Hellboy

[oyceter]

Keep in mind that I have never read or even heard of the comic prior to this.

I thought that it was an absolutely gorgeous movie, and I adore Hellboy the character completely. He reminds me of Buffy. I mean, if Buffy were big and red and demony and smoked a cigar.

It was such a pretty movie -- the cinematography, the colors. Liz Sherman on fire. Some of the shots looked like they were taken from comic panels in the best possible way. And I loved loved loved the world of Hellboy, the whole occult thing. Plus, evil magic Nazis! I think one of my bulletproof kinks is magic mixed with technology set before the technological age. Or magic in the post-industrialist, pre-urban fantasy stage. Or retro-technology, like the robot in Iron Giant. Anyway, I like that hazy period between the past and the present, when things are still being modernized.

It was also a really frustrating movie too. It was so gorgeous, but the plot was pretty dumb. I think in general self-replicating demon thingys are not scary, because scariness is not really reliant upon sheer number (see: S7 Buffy and the ubervamps of doom). And I got this sense that there was so much more, that there were acres of mythology about the Gods of Chaos and of other dimensions and of men whose blood dried up to sand, and all I got to see was the hunting down and exploding of some monsters!

And I didn't like the ending. I feel when a character is about to unleash the apocalypse and hell on earth to save the soul of the person he loves, said person's soul should not be restored simply by whispering in her ear. Not earned. Plus, blowing up of monsters as a climax for me is, in general, unclimactic. And I felt the final psychological battle for Hellboy was not emphasized enough or built up enough in the beginning to have much tension -- I was in no doubt whatsoever that Hellboy would pick the right side. And they chose to go with the big creepy monsters as villains instead of the more creepy sand guy. And I thought sand guy died too easily.

So my main problem was with the plot, which I felt was too fast and not that thought out. I adored the characters -- loved small moments between Hellboy and Liz at the asylum, loved the masked evil Nazi, loved Hellboy's relationship with his dad. I also loved Hellboy and the director of the FBI finally kind of accepting each other.

So now I really want to read the comic, because I think it can go more into the world and the mythology, and it has lots more space to develop the characters. Except it's driving me nuts because I can't find a single fan site! Every time I google, only movie sites come up!

I found the official site, except they don't even have something like pictures of the characters and a small synopsis! I can't figure out what's going on at all, and I have no idea where to start looking. And right now I am too cheap to buy the comic -- may end up camping out in a bookstore to read it and see if I like it.

Comments

[barbary-coast.livejournal.com]

Hellboy the comic rocks! I've been reading it since the first issue. I haven't seen the movie yet. Maybe tomorrow.

Look here:
http://www.darkhorse.com/zones/hellboy/index.php

and here (being redesigned at the moment):
http://www.hellboy.com/

[oyceter]

Thanks! Um... am I stupid, or is there no basic information page to be found there?

Kind of just trying to look for a basic synopsis with maybe a brief character rundown right now..

[buffyannotater.livejournal.com]

Actually, for the most part, if I'm remembering the book correctly (been a while since I read it) the movie plot sticks to the plot of the first group of issues of Hellboy, collected in the first 2 compilation books, so yes there are acres of really cool mythology in the series, but that is kind of developed in later issues. So I personally wouldn't fault the film on not delving far into the mythology, because the books themselves didn't. Or at least that's how I remember it at the moment. Could be wrong! I assume that if there are sequels (and I hope there are, because damn this movie was cool!), they will go deeper into the mythology of the series. I actually thought it was a good idea to start off with giving the viewer a good basis and setup for the world, while also being satisfying on its own terms. It doesn't feel like there needs to be a sequel or like it is just set-up like X-Men or Spiderman (although I did like those movies very much, they are written so that there absolutely must be sequels, or the story won't be complete--could make the same argument for X2, but by that point I think it was pretty clear that there would be a third so I don't fault them for starting up the Dark Phoenix thing at the end of the second.).

[oyceter]

Huh, that's interesting! It's so hard to tell -- the movie felt very compressed. I don't know... I think the plot would have had more oomph if I had more time to spend with the characters. I really want sequels to the movie!! I mean, if it's the same director! And Ron Perlman. And Selma Blair. Is Liz Sherman a main character or just sort of a guest star?

I loved the exposition and the setup for the world, but I was kind of unsatisfied at the plot climax. Well, kind of unsatisfied at the plot in general -- I think it may have been more effective if it had just focused on Rasputin instead of Rasputin and creepy Nazi and slimy monsters. Plus, I also wanted a little more setup for the big choice and the prophesied purpose for Hellboy.

It'll be really interesting to read the comic and see how the two work side by side!

I actually felt that Spiderman and the first X-Men worked pretty well on their own -- Spiderman had the "dum de dum" moment for next villain, but all in all, the Green Goblin thing was tied up, etc. The second X-Men was also ok in and of itself, but I'm way more excited about the third one ^_^. Dark Phoenix! Woo!

Sigh. I wish Batman hadn't already been made into movies so it could be made into one around now. I've only liked Batman Returns, and I wish that it had been made now so that people would have been more up to giving the movies some sort of continuity.

I saw it on Friday....

[crushw-eyeliner.livejournal.com]

And like you, I didn't have any real knowledge of the source material. All I knew was that it was the first comic book movie that I was interested in seeing after a couple of disappointments (Daredevil. oh God. So Mediocre. and the league of extraordinary gentlemen, which had promise, but then fizzled out..and x2...eh. I'm just not enthused with the way x2 was cast and the Jubilee nonentity thing makes me bitter.)

So, with little expectations - I saw it...and was thoroughly charmed. Ron Perlman's portrayal of Hellboy was what sold it for me - he's such a fascinating dichotomy of strength and gentleness - that otherworldly appearance he has (and c'mon! baby hellboy was SO CUTE!) and then the little mundane normal things - he likes cats! food! and how deadpan and just....solidly yet mythical quality he had....yeah, i had a crush on Hellboy. Because he believed so deeply in Liz and his yearning for her - that's what sold me on the relationshiph with Liz and Hellboy, because I didn't really feel Liz' character too much. I thought Selma played her a little too distant and too monotone instead of the fragile hauntedness that I think I was supposed to feel.

I also agree with you on the ending - it was a little bit too...pat for me. However, again, Ron Perlman saved it just by uttering those lines about how he'd have to cross over.

But it was a pleasant surprise, and I'm very happy that it beat out Walking Tall for the number one slot at the box office.

Re: I saw it on Friday....

[oyceter]

This is why I think I would like the comic books a lot -- all my problems were with the plot, and I kind of figured that may have happened because of the whole trying to fit in an intro to the world and the characters and have a plot.

I adored Ron Perlman as Hellboy! Adored! Loved the gravelly voice and the persona and everything! I think I have a small crush on him too ^_^. Was rooting for him to get together with Liz the entire time because I felt for him so much more than for Myers.

I actually thought Matthew Broderick was Myers the entire time till the credits!

I think I liked Liz's character -- Selma Blair somehow caught it for me. May have just been the physical look of her, with the circles under her eyes and the thick black hair.