Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a loud, bright, and packed with spectacle. It is also a film that spends more time on its world than on its plot, and that balance costs it some of its impact. Director Guillermo del Toro built a universe where mythic creatures walk among us, and he lets that world breathe for most of the runtime. The result is a film that feels bigger than its predecessor while losing some of its focus. It is a triumph of visual imagination and a stumble of narrative cohesion, and both sides deserve equal attention.
Trailer, via Universal Pictures.
Abe Sapien Takes the Lead
The film opens with a murder. A young girl is found dead in a subway station, her face frozen in terror. Detective John Myers investigates, but the case leads him to a place he never expected: the BPRD, the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. That bureau is now led by Abe Sapien, the blue-skinned amphibian who has replaced Hellboy as the team’s lead agent. Ron Perlman voices the titular character, but Doug Jones plays Abe Sapien, and he gives the film its emotional core.
Abe is grieving. His fiancée, Liz Sherman, has disappeared, leaving behind only a note and a broken engagement ring. The film is structured around his search for her, and that search drives the plot forward. It is a personal story set against a global conflict, and the tension between the two scales never quite resolves.
The Golden Army
The antagonist is Prince Nuada, played by Lee Pace. He is the last surviving elf prince, and he believes the elves were betrayed by humanity. His plan is to awaken the Golden Army, a mechanical army of golden warriors, to wage war against mankind. Ian McShane plays Johhny Colosimo, a gangster who funds the project, and he brings a weary charm to the role. Lucy Liu plays a blind swordsman named Pyanepsios, and she adds a layer of mystique to the proceedings.
The villain is not subtle. He is a walking embodiment of righteous fury, convinced that humanity deserves destruction. Del Toro is not interested in moral ambiguity here. Nuada is pure evil, and the film treats him as such. That simplicity is both a strength and a weakness. It makes the stakes clear, but it also limits the depth of the conflict.
The City of the Dead
The film’s setting is New York, but it is not the New York we know. The city has been hollowed out, its streets filled with ancient tunnels and hidden passages. The BPRD headquarters is a sprawling mansion, and the film spends time showing its corridors and chambers. There is a scene where Abe walks through a hallway lined with portraits of past agents, each one a reminder of the history he carries.
The city itself becomes a character. It is a place of wonder and dread, full of strange creatures and hidden dangers. The film’s production design is outstanding, and it creates a world that feels lived-in. The streets are wet and gritty, the buildings are tall and shadowy, and the overall atmosphere is moody and atmospheric.
The Emotional Core
The film’s emotional center is Abe’s grief. He is a creature of water, and his loss has left him feeling adrift. He drinks too much, he broods in silence, and he refuses to let anyone help him. The film follows him as he travels across the country, searching for clues about Liz’s disappearance. He visits a psychic, a former colleague, and a series of locations that hold memories of their relationship.
Perlman’s performance is restrained. He speaks in a soft, almost whispering voice, and he carries a weight of sorrow that is palpable. The film allows him to explore the character’s inner life, and that exploration pays off. Abe is not a sidekick here. He is the protagonist, and the film treats him with the same care it would give to Hellboy himself.
The Action and the Music
The action sequences are the film’s strongest moments. There is a battle in a subway station, a fight in a flooded tunnel, and a final confrontation in a hidden city. The choreography is fluid, the effects are spectacular, and the pacing is relentless. The film knows how to stage a fight, and it does so with confidence.
The music is composed by Danny Elfman, and it is a highlight of the film. The score is orchestral, grand, and often eerie. It swells during the climactic scenes and recedes during the quieter moments. It is a score that fits the tone of the film, and it elevates the material beyond its script.
The Weaknesses
The film is not perfect. Its pacing is uneven, and some of the middle sections drag. The film spends a lot of time establishing its world, and that establishment sometimes comes at the cost of momentum. The plot is also convoluted, with multiple threads that occasionally lose sight of each other. The resolution is rushed, and it feels like a compromise rather than a conclusion.
The humor is also uneven. The film tries to be funny, but the jokes often land flat. The film is at its best when it is serious, and it is at its worst when it tries to be light. The tone shifts can be jarring, and they pull the viewer out of the experience.
The Comparison
| Element | Hellboy II: The Golden Army |
|---|---|
| Lead Character | Abe Sapien |
| Antagonist | Prince Nuada |
| Setting | New York City, with hidden tunnels and a hidden city |
| Tone | Melancholic, with moments of spectacle |
| Score | Danny Elfman |
The film is a product of its era. It was made at a time when superhero films were becoming more common, and it tries to carve out its own niche. It is not a blockbuster in the conventional sense. It is a smaller, stranger, more personal film. That strangeness is its greatest strength, even when it comes at the cost of clarity.
The film is worth seeing for its craft alone. The sets, the costumes, the creature designs, and the lighting are all top-tier. The film is a visual feast, and it rewards careful attention. It is also a film that demands patience. It is not a fast ride, and it asks the viewer to sit with its sadness.
The film ends with a question rather than an answer. Abe finds Liz, but the reunion is bittersweet. The film leaves the characters in a state of flux, and it invites the audience to imagine what comes next. That open-endedness is rare in mainstream cinema, and it is a credit to the film’s willingness to leave questions unresolved.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a flawed masterpiece. It is a film that is greater than the sum of its parts, and it is a film that will be remembered for years to come. It is a strange, beautiful, and often sad film, and it deserves to be seen.
The film is a 7.8 out of 10.
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