My Thoughts on the Film, Hellboy (2004), 4/19/2026…

Watching this movie a second (or third?) time has led me to a deeper appreciation for writer/director Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein [2025]). First of all, Hellboy (2004) is based on a comic book of the same name, and the film feels like a live-action comic book. If it’s the writing, the direction, the editing, or the art direction (or a combination of all?), HB delivers what it promises.

The cast, led by Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy), Selma Blair (The Deal), Doug Jones (The Shape of Water), and Rupert Evans (The Man in the High Castle), bite into their portrayals and appear to have a great time doing so. Even Jeffrey Tambor (The Death of Stalin) and John Hurt (Alien) enjoy themselves performing their craft.

The action sequences are top-notch, while the mythos of Hellboy is handled with humor and wit. Flashes of newspaper and magazine covers depicting Hellboy sightings, along with their accompanying headlines, bring the folklore and controversy to life. As a main character, Hellboy is a driven figure with a north-facing moral compass and loads of self-doubt to boot. He is beautifully, humanly conflicted.

The themes of Fate, Choice, and Identity, along with the conflicts between them, emphasize the development of many characters' arcs. They are all making hard choices, finding themselves, and tempting Fate all in an effort to protect humanity.

The only issues I have with the film include the portrayal of the villains. Karl Roden’s (RocknRolla) portrayal of Grigori Rasputin (yes, that Rasputin) seems flat. Either his meatier scenes were cut, or there wasn’t much development in the script for him in the first place. The same goes for Biddy Hodson’s (Doctor Who) Ilsa.

Also, Rasputin’s magic and powers are not fully illustrated in the movie. Yes, he’s near-immortal, and he’s a sorcerer of sorts, and he can summon monsters while resurrecting himself, but these powers, like the character, like Roden’s performance, also fall flat. In the most basic sense, I wonder what, as a character, Rasputin wants, what his overarching desire is. If it’s just to twirl his moustache, I have a hard time buying that as well.

Overall, I recommend this film to enthusiasts of comic book and action genres, along with those who enjoy narratives filled with themes of redemption.