Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)

7/10

Starring

Ron Perlman

Selma Blair

Doug Jones

Directed by Guillermo del Toro

While Hellboy (2004) focused more on the character and his origins, this second installment shifts its attention to how Hellboy and the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) handle cases—especially those too big for anyone to tackle without their help.
There’s one character exception, but it’s minor, so you won’t feel like anyone’s missing.

The fantasy world of this movie is incredible, and the fight scenes are spectacular. This time, the focus isn’t just on Hellboy but on the entire team. The acting and character development are top-notch, and the fight scenes are a blast to watch.

The plot also gives us glimpses of a younger Hellboy and a younger John Hurt caring for him, but the main story revolves around the world being in danger once again and needing our hero to save it.
At one point in human history, we were at war with magical creatures. The elf king, Balor, was offered help by a goblin blacksmith who built an indestructible mechanical army, the Golden Army.

Balor’s son, Prince Nuada, urged him to accept this help, but the king later regretted his decision when the Golden Army nearly wiped out humanity. To make amends, Balor formed a truce with humans: they would keep to the cities, and the magical creatures would stay in the forests.

The crown that controls the Golden Army—which can only be worn by someone of royal blood—was split into three pieces. One piece went to the humans, one to Nuada’s twin sister, and the last to Balor.
Disagreeing with the truce, Nuada exiled himself.

In the present day, Nuada retrieves the piece of the crown held by the humans, massacring everyone in his path. He then sets out to claim the remaining pieces from his father and sister to rebuild the crown and resurrect the Golden Army.

The BPRD team catches wind of Nuada’s plans and must stop him before he unleashes the Golden Army and destroys humanity.
The movie also includes some smaller subplots, like Abe’s romantic interest and the revelation that Hellboy and Liz are expecting a baby. There’s also the introduction of new characters, each with their own unique flair.

Guillermo del Toro wrote and directed this film, bringing his signature style to the Hellboy franchise. While the new Hellboy reboot is a fresh take on the series, I’ll always praise del Toro for bringing the comic book character to life in such a vivid and memorable way.