|  | Home Hellboy: Sword of Storms (Animated) | |
|  | |  | | | Hellboy: Sword of Storms (Animated) | | | | | SKU:
D69513 | | In Stock | | Availability:
Usually ships in 1 business days | | | | | | In this first animated feature from Guillermo del Toro and Mike Mignola, a folklore professor becomes unwittingly possessed by the ancient Japanese demons of Thunder and Lightning. But when The Bureau of Paranormal Research & Defense dispatches a team of | | | |
List Price:
| $14.98 | |
Our Price:
| $4.42 | |
You Save:
| $10.56 (70%)
| | Shipping: | Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | |
*Shipping:
| |
| | |
|
| | Product Details | | Director: | Phil Weinstein | | Format: | Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC | | Language: | English | | Number of Discs: | 1 | | Studio: | Starz / Anchor Bay | | Run Time: | 77 minutes | | DVD Release Date: | February 06, 2007 | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 47 reviews |
| |
| | Customer Reviews | Average Customer Review: ( 47 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
 A great addition to a Hellboy fan's collection! Feb 01, 2007
By Mrs. Kilo Delta
This animated movie's story is more in line with the Hellboy comic book stories than the live-action movie was, and while officially unrated, it's similar to the live-action movie and the comic books. I'd probably give Sword of Storms a PG-13, with [...].
I love, LOVE, the mythical creatures used in this movie, it's much like the comic in that way. I have a softspot for folklore monsters being used in comics, books, & movies, especially when it's normally obscure folklore stories (like the Japanese flying heads or the Baba Yaga, for instance... Hellboy comic readers know what I'm talking about). I'm just not into the Marvel spandex-and-cape-wearing superheroes, they don't appeal to me at all, so in contrast, Hellboy and his friends feel like the perfect superheroes to me.
Voice acting is great here, though I'm biased because I couldn't imagine Hellboy's voice before Ron Perlman took the part. The other actors do a great job as well, and the sound effects were great (I watched it with surround sound when it was on TV). The animation has great lighting and colors, I thought (I say "great" way too much, I know), although the characters do look a little, well, "Kim Possible". Just a little. Not a bad job, though. I kept up with the movie's production diary on another website, and Tad Stones (the movie's director) was saying why they had to do that style for the animation: Hellboy needed eyebrows to show expression, Kate looks younger than she does in the Mignola comics because in animation any lines on her face would make her look like she was 70, etc. Stuff like that.
Last thing, it's not mentioned here in Amazon's info, but every DVD of the 1st run (first 300,000, I believe) will come with a 32 page Hellboy comic called "Phantom Limbs", story by Jim Pascoe, art by Rick Lacey, inside the DVD case, along with a pin up by Mike Mignola. This info is straight from director Tad Stones, as another way to entice you to buy the DVD. Well, it worked for me, I'm buying it! A great way to feed my Hellboy habit while I wait for BPRD: The Universal Machine to land on my doorstep.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Uniquely Hellboy Feb 20, 2007
By Simon
Hellboy: Sword of Storms is the titular character's first-ever animated adventure. While investigating an ancient Japanese sword, Hellboy is sucked into a mystical world and is forced to do battle with monsters and demons before he can return home. And if he makes it home, he must face two ancient gods ready to destroy the world. But hey, nothing's ever easy.
Fans of Mike Mignola's comics or the recent Hellboy movie will love this adventure. True it doesn't use Mignola's distinctive art style, but it maintains a look that is distinctively 'Hellboy' while at the same time being much easier to animate. Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, and Doug Jones return to voice their movie roles, and seasoned vets Peri Gilpin, John Hurt, and Phil LaMarr carry the supporting characters. Perlman again proves he is the only choice for Hellboy, and his deadpan delivery is amusing in itself as well as emphasizing some of Hellboy's actions.
This dvd is fully loaded. Lots of featurettes, audio commentary, and footage taken from the panel at the San Diego comic-con. With the first release, Hellboy blows away all previous DTV efforts from Disney, Marvel, and Warner Bros.
I recommend this to anyone in search of a good comic book story with sharp writing and good animation. Truly fills the gap left open by the departure of Justice League Unlimited, and is far better than the recent Marvel efforts.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Excellent adaptation of Mike Mignola's Comic Feb 19, 2007
By H. A Huffman
"haumf"
Usually, these direct-to-video animated comic adaptations are pretty bad, but this one is great. It has an involving story and decent animation. It is NOT a watered-down version of a story taken from the comic; although it is not as bloody as the comic but that was to be expected.
Well worth your time and $$$.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Wonderful animation and plot Feb 19, 2007
By Jackal
I was really surprised by this. After watching so many bad Marvel animated films (the avengers/iron man), it was refreshing to see a good plot, nice flow, and excellent stylized animation.
Wonderful. I can't wait to see the next one.
12 of 15 found the following review helpful:
"Ugh! I was breathing your burps?" Dec 31, 2006
By H. Bala
"Me Too Can Read"
HELLBOY: SWORD OF STORMS is the first of two (so far) animated Hellboy films; it debuted on the Cartoon Network on October 28, 2006. The second animated offering, HELLBOY: BLOOD AND IRON, is slated to air in 2007. For those not in the know, Hellboy is a very popular and successful Dark Horse comic book character conceived, written, and illustrated by long time comic book artist Mike Mignola. HELLBOY: SWORD OF STORMS is not a follow up film to the live action HELLBOY, but, instead, bears a closer similarity to the comic book version. Here, for example, Hellboy and Liz do not have a romantic relationship and Abe Sapien is not psychic. However, pertinent cast members from the live action movie do lend their voices to this animated effort, with the exception of the film-uncredited David Hyde Pierce, who had originally voiced over Doug Jones's Abe Sapien role. Here, Doug Jones gets a chance to do his own vocal work, and he doesn't suck.
