The Twin Geeks 23: The Hellboy Franchise

Instead of a third entry from in this much beloved franchise from creature-master Guillermo del Toro, this weekend sees the release of a new interpretation of Mike Mignola's famous Dark Horse Comics character. We're inspired to look back at these previous two films, brought to us by the unbearable combination of del Toro and Ron Perlman, who so perfectly embodies the physicality and characteristics of Hellboy that we have a hard time separating the character from his roguish features. This week we take a look at the highs and lows of both entries in the Hellboy saga, recognizing where they falter in the usually superhero trappings, but also where they rise above and bring some of del Toro's signature creativity to a much needed world of artistic absence. The Hellboy films may not be perfect, and by some standard may not even be great, but they're unique in their genre, making for some of the most visually inspired superhero films to come from this entire cultural boom. Time Stamps: 0:00 - 11:41: New on the Site & Criterion 11:42 - 26:27: Box Office 26: 27- 44:48: Hellboy 44:48 - 1:07:47: Hellboy II: The Golden Army