Hellboy
In 1944, the Nazis were in the midst of bringing in some creatures from the depths of the unknown through a portal. The Americans swooped in just in time to thwart this operation, but not before a small baby demon comes through. The scientist on hand (John Hurt) cares for it and, with its red exterior and horns, promptly named him Hellboy. Years later, now fully grown and played by Ron Perlman, he's dispatched when the regular police will not dare to go. It's during this time when a new liaison is assigned to him (Rupert Evans) and delves into the world of the FBI's Bureau of Paranormal Research. Along with an aquatic sidekick and Selma Blair's pyro abilities, the group goes out to seek a Russian spiritualist who was on hand for the portal opening in 1944 and seeks to re-create his work in the present day to open another portal, but only with the help of Hellboy himself.

The film has a lot going for it. It has an extremely likable character in Perlman's Hellboy, able to stand up to any villain while making light of any situation. Yet the writers don't seem to know what to do with him. Is he a gung-ho protagonist willing to fight through any situation or is he a lover and a fighter all at once? Is he a tough man or comedian? Is he top-secret or can he just leave whenever he wants? This last question is particularly boggling since he's introduced as a bigfoot-type character with repeated denials of his existence by the head of the FBI, played with some effect by Jeffrey Tambor, and blurry pictures plastered in many newspapers, yet he walks through society as if he's just another person without being met with hostility and is able to sneak out to spy on his crush, Blair, which, while a delightful scene, doesn't seem to fit in all too well. Once they get a handle on who Hellboy is supposed to be, they've got a real franchise on their hands. Until then, enjoy the complex character that he is. Just don't try to put it all together. 2 stars