Hellboy (2004)

Hellboy (2004) is a pulpy, action-packed dark fantasy that follows a scarlet-skinned demon raised by humans who grows into an unlikely defender against occult threats. Summoned by Nazi occultists in the closing days of World War II and rescued by Professor Trevor “Broom” Bruttenholm, the half-demon Hellboy is raised to work for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. Decades later he, alongside amphibious psychic Abe Sapien and the volatile pyrokinetic Liz Sherman, must stop the return of the sinister mystic Grigori Rasputin and his Nazi allies—who threaten to unleash an apocalyptic force. On screen you’ll get a mix of comic-book bravado and gothic atmosphere: kinetic fight sequences, eerie supernatural set pieces, grotesque and inventive creature designs, and moments of dry, warm humor. The film balances spectacle and heart—Hellboy’s swagger and rough exterior mask a conflicted, humane core as he wrestles with identity, destiny, and loyalties. Supporting characters bring both levity and emotional stakes, while the villains deliver chilling menace and conspiracy from the past. If you watch it, expect stylized visuals, practical creature effects, a blend of action and dark whimsy, and a story that’s as much about found family and moral choices as it is about stopping an otherworldly apocalypse.

Actors: Ron Perlman, Doug Jones, Selma Blair

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Runtime: 122 min

Genres: Action, Fantasy

6.0 /10 72 /100 6.8 /10 6.7 /10