HELLBOY
US, 2019, 120 minutes, Colour.
David Harbour, Milla Jovovich, Ian Mc Shane, Sasha Lane, Daniel Dae Kim, Stephen Graham, Thomas Haden Church.
Directed by Neil Marshall.
Hellboy is based on popular comics by Mike Mignola. Mexican director, Guillermo Del Toro, made two very successful films a decade ago. However, he did not have the opportunity to make the third in his trilogy. This time the director is the British, Neil Marshall, who has made some horror films in the past and also contributed to Game of Thrones.
For those who know Hellboy, they can plunge right into the action. For those who don’t, there is, fortunately, a flashback to explain his origins (which also featured, of course, in the early film). The setting is 1943, a Nazi experiment on an island of Scotland, some British authorities infiltrating. The experiment produces a demonic baby, Hellboy. The British conquer the Nazis and one of the British experts, played by Ian Mc Shane, decides to adopt the strange baby (even with his horns). In the previous films Hellboy was played by Ron Perlman. He he is David Harbour, quite unrecognisable – but with his horns sheared off (and trimmed attentively by his father).
In fact, there are quite a number father-son difficulties throughout the film.
But, it needs to be said that there is a prologue to the film and it is set back in the sixth century, a prologue about King Arthur and Merlin, the confrontation with Queen Niewue, dressed literally in scarlet, a Blood Queen who traps them but they then turn the tables on her, impaling her and, almost immediately in the film, a very gory episode (with many, many gory episodes to follow) – and for those who want to know, she is cut into five pieces, including her talking head, concealed in boxes and buried throughout the countryside. She will make a later appearance, played by Mila Jovovich, put together again to wreak havoc on the world.
But, back to the present. There is an international flavour to the adventures, a brutal wrestling match in Tijuana with Hellboy present and grieving the demonic takeover of his co-agent. Then to Colorado, to the headquarters of the agency for colt research and a meeting with his father. The purpose of the meeting is a mission to London, to a mysterious organisation who want Hellboy’s assistance in hunting giants. Actually, he is the giant. But, there is no denying his superhuman, superdemonic powers.
In the meantime, there are other strange creatures roaming England, searching for the pieces of the Queen in order to put her together again. But, Hellboy encounters Alice, Sasha Lane, something of a young psychic as well is Ben Daimio, Daniel Dae Kim, Oriental but with the most polished English accent, a survivor from an attack by a leopard.
Ultimately of course, it is a confrontation between Hellboy and the Blood Queen, her aim is to destroy Hellboy’s father, to set free monsters who are seen roaming the streets of London seeking whom they can devour.
Needless to say, there is victory in an opportunity for a sequel – but this will depend on the box office success of this version (and, it is clear from bloggers on the IMDb that many are not pleased this time).
1. The original comics and graphic novels? The film versions? This version coming after the popularity of the superheroes?
2. The popularity of Hellboy, readership, film fans? The mixed reaction to this version?
3. The Tijuana settings, sleazy, the wrestling? The crowds? The transition to Colorado, the headquarters underground? The transition to London, the countryside locations? The end in Siberia? International locations?
4. The elements of the series with the comic, the absurd, over the top? Characters, Hellboy and his make up, the monsters? The situations, the occult and beyond this world?
5. The presuppositions about the culture, vampires, satanic presences, magicians?
6. The prologue, King Arthur, his forces, England’s past? The magicians? The Queen, her ambush, tables turned, her being impaled, chopped in pieces, separate boxes, scattered throughout the land? Arthur and Merlin, Excalibur?
7. The 21st century, the agencies, research, the occult? Communications? Tijuana, Hellboy and his presence, his father’s finding him, the agent, his being transformed, the vicious wrestling match? His death? Returning to himself? Hellboy’s reaction, the drinking, the agents coming to take him back?
8. Hellboy and the relationship to his father? The agents, missions? Osiris Club? The UK? Hellboy going, meeting the members of the club, British aristocracy, the mission against giants, Lady Elizabeth and her presence, blind?
9. Lady Elizabeth, the Nazi story, Hellboy and his origins, the Nazis, his father, the event, his birth? The defeat of the Nazis?
10. The hunt, the countryside, the masks, the absurdity, over the top? The attack on Hellboy, his strength, almost defeated?
11. The encounter with Alice, her powers? Home? In herself? Her helping? The bond with Hellboy?
12. Ben Daimio, his appearance, his impeccable accent, the leopard stories, the flashbacks, his survival, his wounds, the injections? His role, collaborating with Hellboy and Alice?
13. The range of monsters, their make-ups, the pursuing monster and his mission, his appearance, his voice and the Geordie accent, his role with the Blood Queen, promises, guarantees? His tracking down Hellboy, capturing him? The Queen and her reducing him in size, his disappearance?
14. The buildup to the confrontation, the taunts, Hellboy and the vicious fights, Alice and Ben Daimio helping, the torture, his growing his horns again, his power?
15. The Queen, put together, her powers, the streets of London, the monsters appearing, the massacre, the vision of the future, their defeat and their returning belowground?
16. The death of Hellboy’s father, Allice and her channelling him, his reappearance, his declarations to Hellboy, his pride?
