Now on the face of it, this ought to be terrible. A couple of Nazis are on a remote Scots island using the spirit of the legendary Russian Rasputin (Karel Roden) to conjure up the devil. Luckily, their plan is interrupted by intrepid commandos under the leadership of scientist “Broom” (John Hurt) who not only thwarts this nefarious plan but also manages to rescue what was emerging from the devilish abyss and return with it to his lab where the half-horned “Hellboy” fits perfectly with his collection of other beings living in the officially denied “Bureau of Paranormal Research”. The thing is, “Broom” is getting on a bit and is concerned that without his steadfast leadership, his beloved subjects will fall under the aegis of the military, so he recruits the enthusiastic young “Myers” (Rupert Evans) to take the reins as the occupants of his museum must faced a reenergised Nazis under their vengeful Russian mystic and equipped with their new, multi-faceted “Sammael” who can replicate, Hydra-style, every time it dies - only it’s not just heads it regrows. With battle lines increasingly drawn, it falls to the pesky “Hellboy” (Ron Perlman), his mind-reading amphibian colleague “Abe” (Doug Jones) and his hitherto unrequited love interest “Liz” (Selma Blair) to get on with the old ridding the world of evil thing. The visual effects here work well, but rather than just let them do all the work, Guillermo del Toro also makes sure there is plenty of characterful dialogue and loads of action to keep this rollicking along for two hours. Perlman looks like he is enjoying himself and that’s contagious as this mixes fantasy and sorcery with some good old fashioned prejudice; just an hint of decency from an on-form Hurt and Myers all topped off by a dose of theatrical ham from Roden doing his best Christopher Lee. Of course, the combination of Satan and the Swastika takes some beating in the realms of evil and though I don’t suppose the conclusion is in much doubt, there is plenty of ebbing and flowing going on and nobody is safe as the action hots up.
