A new street drug that sends its users across time and dimensions has one drawback: some people return as no longer human. Can two college dropouts save humankind from this silent, otherworldly invasion? From: IMDb.com
Directed by: Don Coscarelli
Starring: Chase Williamson, Rob Mayes, Paul Giamatti and others
It's a drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. On the street they call it Soy Sauce, and users drift across time and dimensions. But some who come back are no longer human. Suddenly a silent otherworldly invasion is underway, and mankind needs a hero. What it gets instead is John and David, a pair of college dropouts who can barely hold down jobs. Can these two stop the oncoming horror in time to save humanity? No. No, they can't. From: IMDb.com
Directed by: Don Coscarelli
Starring: Chase Williamson, Rob Mayes, Paul Giamatti and others
For me, this movie is a clear sign that some film-makers still care
about making a good comedy. The movie is not just simple, cheap,
predictable laughs, it actually is being one that relies on its story
development and character buildup.
No, I'm not saying that this is a very clever or brilliantly written
and made movie but I definitely prefer the approach of this movie above
that of the average and more standard modern comedy. This is being a
somewhat more subtle movie with all of its comedy and how it got
incorporated into the movie.
Thing that made this movie especially great and fun to watch for me
were its characters. The movie truly is mostly about its characters and
their interactions with each other. All of the actors play quite well
off each other and manage to give their characters some distinctive and
enjoyable personalities. Really, without the movie its characters and
actors portraying them, this would had most likely been a terribly weak
movie.
It's true that most of the actors are playing the same type of
characters they often play. Ben Stiller again plays a normal guy, who
gets caught up in a crazy situation and Vince Vaughn basically is being
a big man-child again. But somehow it all works out quite well and
entertaining for the movie and I even dare to say that some of the
biggest Stiller and/or Vaughn haters still could get some enjoyment out
of this movie and not feel annoyed by their performances and
characters.
It's hard not to really spoil this movie but it's about something way
more than just about a neighborhood watch, with a bunch of misfits in
it. There are some interesting and unexpected developments in this
movie, at least when you haven't heard about them already. I won't say
anything about it, since I feel that it's more fun to just go into this
movie, without knowing what is going to happen in it. So I advice you
to also stay away from any trailers and just let this movie surprise
you.
(Review originally written at 21 March 2009) Well, I must say that this sequel is a step up from the first movie, which is mainly due to the fact that it's characters and action are all better and even its visuals are more impressive. However it also still has some of the same problems of the first movie. Even though I always enjoyed watching "Hellboy" you also have to be fair and say that the movie is really not without its flaws. This is also the case with "Hellboy II: The Golden Army". Sure, it's perfect simple entertainment and there is nothing wrong with that but its flaws prevent this movie from being a truly great and memorable movie from Guillermo del Toro. Even though its an highly imaginative movie, it isn't a very original one to watch. Its story is pretty simple and really not that original. The only think that really still makes the movie great and original to watch are its characters and imaginative visuals from Guillermo del Toro, which has really become his trademark- and distinctive style. This is also the reason why people always praise his movies so highly but when you look deeper into this movie, you'll just have to say that it's not really a that great one. Basically when you analyze the movie and its story, the movie is nothing more than the one action sequence after the other. Sure, there is very little wrong with the action but it often happens to quickly after the other previous action sequences and also ends too abruptly, causing some potential good and interesting characters to disappear out of the movie too quickly. Still the movie is given some more depth this time with its story, which means that the main characters themselves are more interesting this time. This especially goes for the Selma Blair and Jeffrey Tambor character. Just like the first movie, this movie has a pretty awesome main villain but he also gets underused a bit. His motivations are too simple and not developed well enough into actions. Lets hope that in a possible sequel they also start to concentrate a bit more on its main villain, rather than just on its main heroes and putting in many more different new characters. It will give the movie some more substance. Of course I still really enjoyed watching this movie but once you start to take away the movie its visual, very little will be left over from it and "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" would had been a very simple and below average modern superhero movie. Thank God for Guillermo del Toro and his attempt- and passion for the franchise to still make the movie a visually great and entertaining one to watch. Also thank God for Ron Perlman, who simply is Hellboy and gives the character and movie so much extra. 7/10 Watch trailer
What I sometimes like about sequels is that they make seem that the film-makers have learned from their previous mistake during the last movie. This was previously for instance the case with the other superhero movies "X2", which was a better movie than "X-Men" and "Spider-Man 2", which was better than the first movie. This movie also learned from some of its mistakes it previous made in "Fantastic Four". Well, not all though.
