'Hellboy' A Review

Hellboy is a reboot of the series originally launched by Guillermo del Toro, all adaptations of the comicbook series of the same name. Hellboy(David Harbour) is a half human/half demon that works with an underground government organization headed by his father the Professor(Ian McShane) to fight the supernatural. A medieval witch Nimue(Milla Jovovich) returns from the semi-grave to attempt world domination, the only one that can stop her is Hellboy!

If we haven't yet become sick of superhero movies we certainly have reached reboot fatigue. The reboot/remake isn't a modern invention, Hollywood has been resurrecting previous properties since its invention however its the time elapsed and the intention behind it that has changed. Increasingly the time between a film and its inevitable reboot is startlingly short, the first two Hellboy films were released in 2004 and 2008, both unique stories, beautifully designed and prolifically available on streaming service for the past decade. The originals haven't faded significantly from the culture consciousness and as such don't necessitate a rerelease. The other factor is the why. Other than its hard R status this Hellboy isn't terribly inspired, its a gory retread without the effective humor, heart, or coherence of its predecessor.

This 2019 incarnation is mildly entertaining but ultimately there is no real purpose, no real direction, no new point of view that's brought to bear. With a unique perspective, a new take, reboots/remakes can really work, adapting to modern tastes, aesthetics, and stories- Dredd, Jumanji, Power Rangers- to name a few. But disproportionately they fall flat - Carrie, The Mummy, Tomb Raider, TMNT, Godzilla, Robocop, the list goes on and there are many more to come.

We can only vote with our dollars so I would recommend not giving this movie any but it can certainly fill a couple empty hours while doing chores.

Stream It.