'Hellboy' Is Hella Good
I predict at least one newspaper will use that headline for their review of the movie "Hellboy." Either that or 'Hellboy'? Hell, Yeah/No! (depending on the review)

I was able to see an advance screening of the film Monday night (apparently, comic book fandom does have some perks) and I can state definitively that it ranks in my Top 5 Comic Book Movies list.

To be a little more specific:
As a big fan of the comic books, I could sit around and point out all the many, many areas of the film which were made up for the movie. But it's obvious that what was altered was done in order to make it simple enough for movie audiences.

The character of Hellboy looked, sounded and acted probably as close to the comic book character as is humanly possible. Ron Perlman made him likable, powerful, vulnerable and funny. And everyone else in the movie was outstanding, including Selma Blair, David Hyde Pierce, Jeffrey Tambor and John Hurt. The villain character Kroenen was particularly memorable and ranks up there with Darth Maul on the evil-meter. I'm surprised he didn't give the film an R rating.

The special effects are quite good, especially for a $60 million film, and that's largely due to the experienced Rick Baker and Phil Tippett, whose make-up, prosthetics and puppets are still far more realistic than computer-generated effects.

The overall tone of the film was funny (and a little bit romantic?), as opposed to the book's general tone of dark horror with a touch of humor. But Mike Mignola's artwork is what creates the scary, serious atmosphere of the comics and since that is a singular talent that cannot be directly transferred to a live-action film, it's better to have the audience laugh with you than at you.

It's obvious that much care was put into the making of the film and the director loves the character and the strange world he inhabits. That love came through on the screen both visually and emotionally, emphasizing the core message of the comics: it's the choices you make that determine who you are.