Hellboy (2004) UHD Review

4.5 Stars Finally, an Ultimate Edition!
Hellboy Review

To celebrate the film’s 15th Anniversary, Sony has released Guillermo del Toro’s vision of Hellboy, in a packed to the gills collector’s edition featuring both the original theatrical cut and director’s cut remastered in 4K, plus new and old special features, many of which have never been released on Blu-ray.

Hellboy (2004)
Released: 02 Apr 2004
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 122 min
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi
Cast: Ron Perlman, John Hurt, Selma Blair, Rupert Evans
Writer(s): Guillermo del Toro (screenplay), Guillermo del Toro (screen story), Peter Briggs (screen story), Mike Mignola (comic books)
Plot: A demon, raised from infancy after being conjured by and rescued from the Nazis, grows up to become a defender against the forces of darkness.
IMDB rating: 6.8
MetaScore: 72

Disc Information
Studio: Sony
Distributed By: N/A
Video Resolution: 2160p HEVC w/HDR
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: Dolby Atmos, English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, English 5.1 DTS-HDMA, Spanish 5.1 DD, French 5.1 DD
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French, Other
Rating: PG-13
Run Time: 2 Hr. 1 Min. Theatrical, 2 Hr. 12 Min. Director's Cut
Package Includes: UHD, Blu-ray, Digital Copy
Case Type: 2-disc UHD keepcase with slipcover
Disc Type: UHD
Region: All
Release Date: 10/15/2019
MSRP: $26.49

The Production: 4/5

In 2004, when Hellboy was released to theaters, director Guillermo del Toro had only made five feature films, with this being his third English language picture. It seemed that his more serious work (Chronos, The Devil’s Backbone) was in his native Spanish, while his more mainstream work (Mimic, Blade II) was in English. Hellboy would be his second comic book adaptation, and although it never quite lit up the box office, it garnered enough of a fan base thanks to cable and DVD, that the director was able to make a sequel four years later.

Ron Perlman was perfectly cast as the demon who does good, born out of a portal to hell opened by none other than Rasputin (Karel Roden) in Scotland back during World War II. Hellboy is then rescued by Professor Broom (played by Kevin Trainor in the WWII prologue, John Hurt in present day) who raises him as his own son while forming the top-secret agency the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. Running interference with the press for the agency is Tom Manning (Jeffrey Tambor), a nervous wreck of a man who constantly wishes Hellboy would behave like a normal 40-year old human rather than a rebellious teenager. Hellboy’s best friend at the BPRD is fish-man Abe Sapien (Doug Jones but voiced by David Hyde Pierce), who has telepathic abilities. With Broom being diagnosed with the final stages of cancer, a new recruit is brought in, John Myers (Rupert Evans) who is at first given the task to essentially babysit Hellboy. When Rasputin is freed from the portal, hell-bent on finishing what he started some 40 years ago, the BPRD is on the case, recruiting Hellboy’s pyro-telekinetic flame, Liz Sherman (Selma Blair).

Hellboy in its time was fresh and original, mostly because in 2004 a movie adaptation of a comic book was not the blockbuster industry that it is today. Del Toro was also the perfect choice as writer-director, having grown up reading comic books in Mexico from a very early age. Although some of the early CG effects appear dated (particularly in this new 4K remaster), it is still a fun and enjoyable thrill ride. Sony has included both the Director’s Cut and Theatrical Cut on the 4K UHD disc, but only the theatrical cut (taken from this new remaster) on the included Blu-ray disc.

Video: 5/5

3D Rating: NA

When I first hit play on this disc, my heart almost sank when the Columbia Pictures logo appeared. Colors looked faded, the image soft and exceptionally grainy. Once the Revolution Studios logo appeared, though, I was greatly relieved, as it was sharp with bold tones of blue. The image continued to improve drastically as we moved through the prologue, into the opening credits (which now look very obviously computer generated), and the opening scenes in Moldavia and then the BPRD. Yes, Sony has released yet another stellar catalog title on 4K UHD.

