Hellboy (2019)
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A powerful demon must confront his past and a resurrected sorceress threatening to bring about the apocalypse.
The story
In a world where the supernatural is real, Hellboy, a powerful demon working for the government organization B.P.R.D., must confront his own identity while facing a growing threat. After a mysterious event in Mexico leads to a prophecy of an impending end, Hellboy is tasked by his adoptive father to hunt down three giants in Great Britain. However, the mission becomes complicated as he discovers that a resurrected sorceress, the Blood Queen, is seeking to reclaim her power and conquer the world. Hellboy must navigate a web of ancient magic and dangerous allies to stop the apocalypse.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 517 A.D., the Blood Queen, Vivienne Nimue, is defeated by King Arthur, whose remains are scattered. In the present day, Hellboy and his mentor Trevor Bruttenholm are tasked with hunting three giants in Britain. During the hunt, Hellboy is betrayed and rescued by Alice Monaghan, a medium. They discover that Nimue's remains have been gathered by a fairy named Gruagach. As Nimue's power grows, she seeks to use Hellboy to trigger the apocalypse. Hellboy travels to various locations, including Baba Yaga's house, where he faces various trials. He eventually learns his true identity as Anung un Rama, the firstborn male heir of Arthur. In a final confrontation at St Paul's Cathedral, Hellboy faces Nimue and Gruagach. After a desperate battle, Hellboy decapitates Nimue and sends her to hell. The film ends with Hellboy, Ben Daimio, and Alice raiding the Oannes Society to find Abe Sapien's tank.
- First release year
- 2019
- Runtime (minutes)
- 121
- Production countries
- Bulgaria; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Neil Marshall
- Writers
- Andrew Cosby · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- David Harbour · Hellboy / Anung un Rama; Milla Jovovich · Vivienne Nimue, the Blood Queen; Ian McShane · Professor Trevor "Broom" Bruttenholm; Sasha Lane · Alice Monaghan; Daniel Dae Kim · Ben Daimio; Thomas Haden Church · Lobster Johnson
- Genres
- superhero; action; monster; science fiction horror
- Themes
- identity; sacrifice; fate
- Tone and mood
- gritty; dark; violent
- Setting
- Modern-day locations including Mexico, Colorado, and Great Britain, with references to the 6th century.
- Premise and plot tags
- superhero; fantasy; horror; reboot
- Source material / true-story basis
- Dark Horse Comics
- Franchise connections
- Hellboy
- Content notes
- gore
- Reception
- The film received negative reviews from critics for its inconsistent tone and story, but received praise for its makeup effects and lead performance.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 17% · scale: percentage · review count: 225; Metacritic · score: 31 · scale: 100 · review count: 44; CinemaScore · score: C · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 2.5 · scale: 5
- Production trivia
- The film was originally titled Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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