Every time a comic character is turned into a movie, I wonder if they will make it into more than just another platform to strut the latest special effects. Comics not only offer a fantastic and mythical world but also contain interesting story lines with ample background information. Casting Ron Perlman for the red demon spawn was a good choice: he is an experienced all-round actor and his distinct features undoubtedly required less make-up time. Perlman gives good form to the cynical demon that wants to be more human and is struggling with his true identity. But he isn’t helped by the plot; it doesn’t know how to choose between the ramshackle story line and the dramatic elements.

Promisingly, the story starts in Scotland during the Second World War, where a special unit of the allied forces encounters an odd crew of nazis under the leadership of… Rasputin Grigori, the same monk that brought about the downfall of the Romanovs. Once we get over this very imaginative jumble of historical elements, we’ll learn that the nazis have resorted to paranormal tactics and black magic to turn the outcome of the war in their favour (in reality they tried similar things). They plan to open a portal to another dimension in order to bring a dark race of demon gods to earth who will cause total chaos. The allied commando succeeds in sabotaging the transfer and keeping the dark overlords in their dimension. However, a small demonic creature with a remarkable large stony hand comes through the portal before it collapses. It is the infant Hellboy and he is adopted by the allied’s paranormal advisor, Trevor ‘Broom’ Bruttenholm.

Decades later, Hellboy is part of a special secret taskforce that fights against strange supernatural creatures that threaten humanity (where have we heard this one before?). A young FBI agent joins the motley crew as another threat of demonic evil is imminent. It’s here where the story seems indecisive, not being able to choose between Hellboy’s identity crisis (he files his horns to ‘blend in’), his emotional life (he is in love with a kinetically gifted girl) and the epic events that threaten the world once again (Rasputin has been resurrected); the story starts to falter. From then on we go from one action scene to another, showering us in CGI; some of them good, some of them bad.

It is not that is a bad movie overall, but there is some disappointment after the good start. For once I would like to see a ‘comic-gone-movie’ have a good balance between action and drama. Usually the drama is sacrificed for lavish action sequences and the latest CGI. Some super-hero movies have tried to concentrate on the inner turmoil of the hero as he tries to deal with his conflicting identity and a hostile society he simultaneously has to save. They are usually stories that deal with seeking one’s identity, acceptance, bigotry and exploring the grey area between good and evil. This movie had a good chance but didn’t deliver on exploring these elements. Nevertheless, it still is good for an entertaining ride.

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