HellBoy

Just when you thought you were sick of comic book adaptations on the big screen comes a great little "B" film that pummels the bejeebers out of its big budget peers like "Hulk" and "Daredevil."

Only die-hard fans of the Dark Horse comics upon which HB is based could have seen this coming, and admittedly that means only a few who are familiar with Mike Mignola's work. Don't be surprised if the success of HB provokes an increased interest in his comic books.

Choosing Ron Perlman (Most famous for his sympathetic portrayal of the monster in TV's "Beauty and the Beast") is the best superhero casting job in years. The film opens during WWII and we learn of Hellboy's origin and subsequent rescue by allied forces. A benevolent scientist Dr. Broom (John Hurt) takes care of and rears the little red creature as the film flashes forward to the present day.

HB or "Big Red" as his friends call him, is on special assignment by the Bureau of Paranormal Research and kept away from the public, given his own lab dorm where he has a penchant for smoking cigars, tending hundreds of cats, eating huge plates of pancakes and listening to classic Al Green. With his stout right hammer arm, samurai hairdo and sheared-to-the-stub horns, Perlman infuses HB with a wisecracking swagger and burly sentimentality that keeps the film from taking itself too seriously. (The anathema that has killed many a superhero film).

Just imagine X-Men's "Wolverine" with Tommy Lee Jones' deadpan take on Agent K in "Men in Black" while kicking butt with the wicked glee of "The Thing" from "The Fantastic Four" comic series and you'll get an idea of Perlman's intuitive leanings.

Directed by comic book fan Guillermo Del Toro who reportedly chose this project over an installment of "Harry Potter" this is one film that exceeds expectations and gives action fans what they want: Decent special effects, an intricate story, action sequences that shake the sub-woofers and a relentless feeling of fun.

Of the other characters only Jeffrey Tambor who plays the droll FBI director is worth mentioning though HB's unrequited love of fellow mutant hero, pyrokineticist Liz (Selma Blair) is quite charming and surprisingly touching. Seeing Big Red spy on her while she dates agent Meyers (Rupert Johnson) is simply magical.

The villains and cretinous monsters that HB does battle with are somewhat derivative but entertaining nonetheless. The story itself contains plenty of holes and rather abrupt edits but those can be scrutinized upon a second viewing which most that will see this film will desire.

The film may end up being so popular that a sequel may be discussed but I hope it's nixed. Part of "Hellboy's" joy is its freshness. And for what it's worth many parents would do well to send their pre-teens to this old-fashioned superhero romp (even with its comic violence)rather than the gratuitously crude and woefully misrated Adam Sandler and Ben Affleck only occasionally funny should-have-been R comedies still playing in theaters.

Rating: B+ Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and frightening images.

Agree or disagree? E-mail Bruce at Madaboutmovies2@aol.com

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