The latest in comic book-to-film adaptations, “Hellboy,” has a crisis of conflicting identities that, despite the parallel issues of its title character, hurt the film.
Based on the brilliant independent comic by Mike Mignola (who serves as an associate producer and design consultant on the film), the film begins in the closing days of World War II when a group of Nazi occultists attempt to open a portal in order to release Lovecraftian chaos-demons into the world. They are stopped by a group of Allied troops but not before an infant demon gets through. A scientist adopts the demon, nicknamed Hellboy, and raises him under the eyes of the United States government.
After nearly 60 years, the individuals responsible for Hellboy coming to Earth have returned, ready complete the world destruction. Hellboy and the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense (Think the X-Files staffed by a slightly grim version of the Munsters) discover the plot and have to stop them.
The film attempts to mimic the Gothic beauty of Mignolas’ art style, but ends up looking like other comic adaptation films like “Blade,” and “League of Extraordinary Gentleman.” Lots of rain and ornate furniture serve as visual shorthand for “gritty supernatural.”
The Nazi plot to bring about the Apocalypse marginally drives the film, but the character development gives the story its real meat. The film is full of bizarre Nazi henchmen, secret cemeteries and dimensional monstrosities that give the movie a sense of action and adventure. While some of these ideas are fun, many of the fight scenes feel tacked-on and fabricated, rather than serve a point.
These fights are somewhat salvaged by the deadpan reactions of Hellboy who seems like he would rather not be bothered by any of it, as well as some nice Warner Bros.-esque moments of comedic violence that help keep the movie from falling into the trap of taking itself too seriously. However, the early parts of the film do veer toward cliché.
Ron Perlman steals the show as Hellboy, capturing the average-Joe nature beneath the demonic physique. The cocky, tough guy image is deftly undercut by a softer side as he struggles with his “father” and his inability to express his feelings to the woman he loves.
Hellboy’s interaction with his oddball supporting cast is the highlight of the film. His relationship with a pyrokinetic fellow agent, which is wonderfully downbeat and strangely endearing, never collapses into melodrama. The parent/child dynamic between Hellboy and his “father” (John Hurt) provides another touchstone of normalcy amidst the ultraviolence. The problem is that the film’s two-hour running time allows only a fleeting glimpse into a number of characters that perhaps may have been better served as a TV show.
As an action movie, “Hellboy” is better than average because of its quirky characters and ideas as long as you’re in the mood for popcorn fun. But the potentially better movie lurking beneath the surface is disappointing.
