Hellboy (2004) retrospective as the 2019 reboot releases

As the new Hellboy releases in theaters, let’s look back at the old Hellboy film from 2004.

The new Hellboy film debuts this Friday, April 12. In getting ready for this release, why don’t we turn back to the original of Guillermo del Toro. Does the film still hold up as we originally perceive it?

Del Toro gave us the first and original Hellboy film in 2004. Batman Begins will come a year later and the MCU will not begin until four more years. This already plays to the film’s favor.

With the debut of the MCU, many comic book films do follow this formulaic pattern. They are mass commercials of world-building of sequels and spin-offs. Hellboy makes no real intention of setting up a sequel. Sure, you have a post-credit scene, but it is a little joke, and this is hardly anything new.

One can argue Batman Begins is the quintessential origin film as far as comic book movies go. Yes, Hellboy does need to establish something of an origin for the character. Del Toro hardly bogs down the film with a whole telling of Hellboy though. Our entire first act is not one giant prologue.

Feeding off this formulaic nature that many comic book movies have developed is a lack of ‘fun’ as so many fans need to attribute to them. Does this mean Hellboy is not fun? If anything, far from it. You have plenty of action in the film, with monsters, Nazis, the occult, Rasputin, fire, guns and more.

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Still, the film is not packed with countless jokes. Humor exists within the film, but there is a good amount of heart as well with Ron Perlman’s character and performance. We do not suffer through a plague of pathos to keep us from feeling anything for our lead character.

Countering any lightheartedness is how the film is shot. Del Toro uses pristine lighting and this dark, wet, urban landscape in telling his story. One may argue Christopher Nolan owes some of the credit of Batman Begins to this film. Unlike Nolan, there is an element of fantasy and Lovecraftian horror, which we see in del Toro’s other works. Thanks to this and the above, the film makes you want to buy the comic and explore this entire world.

There are the B.P.R.D. and this long history of paranormal activity, occultism and more on Hellboy. It is similar to when a historical film makes drives your interest to want to study and research the topic. Hellboy does the same, instead of serving as some simple popcorn flick.

Is the film just like the comic book? Of course not. Interesting how this film though borrows from the first four original issues of the comic itself. When was the last time any comic book movie did this? Spider-Man did not fight the Green Goblin in his first comic. It would be a while until Lex Luthor shows up to take on Superman. Comic purists ought to give the film credit for this.

I will note, the monsters in the subway fight are starting to look a bit silly, but no one can fault del Toro for wanting to use more practical effects. Sadly, in some shots the creature does not appear scary, but instead silly as a guy in a rubber suit. It does feel the film is juggling a bit much with Hellboy and Liz, his father and building up the villains. Nonetheless, this is not Spider-Man 3 or an inflated piece like Avengers: Infinity War where it becomes taxing to even watch.

In the end, del Toro’s original Hellboy still holds up. If you do not own it, pick it up. If you have not seen it, do! It will be interesting to see how the reboot fares. If it does not bode well, remember you can always pull this out of your collection.