I know that there are a ton of plot holes and really, really dumb moments in "Hellboy" (Barry Manilow…really?!!), but I totally enjoyed the movie for what it was. It was loud and noisy and just a lot of fun, not to mention the creatures and world that Mr. del Toro has created is a beautiful one. Sometimes movies are so well made that you can overlook their many flaws- this is certainly one of them. Others…not so much.

"Dark Knight" still completely owns this movie though, in case you thought I didn't have taste or something.

I love this article.

Hulk, Iron Man, Dark Knight, Hellboy II. One of these things is not like the other.

Hellboy belongs with the Ghost Rider's of the world. Cool concept, shoddy execution. The fact that it looked great doesn't excuse the fact that Del Toro think his audience is comprised of people who eat paste.

The reason you haven't suffered an "overwhelming amount of vitriol". Is that fans of the film probably felt a little embarrassed for you and your retarded arguement and hoped you'd come to your senses and maybe we could all forget about it. Clearly not the case. So let me lay it out for you.

When she said she was 'okay with it', it was clearly her acknowledging that she sided with her father, not that she was okay with dying. Because despite their link how would she know that him dying would cause her to die? Had they experimented before? Playground games of 'cut your own throat and see what happens'? Only at the end of the film does she do it as a desperate final gambit in the hope that it would kill him as well. Because at the 32 minute mark if she stabs herself and he doesn't die, then he has the final crown piece. So instead she does the rational and logical thing and flees.

Films held in higher esteem have bigger plot holes that your supposed theory. Citizen Kane, how the hell did anyone know he whispered Rosebud as he died when it is clearly established that he is alone in the room, Empire Strikes Back, how is it that after a few hours of escaping from the Empire in the Falcon equals months and months of training on Dagobah?

The fact you gave it a D+ for such a petty and insignificant reason is a better indication of your skills as a reviewer that you taking some avant garde stance to the film over other writers. Clearly I love the film and am biased. But your arguement is pure garbage. You even title the article 'One Giant Mess' but only point out a single plot hole. If you were taking a contrary stance just to generate site traffic, as I suspected you were when you first printed your review, then that's just shameful.

Don't bother replying to this for my sake, I won't be back to your website.

Sorry, GDT Fan, you are wrong. The picture that leads off this article is evidence she gets hurt when he gets hurt and it happens during his battle with this father's guards, prior to him killing his father. This gives her more than enough time to kill herself or perhaps cut her Achilles or anything to stop him. As to the "one giant mess", it is a MAJOR plot hole and it affects the WHOLE movie. Hence… GIANT!

Also, I am not talking about Citizen Kane or Empire Strikes Back here, I am talking about Hellboy 2.

Thanks for commenting and it is nice to know you won't be returning to back up your argument… only one "e" for me please.

Brad, I understand your complaints with the film, but it still didn't stop me from enjoying the hell out of it (pun intended). I have liked all the Del Toro movies I have seen (Hellboy 1 & 2, Pan's Labyrinth, The Devil's Backbone, Blade 2) so I guess I am a little biased to begin with. I also really like the Dark Horse comics of Hellboy and think Del Toro has done the character pretty good justice, so that also strengthens my blinders against the shortcomings of this movie. And Laremy, comparing it to Ghostrider is pretty harsh, don't you think? Sure it wasn't a Dark Knight or Iron Man, but it is a much better quality comic book adaption than that trash.

Ebok007:

Yeah, if I had to choose to watch one film, Ghost Rider or Hellboy II – I would choose HB2. But really I'll never watch either of them again.

One of the greatest mysteries of the internet, for me, is why people feel the need to defend garbage. YES, this is all opinion. And YES, this is all subjective. But almost everyone agrees Iron Man and Dark Knight were better. So why can't we demand better? Why does Del Toro get defended because he's good at visuals?

Fellas. Del Toro is a millionaire who gets to do whatever the hell he wants. He doesn't need your love. Be honest with yourselves and admit you wanted to see a better movie than this. And if you can do that, If you really want better movies, then you have to stand up against the ones that simply aren't good enough.

That's Hellboy II.

The logic problem presented by Brad is just one of the issues. Another is the "comedy" used. We're all smarter than this, aren't we?

hahahahaha what a crappendous movie … i can't believe the 88 percent rating it got… in fact i watched this flick only after reading this article… seeing the 'good' reviews it got i was surprised you gave it a D rating..

Apart from the lame ending the whole of Hellboy 2 was laden with unbelievably pathetic attempts and comedy and romance… agreed that the film begins well and there are a few really swell lines, but it was a big letdown. Apart from the GORGEOUS sets and visuals, (and a fabulous Ron Perlman) the screenplay was a shiteous mess.

