‘Hellboy’ movie truer to the comic
HALF-DEMON SUPERHERO Hellboy is back this April, but not as a continuation to the 2004 and 2008 fantasy-heavy “Hellboy” films by visionary writer/ director Guillermo del Toro.
Instead, this movie reboot has a darker tone, much more grounded in horror (Rated R in America), and is composed of a new cast and a new creative team that includes Mike Mignola, the creator of the “Hellboy” comic books, acting as a co-executive producer.
Emmy Award Best Supporting Actor nominee David Harbour as Hellboy is seen being called to the English countryside to battle a trio of rampaging giants. This is part of his job in the government organization called B.P.R.D. – Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense.
While in pursuit of the giants, Hellboy encounters Nimue the Blood Queen (played by Milla Jovovich), a vengeful 5th century sorceress wants to get him on her side so that together they can end mankind.
While the movie will show some explanation on the background of Hellboy – that he was summoned from the depths of hell on a stormy island off the coast of Scotland – it begins right in the middle of the action.
It is also “truer to the comic,” said Mike Mignola, “in that Hellboy’s been out in the world, not a top-secret, hidden away guy.” He has a “been there, done that vibe,” a trait that Mignola patterned after his father, a Korean War veteran.
“Hellboy” is filled with incredible action and Harbour prepared well for it, saying it’s the most physical role he has ever played.
He added: “I put on a lot of muscle and I got really strong and a lot of the training was power, because there’s a lot of stunts in the movie. There are two amazing Bulgarian Olympic wrestlers who did most of the Hellboy stunts, but there still was a lot of close up stuff that I had to do.”
As for his weapons, Harbour revealed Hellboy has got this “big hand cannon and this big Right Hand of Doom.”
“Hellboy” opens in cinemas today from VIVA International Pictures and MVP Entertainment.