‘Hellboy’ sinks into the abyss

Published 11:00 am Friday, April 26, 2019

“Hellboy” (Action/Fantasy: 2 hours, 1 minutes)

Starring: David Harbour, Milla Jovovich, Ian McShane

Director: Neil Marshall

Rated: PG-13 (Strong bloody violence, gore, and profanity)

Movie Review: “Hellboy” (Director Guillermo del Toro, 2004), which starred Ron Perlman, was much better than his current addition. The current “Hellboy” has weak characters in a nonsensical script. It squanders the rich universe created by Mike Mignola’s graphic novels.

Hellboy (Harbour) finds himself at the center of controversy. He becomes the center of attention when a psychic foresees he is the destroyer of humans. 

Contrarily, Hellboy’s father, Professor Broom (McShane), sees him as a savior of humanity. The red and horned muscle guy from hell has been operating as a superhero, but now others now see Hellboy as a liability.

The story is a scatterbrained attempt to create originality. Writers fail because they add multiple storylines, including a bit about the legendary King Arthur. That and several other moments make this a messy hodgepodge. 

Neil Marshall (“The Descent,” 2006) directs this pitiful superhero movie. The action is the only keen element the movie has, and much of that is computer-generated imagery. It entertains, mildly in a few scenes, but not enough to make this movie worth the ticket.

Grade: D- (Frankly, Hellboy can go to …)

“The Aftermath” (Period Drama, Romance, War: 1 hour, 48 minutes)

Starring: Keira Knightley, Alexander Skarsgård and Jason Clarke

Director: James Kent

Rated: R (Sexuality, violence and nudity)

Movie Review: “Aftermath” boasts a talented cast. They try their best but this war drama script is average. The story is neither stirring drama nor a great wartime romance.

Just months after the Allied Victory in World War II, Rachael Morgan (Knightley) reunites with her husband, Lewis Morgan (Clarke), who is a British colonel charged with rebuilding the devastated city as a regional governor. 

Still grieving their child, they move to their new spacious home, and Col. Lewis surprises Rachael by unexpectedly allowing the house’s previous owners to remain in the house. 

German architect Stephen Lubert (Skarsgård) is a widower with his troubled daughter, Freda (Flora Thiemann). Stephen and Freda are still grieving their wife and mother. Soon, a friendship develops between Rachael and Stephen. 

Rhidian Brook’s novel, “The Aftermath,” is the basis for this movie directed by James Kent (“Testament of Youth,” 2014). Sorrow and romance intermingle. The problem is that neither is moving in a manner that impactful. 

The movie glosses over the romance of two beautiful people while sliding past the fact that World War II just ended and dangers still lurk.

Grade: C (The aftermath is nominal.)

“After” (Romantic Drama: 1 hour, 45 minutes)

Starring: Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Josephine Langford and Selma Blair

Director: Jenny Gage

Rated: (Profanity and violence)

Movie Review: This movie is like a two-story house. You get one story before and another after. 

Jokes aside, this is another teen relationship with a formulaic script. A young couple finds love, finds heartache and then reunites near the conclusion. Call it a soap opera for teens, an adaptation of Anna Todd’s novel.

Tessa Young (Langford) is a freshman college student. She meets secretive student Hardin Scott (Fiennes Tiffin). The two originally dislike each other, but they quickly become a couple in love. However, hidden agendas may pose obstacles for their relationship. 

Young and Tiffin are a seductive couple, yet they do not seduce audiences enough to warrant the formulaic onscreen relationship. Ultimately, this fits in the category of a been-there-done-that movie.

Grade: C- (After, go see a better movie.)

“Little” (Comedy/Fantasy: 1 hour, 49 minutes)

Starring: Regina Hall, Issa Rae and Marsai Martin

Director: Tina Gordon

Rated: PG-13 (Suggestive content and violence)

Movie Review: Crazy as this story is, it is enjoyable. The comedy is not unbelievable, but it works in an enjoyable manner that entertains those who are not picky. Others will see the overtop acting peculiar.

Jordan Sanders (Hall) is a successful businesswoman. Her life is grand until she awakes as a middle school girl, a younger version of herself (Martin). She must deal with returning to school, a place she hated. 

She attempts to run her company through the help of her assistant, April Williams (Issa Rae). Sanders’ diminutive size helps her see the big picture. 

The comedy entertains. The narrative is like something one would see in a 1980s movie. The story is farfetched, and the Regina Hall character is too mean in an unconvincing manner. Still, the movie does get some laughs and is interesting, despite misplaced moments.

Grade: C+ (“Little” offers midsized humor.)

Adann-Kennn Alexxandar lives and works in Valdosta.