What it definitely learned was that it needed some more fun in it. The movie is more entertaining to watch and there is some more comedy to enjoy as well this time.
Unfortunately the story is just as weak and gets also brought just as weak as was the case with the previous. The main plot just never gets developed good enough and the movie seems too much in love with its four main characters. The ending just also seems to come out of nowhere because of that, since how, when, why just never got explained good enough. Luckily it has the Silver Surfe in it this time, who still nice to spice up things.
There also is some more action but it also gives you the feeling it is not enough or it certainly isn't big enough.
The special effects have definitely been improved this time, which makes the movie more convincing to watch. Also the make-up for The Thing seemed to had been even more improved but Jessica Alba's chest on the other hand was still as distracting as ever, which is not a bad thing though.
Basically all the characters from the first movie return and then there are also some new additions to the cast this time. The Silver Surfer is a welcome addition and he is a good looking and also interesting character. But you can wonder if it was necessary for the movie to bring Dr. Doom back. You sort of feel that the only reason they included his character was because when was being hinted at a sequel, during the previous movie, it was hinted that his character had survived. But you can actually really wonder if his character for this movie really adds anything and was necessary at all.
Just basically some good simple fun, as long as your expectations for it aren't too high.
The movie was not as fantasy-filled or imaginative as I had first anticipated. This movie was always being marketed as an adult fairytale, set in a totally imaginative world, with lots of odd but beautiful looking characters. But basically the main character only visits the fairytale-like world on 3 occasions during the movie and the number of characters within the world is actually very limited. I understand the marketing approach and it was not like I was disappointed or missed anything, but just know what to expect when watching this movie. It's more a story of fascist Spain of 1944, through the eyes of a child, who seeks refugee in her own fantasy, from the evil world and events and characters around her but above all the movie gets still set mostly in the 'real world'.
The movie knows to create a nice and credible mix between the real world events and the fantasy world of Ofelia. Sometimes the two worlds even mix, which also makes the viewer unsure of how much of it is actually real and what is the fantasy of Ofelia.
And for people who still think this is a children's movie, which are still quite a lot; Believe me, it's not! No people get shot trough the head or are being tortured graphical in a children's movie. This movie is the definition of an adult fairytale. A genre that is not completely new by the way, but will bring many more movies in the near future I hope, after the big success of this movie.
Yes, the movie is truly a beautiful looking with, with some good camera-work, production design, make-up effects and its special effects. The movie has the smooth look you would normally expect from a big Hollywood production. But Guillermo del Toro of course is no stranger to this world and type of film-making and has more than enough experience, resources and contacts to make a movie such as this one in his native language as well. It's not hard to see why this movie won 3 Oscars for Best Achievement in Art Direction, Best Achievement in Cinematography and Best Achievement in Makeup. The movie was actually being nominated for 3 more Oscars and it deserved to win at least 2 more of them. The music really deserved a win! A real crime Gustavo Santaolalla beat Javier Navarrete over this one.
But the movie might have the same smoothness of a big Hollywood production, it's everything but a standard Hollywood movie, with all of the formulaic events. The movie is creative in its directing and story-telling. It's makes sure that everything happens as a surprise and you won't ever know or guess what would happen in the next scene or the ending, since this is such an original and far from formulaic movie. So also don't expect a big happy cheerful ending, although some people might still regard the ending is an happy one. It at least is a satisfying one that suits the movie most perfectly imaginable.
This is an big project and therefor an heavy burden for the young Ivana Baquero to carry the movie. But she does it and she does it well. Also Sergi López knows to impress, among others.
Perhaps not all of the elements are handled well within in the movie and there are some missed opportunities here and there in my opinion, such as a better portrayal of the relationship between Ofelia and Capitán Vidal. Small things like this prevents this movie to me from being an absolute masterpiece or must-see but nevertheless the movie of course remains more than a great one and most definitely also a very creatively original one.
