyable. 

  The film features a plethora of inventive character designs. There are so many different creatures in this film that it makes the first film look like a low budget movie in comparison. This film is a testament to Guillermo Del Toro’s talent for creating beautifully realized worlds. 

  The film has striking visuals, a memorable score by Danny Elfman, and strong action sequences, which make it a great addition to the Hellboy universe, and Guillermo Del Toro’s filmography.

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  Review by David Sims ★★★★½ 9

  makes pan's labyrinth look like reheated trash soup

  more like pan's lamebyrinth

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  Review by Naughty aka Juli Norwood ★★★★

  The audience truly hit the jackpot when once again Guillermo del Toro directed the second film in the Hellboy franchise! del Toro as a director is an indulgent and nurturing parent whom gleefully provides everything any audience member could ever want or need!

  Everything about this film reflects his love of his craft and everything is done with exuberant gusto! del Toro's films are beautifully wrapped gifts with huge festive bows that we can't wait to rip open to discover what joyous wonders and pleasures he has in store for us this time!

  The film offers stunning visuals to match his equally creative fantasy! The action scenes were as exhilarating as the amazing set pieces! The wit and humor thrived as well in this fast paced environment! I especially loved the inebriated scene involving of all things the Barry Manilow song Can't Smile Without You!

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  Review by matt lynch ★★½ 29

  Del Toro's astonishing visual imagination as usual trumps any kind of narrative momentum, and a typically stubbornly written-to-theme script takes the place of any actual ideas about what's going on. I don't care if the fish man finds a girlfriend, I don't care if Hellboy matures emotionally or achieves a sense of belonging and community, and I honestly don't even care that everything looks so neat, because I can't get over the mental image of a guy who's still giggling over the fact that someone gave him a ton of money to bring his high-school sketchbook to life. To me he'll always be upscale Tim Burton, don't @ me.

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  Review by ˗ˏˋ Liam ˊˎ˗ ★★★½ 2

  they just don’t do creature design like this anymore!!!!!! gdt’s mind truly is the most wonderful place

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  Review by DirkH ★★★★ 7

  When Del Toro manages to get in his stride and gets to strutt his stuff like Mexico's Next Top Model, well I just find him irresistible.

  His visual flair combined with his seemingly unending enthusiasm for what he is doing, do perhaps not necessarily guarantee that his films are good, but there's a good chance you'll have a good time.

  In Hellboy 2, aesthetics, pacing, humour and action converge beautifully to create an outstanding, if a bit garish, adaptation of a maverick comic book. It's a shame Hellboy's character isn't explored a bit more in this sequel, but that lack of development is more than compensated by well executed and infectious fun.

  I have nothing but love for this film, the characters in it and the fun it has in doing what it does.

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  Review by Logan Kenny ★★★★

  this is the same movie as Aquaman. absolutely fucking rules, mainly by amplifying the best part of the first one (Selma Blair and her relationship with Hellboy) framing it in a fun classic adventure template instead of the unbearably shallow brooding of the first, and letting Abe fall in love with a golden princess. just a wonderful time with so much imagination, compassion and love on display, criminal that Guillermo didn’t get to make a third!

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  Review by {Todd} ★★★★½

  "I'm a tumor" -Baby Tumor.

  - Guillermo del Toro Films Ranked: boxd.it/23Ecm

  I'm the weirdo who thinks Hellboy II is del Toro's best film.

  I just really love it and while I enjoy the first, this is so much better. I think Ron Perlman is perfect in the role because he can evoke that nonchalant demeanor and then jump right into a temper tantrum. There are so many new and weird characters that are creative and beautiful looking... the special effects are a showing off in parts. It's actually a nicely developed story with subplots that matter and stakes that feel real. I love the slow deliberate pace but also how the fantastic action choreography.

  There's a scene where Hellboy and Abe Sapien are drinking beers and talking about their relationships and it is completely my shit.

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  Review by CinemaJoe ★★★★

  With the critical success of Pans Labyrinth, GDT was given much more control on Hellboy II, especially in comparison to the first one, and it definitely shows. The move away from Nazis and invoking a more folklore approach allowed GDT to really flex his muscles. The world is bigger, the creatures are weirder, but the heart that made the first film so special still loudly beats throughout the this one.

  Justice for Hellboy III, oh what could have been.

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  Review by Evan ★★★★

  A vast improvement over it's predecessor in just about every way. Hellboy II is a very entertaining super hero film with some great visuals and imagery.