Hellboy (2019)

Movie Info

Will he turn Earth into a Hellscape?

Vivienne Nimue (Milla Jovovich) was killed by King Arthur (Mark Stanley) and her body was scatter across the world…now, the pieces of the Lady of the Lake are being gathered to restore her.  Hellboy (David Harbour) finds himself teamed with a mystic named Alice Monaghan (Sasha Lane) and a B.P.R.D. agent named Ben Daimio (Daniel Dae Kim) in a race to stop Viv at the orders of his father Professor “Broom” Bruttenholm (Ian McShane).  Stopping Vivienne Nimue is important, but Hellboy could unleash his tainted legacy.

Directed by Neil Marshall, Hellboy is a Dark Horse Comics action-adventure superhero movie.  Following Hellboy II:  The Golden Army in 2008, the movie was released to negative reviews and poor box office returns.  The film received Razzie nominations for Worst Actor (Harbour), Worst Screenplay, Worst Reckless Disregard for Human Life and Public Property, Worst Director, and Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel.

I’d watch a sitcom where these two just sat around and watched TV

I liked the Hellboy movies but I wasn’t crazy about the Hellboy movies like a lot of people I know.  They were fun, but I felt some of the jokes fell flat.  The new Hellboy (which acts as a bit of a prequel, but also a reboot) has a lot of the similar humor, but it even has less spirit and fun.

I will give all the Hellboy movies credit.  They generally follow the comic book stories of the comics.  Both versions of Hellboy also feature a lot of quick one liners, but the overall story of the film is pretty plain.  It also feels repetitive.  Hellboy is faced by the temptation of becoming the evil ruler of Earth, and he fights it.  One of the bigger aspects of Hellboy was his friendship with Abe Sapien and his relationship with Liz Sherman…both are missing in this prequel (and it hurts).

David Harbour isn’t necessarily a bad Hellboy, but he doesn’t have enough to work with.  Ian McShane is typical as the “wise old professor”, and I like both Sasha Lane and Daniel Dae Kim…but once again, the story doesn’t help.  Milla Jovovich is a genre master, but her fairy Morgan Le Faye character is pretty bland.  The role is small but it is fun to see Thomas Haden Church as Lobster Johnson in the flashback scene.

Couldn’t Baba Yaga been the villain? She was cool

The movies visuals are also a step down.  In comparison to some other films, it isn’t bad, but next to the visionary look of Guillermo Del Toro, it feels a bit like someone imitating him.  Once again, the film does have some big blockbuster moments (especially with the demons of hell rising at the end), but it also feels that it is underused.

Hellboy is a disappointment.  If it had been the first Hellboy, it might have been ok (kind of like Alien3 is fine but not as a follow-up to Aliens).  Instead, Hellboy was a series killer.  The movie had a lot more hands on by the comic creator Mike Mignola, but it didn’t help in the long run.  Hellboy has fallen…and it could be a while before he gets back up.

Related Links:

Hellboy (2004)

Hellboy II:  The Golden Army (2008)

Hellboy Animated:  Sword of Storms (2006)

Hellboy Animated:  Blood and Iron (2007)

Hellboy Junior

Hellboy:  Seeds of Destruction