Hellboy was shot on 35mm film in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio, then completed as a 2K digital intermediate. Sony’s 2160p upscale adds HDR10 high dynamic range to the mix, resulting in a first-rate UHD disc. Colors have a wider range of tones, with Hellboy’s red skin appearing more vibrant without being oversaturated or blooming and Abe’s various shades of green more pronounced. Detail is increased, with the circular patterns in Hellboy’s skin much more noticeable as are the various scales and other skin patterns on Abe. The package also contains a remastered Blu-ray edition of the theatrical cut, taken from this new 2160p transfer.

Audio: 5/5

Hellboy’s Dolby Atmos track (on the UHD disc only) is truly demo-worthy. It is big and boisterous when it needs to be (pretty much most of the time), creating a wide and deep soundstage, extending atmospherics like rain and thunder and Marco Beltrami’s score, but also moving sounds seamlessly around the listening area. LFE is strong but never overbearing, while dialogue remains clear and understandable throughout.

Special Features: 4.5/5

In addition to some newly created special features, this release finally ports over many of the long-missing features from the original DVD release of the theatrical cut. The UHD disc contains both the theatrical and director’s cut of the film, while the Blu-ray only contains the theatrical cut (the filrst time it has been released on this format – the previous Blu-ray edition contained only the director’s cut). The commentary tracks are also exclusive to the UHD disc.

UHD Disc:
Introduction with Director Guillermo del Toro (2160p; 0:23): Del Toro welcomes the viewer to this new 4K release, which includes some new and some old special features. **NEW**

To Hell and Back Retrospective (1080p; 7:03): Del Toro looks back at making the movie in an era prior to the MCU and making peace with only being able to make two movies even though he had envisioned Hellboy as a trilogy. **NEW**

The Seeds of Creation (upscaled 1080p; 143:02): An exhaustive behind the scenes look at the making of the movie, ported over from the original DVD release and Blu-ray Director’s Cut.

Theatrical Trailer 1 (1080p; 2:27) Ported from the original DVD release.

Theatrical Trailer 2 (1080p; 1:19) Ported from the original DVD release.

Director’s Audio Commentary: Available on the director’s cut only (and ported over from the previous Blu-ray release), del Toro discusses the movie and the choices made in his preferred cut of the movie.

Cast Audio Commentary: Ported from the original DVD release and available on the theatrical cut, actors Jeffrey Tambor, Ron Perlman, Selma Blair and Rupert Evans have a fun time reminiscing about the making of the movie.

Creators Audio Commentary: The creator of Hellboy Mike Mignola is joined by co-writer/director Guillermo del Toro as they discuss various aspects of the making of the film. Ported from the original DVD release and only available on the theatrical cut.

Blu-ray Disc:
Deleted Scenes (upscaled 1080i; 4:27): Three scenes are included, with optional commentary – Breaking the Ice Wall, Cab Ride and Russian Warehouse. Ported from the original DVD and previous Blu-ray release.

VFX How To’s (upscaled 1080i; 12:44): Visual Effects Supervisor Ed Irastorza walks us through three sequences – Bellamie Hospital/B.P.R.D. Lift Miniatures, Computer Generated Seat/Behemoth and Liz’s Fire. Ported from the original DVD and Blu-ray release.

Make-up and Lighting Tests with Commentary by Guillermo del Toro (1080i; 7:21): Del Toro discusses the importance of lighting a character in heavy prosthetic make-up. Ported from the previous Blu-ray release.

Scott McCloud: A Quick Guide to Understanding Comics (1080i; 12:19): Comic book expert Scott McCloud walks us through the world of comic books. Ported from the previous Blu-ray release.

Right Hand of Doom – Set Visits (upscaled 1080i; 18:21): Raw behind the scenes footage. Ported from the original DVD release.

Hellboy Recommends (1080i): Four classic UPA cartoons – Gerald McBoing Boing (6:56),Gerald McBoing! Boing! on the Planet Moo (7:11),Gerald McBoing! Boing’s Symphony (7:03), How Now Boing! Boing! (7:21) and The Tell Tale Heart (7:47). Ported from the original DVD release.

