Why reboot a franchise that has already delivered two fantastic movies? Well, according to various online sources, the decision to restart the franchise was influenced by significant egos involved in the decision-making process.
Here is the thing, you have a well-established and well-received franchise with an Academy Award-winning director behind the first two films and a solid foundation to complete the trilogy. However, this wasn’t the case here. The decision-makers wanted to take the series in a darker and bloodier direction, which they kinda did, resulting in the first R-rated Hellboy movie, whereas the previous films were PG-13.
The previous installment, Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2006), is the closest thing to a perfect fantasy/action movie I’ve ever seen, setting incredibly high expectations for any follow-up.
Ron Perlman refusing to return unless Guillermo Del Toro came back as director was a bold move, highlighting Perlman’s exceptional character. Casting David Harbour as the new Hellboy was an excellent choice. Harbour, riding high by the success of Stranger Things, did an outstanding job in the role. Nevertheless, this movie was tough for me to evaluate. While there were many aspects I enjoyed, there were also a few elements that didn’t resonate with me.
This reboot draws from multiple Hellboy comic stories, which theoretically should work well, but in practice, it falls short. We see a different version of the B.P.R.D. (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense) and a new interpretation of the character Trevor Bruttenholm (Ian McShane). Notably absent are Liz and Abe Sapien, although Abe makes a brief appearance at the end.
The Osiris Club ensemble needed more screen time to further develop their characters. Alice (Sasha Lane) and Ben (Daniel Dae Kim) also could have benefited from additional screen time to better establish their backstories, possibly through flashbacks. Gruagach (Stephen Graham) was a solid addition, but his connection to Alice and his ulterior motives were never fully explored. In the comic books, Gruagach is on a mission to restore his people to their former glory, a nuance that was missing in the film.
One of the highlights was seeing Lobster Johnson (Thomas Haden Church) make an appearance; we get to see him use with his iconic lobster claw for the first time on screen. The Baba Yaga sequence was incredible, probably my favorite special effects moment in the film. Linking the storyline to the Arthurian legend and introducing The Blood Queen (Milla Jovovich) was a cool idea. I didn’t mind the CGI; my main issue was the multiple storylines. It felt like the movie was forcing too many plots and characters together, many of which weren’t essential to the story at this time.
I, for one, welcomed a much bloodier take on Hellboy, as a closer version to the comic book character was definitely in order. However, this reboot lacked the sophistication of the original movies, and in many ways, we fans were spoiled by the first two films. Overall, this reboot isn’t as bad as most critics suggest. It is a fun and entertaining movie, especially if viewed as a stand-alone film. Perhaps, the potential return of Guillermo Del Toro in some capacity could rescue and improve future installments.
Two out of Five Popcorn Bags 🍿🍿
HELLBOY (2019)
Rod Rioja 