Hellboy (2004)

A demon, raised from infancy after being conjured by and rescued from the Nazis, grows up to become a defender against the forces of darkness.

Director:

Guillermo del Toro

Writers:

Guillermo del Toro (screenplay), Guillermo del Toro (screen story),

Stars:

Ron Perlman, John Hurt, Selma Blair

8 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ron Perlman	...	Hellboy
John Hurt	...	Trevor "Broom" Bruttenholm
Selma Blair	...	Liz Sherman
Rupert Evans	...	John Myers
Karel Roden	...	Grigori Rasputin
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Tom Manning
Doug Jones	...	Abe Sapien
Brian Steele	...	Sammael
Ladislav Beran	...	Karl Ruprecht Kroenen
Biddy Hodson	...	Ilsa Haupstein (as Bridget Hodson)
Corey Johnson	...	Agent Clay
Kevin Trainor	...	Young "Broom"
Brian Caspe	...	Agent Lime
James Babson	...	Agent Moss
Stephen Fisher	...	Agent Quarry

Storyline

In the final days of World War II, the Nazis attempt to use black magic to aid their dying cause. The Allies raid the camp where the ceremony is taking place, but not before a demon - Hellboy - has already been conjured. Joining the Allied forces, Hellboy eventually grows to adulthood, serving the cause of good rather than evil.

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Plot Keywords:

nazi | hero | demon | love triangle | assassin | 

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Taglines:

In the Absence of Light Darkness Prevails

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and frightening images

Details

Official Sites:

Columbia Tristar [fr] Hellboy.Com - highlights, news, updates

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian

Release Date:

2 April 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Helboj

Filming Locations:

Barrandov Studios, Prague, Czech Republic

Box Office

Budget:

$66,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$411,919 (Italy) (8 October 2004)

Gross:

$195,023 (South Africa) (15 October 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Revolution Studios, Lawrence Gordon Productions, Starlite Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min 132 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kevin Trainor, who played the young Professor Broom, wore brown eye contacts so that his eye color would be the same as John Hurt's.

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Goofs

When Agent Myers was at the gates of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, he had a retina scan. The machine scanned his right eye, but it identified it as his left eye.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Professor Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm: What is it that makes a man a man? Is it his origins, the way things start. Or is it something else, something harder to describe? For me it all began in 1944, classified mission off the coast of Scotland. The Nazis were desperate. Combining science and black magic they intended to upset the balance of the war. I was 28, already a paranormal advisor to President Roosevelt. I could never have suspected that what would transpire that night would not only effect the course of history ...

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Crazy Credits

There are no opening credits save the 3-D title, which is flown over several times by the camera before it pulls back to reveal the full title.

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Connections

Referenced in Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown (2008)

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Soundtracks

"Easy Come, Easy Go"
Written by Edward Heyman and Johnny Green (as John Green)
Performed by Johnny Crawford
Courtesy of Centropolis Records

User Reviews

Hellboy, not perfect, but entertaining.

Let's be blunt, the movie is, in essence, a little lumbering and flawed and has a rather odd climax. The beginning is overlong and vaguely too fantastical, but once you realize this is a very different world, a comic book really, and normal rules don't apply, it can be forgiven. In fact most of the flaws can be forgiven because of Ron Perlman and what he brought to the picture.

This is one of few movies I've ever gone to see on the opening weekend, possibly the only one. And I did so because I was already a fan of Ron Perlman and it was great to see him in a leading role, even though he's covered in makeup. Perlman is the best thing in this movie; he is perfect as Hellboy. He swaggers through it as if he'd always been a leading man. Delivering one-liners with ease and to perfection, battling monsters through subterranean sets and city streets, and giving a great comedic performance as well as a very emotional one that makes you just love the big red oaf. A great feat considering the extensive makeup he had to act through.

And the makeup and prosthetics are the best of its kind I've ever seen. There's movement and expression in the lips at times that you would think would be impossible. You might at first think that the lips are rather stationary and unexpressive, but if you just pay attention you'll see that there is a lot of movement and subtleties to it. Rick Baker should be praised for his work in this, it's amazing.

Doug Jones is awesome as the body of Abe Sapien. His movements are truly beautiful. And David Hyde Pierce as the voice is perfect. Abe is a very interesting and neat character that I wouldn't mind seeing more of. And his makeup is as amazing or even more so than Hellboy's.

John Hurt is great in this, as is Jeffrey Tambor. Everyone in this does a great job. But Perlman's performance as Hellboy really holds the movie together. His character stands out and speaks to the audience better than any other.

If you liked X-Men or Spider-Man don't expect a movie as well polished and put together, but you should be able to enjoy it and the more overt comic book feel of the movie. And unlike the aforementioned movies there is quite a bit of light humor throughout Hellboy that should garner some laughs from most anyone.

Hellboy isn't perfect, I would have changed some things, but I had fun watching it and in the end, especially for a movie of this type, I think that's what matters most. In fact I like it more now, after seeing it again, than I did when walking out of the theater.