Q&A Archive: Comic Con 2002 (upscaled 1080i; 23:17): Highlights from the 2002 Hellboy Comic Con panel. **NEW**

Mike Mignola Artwork (1080i; 40:09): Mignola discusses the various pre-production artwork he created for the film. **NEW**

Animatics (1080i; 13:32): Comparisons and full-frame pre-visualizations of four key sequences from the film – Hellboy & Sammael (West Side Highway) – Comparison, Hellboy & Sammael (West Side Highway) – Full Frame, Hellboy & Sammael (Subway) – Comparison, Hellboy & Sammael (Subway) – Full Frame, Hellboy & Abe (Underwater Chamber) – Comparison, Hellboy & Abe (Underwater Chamber) – Full Frame, Behemoth – Comparison and Behemoth – Full Frame. Ported from the original DVD release.

Ogdru Jahad – Scene Progression (1080i; 0:45): Crude storyboard and finished sequence comparison. **NEW**

Board-A-Matics (upscaled 1080i; 15:31): Guillermo del Toro introduces us to a series of storyboard/animatic scene comparisons and full-frame presentations, including – B.P.R.D. Lift – Comparison, B.P.R.D. Lift – Full Frame, Bellamie Hospital – Comparison, Bellamie Hospital – Full Frame, Bridge – Comparison, Bridge – Full Frame, Hellboy (Rooftop) – Comparison, Hellboy (Rooftop) – Full Frame, Support Beam Tunnel – Comparison and Support Beam Tunnel – Full Frame. Ported from the original DVD release.

Multi-Angle Storyboards (1080i; 13:40): Guillermo del Toro introduces us to a series of storyboard scene comparisons and full frame presentations, including – Ragnarok, Machen Library, Hellboy and Sammael (Subway Platform), The Corpse, Behemoth and Ogdru Jahad. Ported from the original DVD release.

Easter Eggs (upscaled 1080i; 2:44): Two storyboarded deleted scenes – Alternate Opening (Submarine) and Hell on Earth). Ported from the original DVD release.

TV Spots (upscaled 1080i; 5:03): Nine TV spots are included – Ancient Evil Final, Team, Evil’s Back, Kroenen, Bump, Origin, Only Hope, Guillermo – English and Guillermo – Spanish. Ported from the original DVD release.

Photo Galleries (1080p): There are nine galleries to choose from – Director’s Notebook, Production, Concept Art, Maquette Gallery, Costume Design, Comic Book Artists Pin-Ups, Poster Explorations, Disc Credits and Guillermo’s Quotes. Ported from the original DVD release.

Digital Copy: An insert contains a code to redeem a digital copy of the theatrical cut (in UHD where available) from Movies Anywhere, although at the time of this review iTunes included the Director’s Cut in 4K with HDR after redeeming thru Movies Anywhere.

Overall: 4.5/5

Sony’s new 4K release of Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy is a must-have upgrade for any fan of this film. Recommended.

Todd Erwin has been a reviewer at Home Theater Forum since 2008. His love of movies began as a young child, first showing Super 8 movies in his backyard during the summer to friends and neighbors at age 10. He also received his first movie camera that year, a hand-crank Wollensak 8mm with three fixed lenses. In 1980, he graduated to "talkies" with his award-winning short The Ape-Man, followed by the cult favorite The Adventures of Terrific Man two years later. Other films include Myth or Fact: The Talbert Terror and Warren's Revenge (which is currently being restored). In addition to movie reviews, Todd has written many articles for Home Theater Forum centering mostly on streaming as well as an occasional hardware review, is the host of his own video podcast Streaming News & Views on YouTube and is a frequent guest on the Home Theater United podcast.

Post Disclaimer

Some of our content may contain marketing links, which means we will receive a commission for purchases made via those links. In our editorial content, these affiliate links appear automatically, and our editorial teams are not influenced by our affiliate partnerships. We work with several providers (currently Skimlinks and Amazon) to manage our affiliate relationships. You can find out more about their services by visiting their sites.

Share this post:

View thread (16 replies)

dpippel

Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems
Supporter
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2000
Messages
12,292
Location
Sonora Norte
Real Name
Doug
Great review Todd, thanks! I just got this today and am looking forward to spinning it up tonight!
 

