So, last time I brought you a ton of news, which could only mean... Hellboy time! 

REVOULUTIONARILY RADICAL REVIEW

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

I was a huge fan of the original Hellboy, released a few years ago. It seemed to fly in the face of all the other comic book movies coming out at the time, being set in a dark world yet constantly finding the hurmour in their situations. It helped that the film had such strong source material to work from, as well as the warped imagination of fantasy guru Guillmero del Toro behind the lens. The film did well, nothing to write home about, but went on to amass a rather sizeable cult following once it hit dvd.

Flash forward years and Big Red is ready for more action! Stepping back into the prosthetics is the only actor who could bring Hellboy to life, Ron Perlman, and he's once again joined by his fiery-tempered girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair) and aquatic sage Abe Sapien (Doug Jones, this time voicing the character as well). Jeffery Tambor is back as the head of the B.R.P.D., the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Development, along with a new transfer, German ectoplasmic ghost-in-a-suit Johann Kraus (voiced by Family Guy's Seth McFarlane).

When elven Prince Nuada (former Bros member Luke Goss) decides he and his people have lived long enough in the shadows, he hatches a plan to reunite the three pieces of a broken crown once used to lead an army of 4900 unstoppable clockwork creatures against the humans. His twin sister, Princess Nuala, opposes his plan and goes to Abe for help. While Abe's heartstrings are pulled towards romance, Hellboy's role in this world is quickly called into question as he must chose to either serve and protect those who fear and misunderstand him, or rally with the creatures of the night to assist in man's downfall.

Hellboy II perfectly captures the wild sense of adventurous fantasy I've not seen since the heady days of '80s awesomeness, rollicking from one action set piece to another and only briefly pausing to crack funny.

It features two of the most memorable scenes I've seen this year; one is a street market in the fantasy world that showcases more incredible creatures than you can possibly take in (and bringing to mind Star Wars' Mos Eisely cantina) while the other features beer, buddies and the most unexpected use of a song in a film yet.

If you're looking for an action-adventure film with a fantastical twist, or simply some superheroic action without the dark and deep vibes a la Dark Knight, Hellboy II: The Golden Army is your hero.

A good soldier never leaves another man behind!

~T