Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
In the final days of World War II, the Nazis attempt to use black magic to aid their dying cause. The Allies raid the camp where the ceremony is taking place, but not before they summon a baby demon who is rescued by Allied forces and dubbed "Hellboy". Sixty years later, Hellboy serves the cause of good rather than evil as an agent in the Bureau of Paranormal Research & Defense, along with Abe Sapien - a merman with psychic powers, and Liz Sherman - a woman with pyrokinesis, protecting America against dark forces.
Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy is a genuinely singular comic-book adaptation — its Lovecraftian mythology, WWII occult origins, and del Toro's distinctive monster-craft aesthetic give it a strong identity few superhero films share. Ron Perlman's casting is inspired and he inhabits the role with gruff charm, though the supporting cast is more uneven. The cinematography has del Toro's signature gothic texture and production design is rich, though not quite as visually transcendent as his later work. The plot holds together reasonably well as an origin story blending pulp adventure and paranormal mythology, but it's somewhat episodic and expository. The finale, while action-packed, leans heavily on tentacle-monster spectacle and resolves rather abruptly without fully capitalizing on the emotional stakes built around Hellboy's identity and destiny.