RASPUUUUTIN!!!!!!!!!!?????????? or a Hellboy review.

I don't think I have ever encountered a more confusing movie than this.  It's not the story line that's the problem, cuz that's VERY simple.  No, it's everything else.  What I mean is in the mythological sort of sense.  They give no back story what-so-ever to the fact that there IS in fact magic in the world.  It's just kind of......present.  There are spells through the roof that really need more explanation than given.  Like random immortality spells, resurrection spells, and what-not.  You're trying to keep up with the story, while in the meantime trying to make sense of the other things going on, like how certain powers work, everyone's origin story, all the different spells in use, who's bad, who's good and the ever present, metaphorical meaning of a man.  A perfect example is none other than the opening sequence where, a band of american soldiers in WWII tries to stop a Nazi Occultist organization from unleashing demons known as the Ogdru-Jahad from destroying the world.  In the wake of all this Rasputin, even though he was killed DECADES ago, has built a machine to bring the Ogdru-Jahad into our world, along with making his girlfriend immortal in a very awkward "love" scene, cuz everyone knows that you can make your girlfriend immortal by touching their forehead (do you sorta see what I'm talking about yet?).  Any way, the soldiers foil their plot, kill Rasputin (again) and destroy the machine, but the portal was open too long and something may have (has) gotten out.  In comes Hellboy, thought to be a red ape (in the middle of Scotland) at first, but eventually the team figures out it's not of this world.  The party's avid paranormal scientist, Trevor Bruttenholm "adopts" this strange creature and raises him as his own son.  In the present day (2004) Trevor is an old man while Hellboy seems just going into his late 20's, now the buff, red devil you all know and love.  Both work for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense, an american secret organization that defends america from creepy-crawly beasts of legend.  A new problem is afoot (or old, I guess).  Rasputin has somehow returned from the dead (again) and is still trying to release the Ogdru Jahad, but with a new twist.  This time he needs Hellboy and his pyrotechnic girlfriend, Liz Sherman, to open up the portal (somehow).  Along the way, he releases a beast known as Samael the Hellhound, who, when it dies, spawns two more Samaels.  Of course, they all die somehow, and never respawn, somehow in one confusing, but entertaining slur of an action movie.  Oy...

The movie is in no sense bad, I loved it.  It just seemed like too much was going on for one movie.  That Guillermo del Torro is one crazy genius.  The creatures are really something to look at, even though they really never delve into to many other beasts (leaving that for #2, I guess).  It's pretty darn good, I recommend it to any one who likes stuff like werewolves and whatnot (Christian, Andy, whoever else....).  I give it a B.  Enjoyable, original, confusing, but entertaining.  Well done Guillermo!!

Hellboy:  B