{"id":4511,"date":"2016-06-17T21:51:10","date_gmt":"2016-06-17T16:21:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/13.201.39.237\/?p=4511"},"modified":"2016-06-17T21:51:10","modified_gmt":"2016-06-17T16:21:10","slug":"hellboy-review-an-underappreciated-superhero-returns-to-form","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/13.207.105.184\/?p=4511","title":{"rendered":"Hellboy Review: An Underappreciated Superhero Returns to Form"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

T<\/span>he 2019 reboot of <\/p>Hellboy<\/span><\/i> begins with a wrestling match that quickly escalates to a supernatural punch-fest between our red-skinned, demon-tailed hero and a monstrous luchador-turned-vampire. It\u2019s a fast-paced, joyously brutal fight that sets the tone for the rest of the film, and serves as a reminder of what you came to the <\/span>movie theatre<\/span><\/a> for \u2013 Hellboy tearing through terrifying opponents in wildly imaginative settings.<\/span>\n\nIt\u2019s been over a decade since the <\/span>comic book<\/span><\/a> hero from Dark Horse Comics made his last appearance on the big screen. In 2008\u2019s <\/span>Hellboy II: The Golden Army<\/span><\/i>, the visionary director Guillermo del Toro was at the helm, and the role of Hellboy was being played by the charismatic Ron Perlman. In the capable hands of that duo, Hellboy\u2019s world was vividly realised. The original series had it all. It was steeped in mythology and folklore, boasted rollercoaster fight scenes, and beautifully captured the everyman soul of our demonic hero.<\/span>\n\nThe team making the movies has undergone significant changes. This year\u2019s <\/span>Hellboy <\/span><\/i>was originally intended as a sequel to <\/span>The Golden Army<\/span><\/i>, but after both del Toro and Perlman walked away from the project, Neil Marshall took the director\u2019s seat, and David Harbour of <\/span>Stranger Things<\/span><\/i><\/a> fame essayed the lead role. And despite the absence of the two artists most responsible for capturing Hellboy\u2019s unique appeal in the previous films, this newest installment still manages to make long-time fans feel at home.<\/span>\n\nMarshall is best known for directing the horror sleeper hit<\/span> The Descent<\/span><\/i> and also some of the most epic episodes of <\/span>Game of Thrones<\/span><\/i><\/a>, like \u201cBlackwater\u201d and \u201cWatchers on the Wall\u201d. Much like the more visceral scenes in <\/span>GoT<\/span><\/i>, Marshall doesn\u2019t shy away from using gore to put across the viciousness of the foes Hellboy fights. Also, with a horror veteran calling the shots, the tension in scenes with some of the creepier monsters we encounter is palpable.<\/span>\n

It was steeped in mythology and folklore, boasted rollercoaster fight scenes, and beautifully captured the everyman soul of our demonic hero<\/blockquote>\nAs Hellboy, Harbour channels his blue-collar Sheriff Hopper character from <\/span>Stranger Things<\/span><\/i> to convey the way in which Hellboy sees himself as just another working stiff, despite his literally hellacious origins. Every superhero has his trademark persona \u2013 from Spiderman\u2019s cheesy one-liners to Batman\u2019s goth angst \u2013 and Harbour manages to nail the laconic detachment with which Hellboy faces witches, giants, and pig-faced monsters. All in a day\u2019s work for an agent of the Bureau of Paranormal Research & Development.<\/span>\n\nSpeaking of the BPRD, we get to see plenty of Hellboy carrying out his assignments from the agency, perhaps even to the detriment of the film\u2019s run-time. But it is a crucial part of Hellboy\u2019s world, and it wouldn\u2019t feel right without it. Hellboy\u2019s origin story, and how he came to work for the BPRD is also explained in the movie, helping newer viewers understand just why a <\/span>superhero<\/span><\/a> who looks like Satan on steroids is pounding on monsters instead of humans.<\/span>\n\nImportant supporting characters also make an appearance, including fan-favourite from the comics Agent Ben Daimyo, who wasn\u2019t included in the earlier films. Throw in a helping of Arthurian legend to fulfil any Hellboy film\u2019s requisite <\/span>mythology<\/span><\/a> quota, and you\u2019ve got a movie that serves as the perfect reintroduction for the superhero, in an age of Avengers and Justice Leagues.<\/span>\n\nHellboy might never be as popular as Iron Man or <\/span>Wonder Woman<\/span><\/a>, but the character has a dedicated fan following that knows what they want. To present a film which feels so familiar, despite having a new cast and crew, should satisfy those fans. Or, just maybe, leave them happy as hell.<\/span>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s been over a decade since the demonic hero from Dark Horse Comics made his last appearance on the big screen. And while Hellboy might never be as popular as Iron Man or Wonder Woman, the character has dedicated fans that know what they want.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":4512,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[7994,7995,7996,7997,2027,7998,1453],"class_list":["post-4511","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pop-culture","tag-comic-book","tag-dark-horse-comics","tag-hellboy","tag-hellboy-ii-the-golden-army","tag-movie-review","tag-reboot","tag-superhero"],"yoast_head":"\nHellboy Review: An Underappreciated Superhero Returns to Form<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It\u2019s been over a decade since the demonic hero from Dark Horse Comics made his last appearance on the big screen. 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