Masand's Verdict: Hellboy II a heavenly watch

REAL OR MAKE-BELIEVE? Watch 'Hellboy II' if you're willing to make a leap of faith

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Cast: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair

Direction: Guillermo del Toro

Even if you may have missed the previous film in the series like I did, I suggest you don't skip Hellboy II: The Golden Army; I think you'll discover it's an unpredictable blend of fun, fright and untamed imagination.

Directed by Guillermo del Toro, the acclaimed director of the Oscar-winning film Pan's Labyrinth this Hellboy sequel reprises the adventures of the big, red, beer-guzzling demon who's always angry because the public never believes he's one of the good guys.

In this film, Hellboy (played superbly by Ron Perlman) is still working for a secret government agency, and this time he locks horns with an ambitious prince who wants to revive the Golden army and take over the world. He's also taken the next step in his relationship with his on-off girlfriend Liz (played by Selma Blair), who's now pregnant with his child but reluctant to break the news to him.

The Hellboy films are unlike any superhero adventures you've seen before because none are as imaginative and original as these.

Del Toro is an extraordinary visual stylist who creates the kind of monsters and creatures that you're not likely to forget for a long time. He also gives you some of the most striking scenes you can remember on screen.

Like that one in which our hero -- baby in one hand, an oversized gun in the other -- gets into a messy scrap with a giant, angry plant. For the sheer experience of witnessing something completely original, make the effort not to miss this film. In the end, there's that climatic orgy of special effects that could have been much shorter, but it's still unlike anything you've seen before.

Three out of five for Hellboy II: The Golden Army -- if you're willing to make a leap of faith, believe me, you will be suitably rewarded.

Rating: 3 / 5 (Good)