Prolific director Guillermo Del Toro who penned the previous comic film “Blade 2” and the cult psychological horror film “The Devil’s Backbone” gives some competent direction in this adaptation of the hit comic book. A young agent John T. Meyers is recruited into the ranks of Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense Facility, he’s signed on to mentor their primary weapon of choice. Given a tour of the facilities gazing on to Abe Sapien a very intelligent reptilian sea creature, he’s assigned to take care of Hellboy. Discovered as a child during World War 2 during a raid on the Nazis, he was summoned to Earth to become the evil Rasputin’s child and eventual ruler of Earth, but when US soldiers discovered him, professor Broom took him in to reform him and he became Earth’s greatest protector using his powers for evil to protect humanity.
Tag Archives: Adventure
The Hunted (2003)
Tommy Lee Jones plays Lt. Bonham, an ex agent who is now a guard for a nature society tracking animals and stopping poachers and illegal hunters. After two hunters are found gutted, Bonham is called back into duty by an old colleague who needs his help to track the killer, Aaron Hallman, an ex-agent who has begun killing hunters in the forest, brutally gutting them without mercy. Bonham instantly goes into action and begins tracking Hallman making way for a really cool fight scene at the top of the film as the two duke it out in the forest. Director Friedkin manages to direct a very dark and interesting thriller with some good camera work and smooth editing, plus he knows how to create tension and surprises.
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)
Well, it’s clear by this series that Robert Rodriguez has had his influences. The first film was a throwback to the old spy movies, the second was a throwback to Ray Harryhausen and Indiana Jones, while this is more of a throwback to that amusing science fiction yarn “Tron”, that other yarn “Running Man”, and the unknown gem “Star Wars” (har har). This has been just an adorable exciting fun series with adorable stories and adorable kid actors, and this is no exception.
Duplex (2003)
I don’t mind dark comedies, I’ve seen a lot of them, some of them have been really good (Serial Mom, War of the Roses), and then there are the dark comedies that just shouldn’t be made (Death to Smoochy). “Duplex” is another one of them. With a plot right off of a sitcom, and with a script written with such a mean spirit and sense of disgust, we meet young couple Alex Rose (Ben Stiller) and Nancy Kendricks (Drew Barrymore). The two up and comers are nitpicking looking for a house. After a really cheesy set-up from director Danny Devito, the two finally stumble upon a really old but beautiful house which they discover has two floors and the second floor is being lived in by a little old woman Mrs. Connelly (Eileen Essel) who is a seemingly sweet lady but cannot be kicked out because she’s on rent control.
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003)
I liked “Legally Blonde”. I thought it was a very cute, very fluffy piece of comedy, I thought Reese Witherspoon was adorable for the most part and the characters were cute including Selma Blair whom played the resident villain, but “Legally Blonde” was based on a true story, and I really doubt this ever happened. The opening recalls the events of the first film through the three supporting female characters, Elle Wood’s friends, looking through a photo album, it’s sort of a sub-conscious message to the audience from the writers and director: “You liked the first film, right? well, this isn’t as good… but the first one was cute.”
Extreme Ops (2002)
This is not regular ops, this is not plain ops, no this is Extreme Ops, what are Extreme Ops? Who knows, and we never really find out, but in this film we meet a group of extreme risk takers and extreme stuntmen, not sports stars but more rebellious young men and women who will take any risk. They’re gathered by an extreme commercial director to record an extreme DV camera commercial, but when they arrive on the mountain to record some sequences, they’re accidentally neighbored with a group of terrorists that think the group of extreme boarders, skiers and risk takers are really CIA agents out to stop their operation. Not very smart terrorists considering they’d probably be aware by now who is or isn’t a government official.
Johnny English (2003)
Peter Sellers is dead, and it’s about time I started coming to grips with that notion. Peter Sellers’ comedic genius was incredible to watch. This man could do impressions, make voices, create new characters and you’d never know it was him, such is the case with his character Inspector Cleauseau. If you don’t know who Peter Sellers or his character are, then shame on you. There’s never going to be another good comedy film, ever, and “Johnny English” is proof of that. If the studio that produced this expects to create a franchise off this character, then they’re completely uninformed. A mixture of different gags and a complete rip-off of Sellers’ hilarious Inspector Cleausaeu to the point where it becomes embarrassing.