Robert Crawford

Crawdaddy
Moderator
Patron
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 9, 1998
Messages
67,598
Location
Michigan
Real Name
Robert
Yeah, thanks for your review as it only confirms my decision to bypass the digital and buy the actual 4K disc was the right decision. I wanted another reference 4K disc in my collection. The only problem is I'm still waiting on Amazon to ship it, though, it's in-stock.:)
 

Todd Erwin

Reviewer
HW Reviewer
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2008
Messages
10,380
Location
Hawthorne, NV
Real Name
Todd Erwin
Yeah, thanks for your review as it only confirms my decision to bypass the digital and buy the actual 4K disc was the right decision. I wanted another reference 4K disc in my collection. The only problem is I'm still waiting on Amazon to ship it, though, it's in-stock.:)
The digital is also 5.1 only....
 

Robert Crawford

Crawdaddy
Moderator
Patron
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 9, 1998
Messages
67,598
Location
Michigan
Real Name
Robert
Yeah, thanks for your review as it only confirms my decision to bypass the digital and buy the actual 4K disc was the right decision. I wanted another reference 4K disc in my collection. The only problem is I'm still waiting on Amazon to ship it, though, it's in-stock.:)
My copy has shipped so I should have it by Thursday which is pretty good considering its Amazon.:rolleyes:
 

dpippel

Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems
Supporter
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2000
Messages
12,292
Location
Sonora Norte
Real Name
Doug
My wife and I watched it last night and WOW, does it look and sound FANTASTIC! Hellboy is most definitely a reference 4K UHD release IMO. Detail, color, HDR are all just wonderful, and the Atmos audio kicks. You will not be disappointed Robert.
 
Last edited:

Noel Aguirre

Supporter
Joined
Nov 28, 2011
Messages
1,590
Location
New York City
Real Name
noel
Love that the Blu-ray is newly remastered too. Like the Batman films and Little Mermaid. Too bad most are not when released in 4K. Would anyone know of a list of such newly remastered Blu-ray’s included in 4K releases?
And thanks for a great review Todd!
 

Robert Crawford

Crawdaddy
Moderator
Patron
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 9, 1998
Messages
67,598
Location
Michigan
Real Name
Robert
My wife and I watched it last night and WOW, does it look and sound FANTASTIC! Hellboy is most definitely a reference 4K UHD release IMO. Detail, color, HDR are all just wonderful, and the Atmos audio kicks. You will not be disappointed Robert.
It arrives today which I'll play either today or this weekend in my main HT setup with 7.2.4 Atmos.
 

Carlo_M

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 31, 1997
Messages
13,385
I watched about the first half hour while getting ready for work. I will echo the comment about being concerned at the Columbia logo...which was a shimmery mess...only to find that the film itself looked great. Not sure what happened with that opening logo...
 

Todd Erwin

Reviewer
HW Reviewer
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2008
Messages
10,380
Location
Hawthorne, NV
Real Name
Todd Erwin
I watched about the first half hour while getting ready for work. I will echo the comment about being concerned at the Columbia logo...which was a shimmery mess...only to find that the film itself looked great. Not sure what happened with that opening logo...
I took a look at the previous Blu-ray of the Director's Cut and the logo was a mess on that, too.
 

Robert Crawford

Crawdaddy
Moderator
Patron
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 9, 1998
Messages
67,598
Location
Michigan
Real Name
Robert
Yeah, thanks for your review as it only confirms my decision to bypass the digital and buy the actual 4K disc was the right decision. I wanted another reference 4K disc in my collection. The only problem is I'm still waiting on Amazon to ship it, though, it's in-stock.:)
I watched the Director's Cut today on 4K disc and I concur about it being a reference disc to show off your 4K and/or Atmos setup.
 

Noel Aguirre

Supporter
Joined
Nov 28, 2011
Messages
1,590
Location
New York City
Real Name
noel
Fantastic disc. Wish all new 4Ks included remastered blus. Does anyone no if there is a list of which ones do? On only Hellboy 2 had one.
 
Most Popular