Entertainment, Movies - Navy Times

This Hellboy has heart

Tucked in amid all the mind-blowing images and effects of Guillermo del Toro’s “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” is a little throwaway scene that illustrates how the visionary director gets the small things right.

Hellboy (Ron Perlman), a cigar-chomping demon, has just kicked some bad-guy butt, and after a shower is relaxing with a few beers. His pal, Abe Sapien (Doug Jones), a sort of fish man, is pining away for a princess by listening to Barry Manilow. Hellboy offers him a drink — “You’re in love, have a beer” — Abe likes it and soon they’re both pretty far gone, singing along to “Can’t Smile Without You,” and really meaning it. Cut to Abe digging a six-pack out of the fridge, bemoaning to Hellboy that “this is the last one.”

It’s funny, and to anyone who’s ever tried to drink away the longing for a would-be love, it’s perfect. It shows the humanity del Toro invests in these bizarre creatures that inhabit his imagination and his films, allowing us to identify with them, root for them, care about them.

Del Toro and Mike Mignola, whose comic book inspired the “Hellboy” films, expand their scope this time around to encompass a war against humanity by a race of underworld creatures led by Prince Nuada (Luke Goss), who needs the third piece of a crown to bring to life the invincible Golden Army. Unfortunately for Nuada, his sister, Princess Nuala (Anna Walton), has the missing piece and doesn’t plan to let him realize his evil intentions. Which, you know, whatever. It’s all an excuse to let Hellboy and his pals kick into action. Which they do, several times.

But not without heart. There is a scene, for instance, in which Hellboy must kill some sort of gigantic forest creature to save humans. Nuada shows up to question Hellboy’s true loyalty — are you one of them, or one of us? Hellboy’s decision isn’t surprising, but the aftermath is: the flowering of a city street.

As Nuada plots his takeover, Hellboy is trying to get used to domestic life with Liz (Selma Blair), whose pyrokinetic abilities — she can start fires, basically — don’t match the seeming lack of warmth in their relationship. Bureaucratic boob Tom Manning (Jeffrey Tambor) is still trying to keep the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, of which Hellboy, Liz and Abe are members, a secret. His ineptitude leads to Johann Krauss (the voice of “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane) coming aboard. He’s basically a form of gas who inhabits what looks like an ancient diving suit, which makes him the perfect target for Hellboy’s smart aleck jabs.

Creatures abound, both good and bad; most would be right at home in del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth.” The Troll Market, a secret realm hidden from humans, is a marvel, with all manner of creatures roaming its streets. Of course, the freakish members of the Bureau fit right in here. “They don’t stare,” Hellboy tells Liz.

Del Toro hints at that feeling of exclusion several times but he never follows through completely. Of course these creatures feel different — because they are. Besides, there’s not a lot of time to mope, with Nuada showing up all over the place.

The final battle is impressive and involves both raw power and sacrifice.

But an earlier scene grabs you. In the underground world where the Golden Army sleeps (for now), the elegantly lethal Angel of Death — the most striking creature in the film — offers Liz a choice. Without going into too much detail, it boils down to short-term gain vs. long-term destruction. Her answer sets in motion the rest of the film — and, not coincidentally, whets the appetite for another sequel.