Reviews: Highlander and Hellboy

Why has the Highlander franchise been stricken with such crap since the first film debuted twenty-one years ago? It is almost criminal that such an iconic addition to the sci-fi/fantasy film genre is so mistreated by each and every follow-up project since. The new animated film from Imagi Animation Studios is no exception.

The script and the story is The Search for Vengeance’s worst enemy in this case. It is so bad, SO BAD, that my eyes hurt from all the rolling they were doing. It is a play by number story constructed around atypical characters with so many obvious plots and subplots that you’d think it was written using Script Writing for Dummies. There were too many talented artists and animators working on this project for it to suck this much. The writer, David Abramowitz, should be ashamed of himself for writing such a poor and inexcusable story.

The animation and violence are tip top, though the character design didn’t necessarily thrill me. In any regards I would venture to say that the animation is flawless. Coming from pedigrees such as Ninja Scroll and Vampire Hunter D you would expect that from director Yoshiaki Kawajiri and his animation team. But sick animation and bloody violence cannot make up for the poor story and script.

The viewer deserves better. The viewer should demand better. Don’t be distracted by pretty pictures and images. If we have people talented enough to make something look good then there should be people out there to make it equally acceptable and believable in its story.

Hellboy Animated suffers from the exact opposite. Compared to Highlander the story is incredible. It is like comparing a Richard Scarry book with Homer's Iliad. That's not to say it is a great story. Just in comparison to the former it is so much better. It plays out like a Universal monster film of yesteryears. Vampires. Ghosts. Stakes through the heart. Believable characters. It is good stuff. And thankfully the cast from the film[s]returned again to lend their voices to their characters. Not only does it sound great to listen to John Hurt’s gravelly voice but keeps continuity in the Hellboy universe.

The thing with Hellboy Animated of course suffers from sweat shop after school programming animation. Not too detailed. Not too flashy. There is enough to get by and make everything recognizable. If you want accuracy with Mike Mignola style then you want to pick up The Amazing Screw-on Head. While I am not too crazy about Hellboy Animated I understand what these animated features can do, and that is act as a gateway into the Hellboy universe. Purists scream bloody murder. And while they’re entitled to their opinion I believe that any Hellboy is good Hellboy. Just tidy up on the animation fellas, okay?

Hellboy is shelf worthy. Highlander? Let me get my shotgun. PULL!

Highlander - The Search for Vengeance at Amazon
Format: Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
Language: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Imagi Animation Studios
Release Date: June 5, 2007
Run Time: 85 minutes

Hellboy Animated - Blood & Iron at Amazon
Actors: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, John Hurt, Peri Gilpin
Directors: Tad Stones, Victor Cook
Format: Animated, Color, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
Language: Spanish, English
Region: Region 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Starz Media
DVD Release Date: June 12, 2007
Run Time: 75 minutes

The Amazing Screw-on Head at Amazon