Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Guillermo del Toro may not be a household name, but his visionary style of directing is [simply] one of a kind. Although he is most well-known for his brilliant work behind the adult fairy tale Pan's Labyrinth, del Toro's cinematic approach to film making is unlike any other. His sharp focus for detail, combined with his excellent use of stunning visual effects is more than meets the eye; and with his latest film, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, his quality work only continues to speak for itself.

First things first, if you were NOT a fan of the first Hellboy--then I strongly suggest that you do not see this film. Why? Well, unfortunately, I was not a fan of the first myself but, still, opted to see this film in support of del Toro; only to spend a majority of it lost and disinterested. Sure, part of that can be attributed to the face that I loathed its predecessor but, still, Hellboy II is far from a bad movie. In all fairness, it's bigger and better then it's previous counterpart and from that standpoint, I applaud the producers for expanding on an already established concept.

In essence, the Hellboy franchise is the "B" movie of comic book movies and fails to hold weight amongst such heavyweights as Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk. Not to be outdone, Hellboy's strong cult following helps in its appeal and it's fair to assume that a lot of fans will be thoroughly pleased. Unfortunately I wasn't, but I digress.

Overall, I would say that a little more could've been done with the story; but to go into extensive detail would be a waste of time. Not so much because it would require a detailed summary of the plot, but simply because I really don't care. Plain and simple, Hellboy II: The Golden Army passes with flying colors...if you're already a fan but, if not, it serves better as a late night rental from Blockbuster.

Rating: 2 inkblots out of 5