Some more background for the casual viewer: Hellboy, a baby demon summoned to Earth by Nazi occultists in 1944 - during WW2's final days - and subsequently adopted and raised by the U.S. Army from infanthood on, is one of the good guys. Hellboy makes a powerful ally as his demonic origins equip him with superhuman strength, near invulnerability, an immunity to fire, and a gigantic stone hand (called the Right Hand of Doom, which is prophesied to be instrumental in bringing about the Apocalypse; but that's got nothing to do with this film). Hence, the big coat-wearing, big gun toting, now mature Hellboy has become the primary agent of the U.S. Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense, an entity dedicated to defending humanity from supernatural threats. Which now brings us to HELLBOY: SWORD OF STORMS.
SPOILERS ALERT: When a Japanese folklore expert reads and is possessed by a mystical scroll, the B.P.R.D. sends Hellboy and a team of agents to Japan to look into things. They quickly learn that the possessed professor and a certain enchanted sword are the keys to unleashing the Storm Demons, Thunder and Lightning, who, in turn, upon release, will summon their brothers, the Dragons, to lay waste to the world. During the course of the investigation, Hellboy chances upon the sword, picks it up, and is instantly transported to the horrific fairy-tale world of Japanese mythology, where folklore legends are real and mostly...not very welcoming.
Meanwhile, the team members back home press on and attempt to locate the possessed professor. They are also encumbered with their own challenges (the aforementioned professor now effecting meteorological mishaps, an implacable sea leviathan, and animated furniture which would horrify the Disney empire). In the end, of course, the fate of the world is left in the mismatched hands of Hellboy. However, he faces a perplexing quandary as he learns that, to get back home, the Sword of Storms must be shattered, but that the same act will cause the demons Thunder and Lightning to be freed into our world.
Creator Mike Mignola's storytelling leans heavily on the horror aspects of worldwide folklore and mythology. In fact, he revels in it. This time out, he delves deep into Japanese folklore as he has his hero facing off against the Rokurokubi (human-looking creatures who can elongate their necks), a Gataro (the cucumber-loving, shelled water demon), a Tsuchigumo (the arachnid woman), a group of Nukekubi (human-appearing monsters, who, at night, are able to detach their heads from their bodies), and your generic Oni (your basic demon or ogre). Hellboy, by the way, has already had a prior encounter with the Nukekubi (in a story titled "Heads") as evidenced by his decisive actions in dealing with them here. The only supernatural being who, on the surface, doesn't seem to have it in against Hellboy is the kitsune, an intelligent fox who imparts advice to our demon protagonist. HERE ENDETH THE SPOILERS.
Those who've experienced Hellboy only thru the live action movie have been missing out on some great, distinctive art by Mike Mignola; viewers are urged to check out Dark Horse's various Hellboy releases (in particular, HELLBOY: SEED OF DESTRUCTION, the initial Hellboy graphic novel). With his minimalist style, prodigious use of the color black and his propensity for heavy shadows in juxtaposition with the more vivid hues, Mignola excels in establishing a dark, atmospheric universe for his hero, with a design steeped in steampunk technology and Gothic visuals. Unfortunately, Mignola's artwork isn't fully translated to this film. While the color palette here is somewhat and sometimes reminiscent of Milogna's preferences, there are several sequences where the design and the look stray from Mignola's stark and brooding artistic renderings; at times, it even has a tendency to more closely resemble the JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES in its style and sensibilities. Not that that's a bad thing; it just isn't Mike Mignola art. I don't mean to quibble but I was hoping to be exposed to a cohesive animation done up ala Mignola; instead, I only get glimpses. Just, more darkness next time, please.
The voice actors do a decent job. Ron Perlman is invaluable as the taciturn Hellboy, whose battle cry seems to be, "Oh, crap." Selma Blair returns vocally as Liz Sherman, who still doesn't have full confidence in her pyrokinetic gifts. I've gotta say that Liz's cartoon incarnation doesn't look at all like Selma Blair, but, it's no big deal. Doug Jones as the amphibian Abe Sapien does a good job mimicking David Hyde Pierce's verbal mannerisms, while Peri Gilpin comes on to the series as Professor Kate Corrigan.
Based on HELLBOY: SWORD OF STORMS, I'm looking forward to HELLBOY: BLOOD AND IRON. Come to think of it, I also can't wait 'til the second feature film comes out. While SWORD OF STORMS does suffer from an unexceptional, straight-forward plot and a lack of character-driven moments (one exception is the underwater scene between Liz and Abe and their interaction afterwards), the viewer does become privy to plenty of demon-slaying action and a lesson in Japanese folklore. So, while I think it's pretty cool, it doesn't really resonate within me on an emotional level. But, hey, let's not go further down that path. The Hellboy franchise will always be more of a visual vehicle than a stage for the touchy-feelies. So, if you get kicks out of watching Lovecraftian monsters, a no-nonsense hero demon armed with a friggin' gynormous gun, and superpowered misfits all wrapped up in a nice Gothic/pulp adventure package, then Hellboy is right up your alley. Three and a half stars for this one. Oh, and if you're gonna check out HELLBOY: SWORD OF STORMS, then you might as well also get the excellent AMAZING SCREW-ON HEAD, also by Mike Mignola.
See all 47 customer reviews on Amazon.com
| |
| |
| |  | |  |
|
Recently Viewed | You may also like ... |