I can't believe GDT has such a vivid imagination as drawing up unbelievable creatures and yet has no imagination regarding carrying a storyline forward. Maybe the producers fiddled with the screenplay. Forget the plot hole regarding Nuala killing herself, what about the five (or was it 6?) GOLDEN ARMY SOLDIERS that were shown (instead of the seventy times seventy)… i expected a titanic battle with the 70×70 dudes sans Fishbowl desperate to get laid…. sans the drunken duet… sans the unspecified entry and escape of Nuada from the headquarters (did you see the security personnel standing like idiots holding guns?) … ah well..

Ok so maybe it didnt deserve ratings in the 80s, but it's certainly a 70s range for me.

I thought it was an enjoyable movie and I am disappointed at what a big deal this site is making of it. It's a comiic book movie for crying out loud. Forget the plot holes, enjoy it for its entertainment value.

Wow. I feel bad for anyone that didn't enjoy this. Actually, no I don't – sucks to be you.

I think everyone agrees movies have certain points where you could question whats happening logically. James Bond is only human and should not be able to jump off buildings like he's been doing recently. No technician can build a bloody TRANSFORMER out of spare parts in the bottom of a terrorists cave, all the while without them noticing. I could go on.

The point is… its a MOVIE. If you want reality, go outside. Its meant to entertain. And Hellboy 2 does that in volumes.

I offer a more positive spin on the plot holes you say 'RUINED' the movie for you. I hope you can go on to enjoy a great popcorn movie.

-'The Princess could have saved the movie by killing herself off the bat'

Nuala didn't say she was cool with dying, she respected the Kings decision. You'll note she didn't seem overjoyed by it. What happens next is an awesome action sequence, and with all the hell that breaks loose you really expect Nuala to quickly yell for her own suicide? I doubt anyone would have even heard her. Regardless, she doesn't have a death wish, and in a battle who knows, maybe he brother would be injured or subdued. In the final flourish, once the King was dead, I admit she could have offered herself up. But her love for her own life (and that of her somewhat evil brother) probably drove her to running away. If she had a chance of simply stopping the army by doing so, they both get to live. And yeah, maybe the Prince would either not find her / give up someday. Who knows. That's not so inconceivable you should can the entire movie on. Seriously.

So she runs. Again, she could have thrown the piece down a drain, but there's nothing to say Nuada couldn't have some kind of magic to locate it anyways. She probably didn't think about it in all the excitement of making friends / being safe, and quickly hid it in the first place she thought of when she realised. Ok so she wins no awards for war-prevention, but she is blonde after all. As you stated, she did destroy the map, and having the map reveal itself as a cylinder was cool – admit it.

People fall in love in short periods all the time. You think two empaths who can connect on every level all at once can't manage the same? This movie had THEMES, maybe you're not used to that. Central where selfishness, greed, love and sacrifice. All the characters showed aspects of these. While holding your life-linked sister captive isn't all that logical initially, Nuada knew the type of 'heroes' he was dealing with – the rescuing type. I can't recall whether he had knowledge or reason to suspect Abe's forthcoming betrayal. Perhaps this is a small plothole you could have focused on, I'm not sure.

He did have an ace up his sleeve anyways – initially Hellboy was dying with a spear injury, and Liz wanted to force Nuada to take it out. As was shown by her choices, she would scorn the world to save him, so its not unreasonable to think she could have given him the crown piece to do the surgery. As it turned out, this wasn't necessary, but I digress.

Apart from visuals, themes and direction, the movie's characters weren't black and white in their motives. I'm over watching perfect good guy take on epitomy of evil bad guy. If you like your movies like that with no depth to them whatsoever, enjoy Ironman 2.

I get what you're saying, but I must say I still liked the movie a great deal. I don't think that Nuala was entirely cool with dying, I don't think that anyone is entirely cool with dying, I think her reasoning for agreeing with her father was more of an honor thing, if she disagreed she would have looked like a coward. Once he died there was no longer any need act in a way that would please him, so she instead decided to run away. Also by agreeing that Nuada should die she was giving another person license to indirectly kill her, which was probably much easier than killing herself.

I disagree with your review of the film. I thought it was highly entertaining and imaginative.

That being said the actual plot hole wasn't Nuala committing hara-kiri at 32:20 and ending the film there but at the scene where Nuada releases the plant god on New York and avenging Wink instead of simply capturing Nuala, the 3rd piece of the crown and the map right there and then.