HELLBOY ANIMATED: SWORD OF STORMS OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS
In the first animated feature from director Tad Stones (Buzz Lightyear of Star Command), 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 agents to investigate, a cursed samurai sword sends Hellboy to a supernatural dimension of ghosts, monsters, and feudal mayhem. Now, while pyrokinetic Liz Sherman and fishboy Abe Sapien battle one very pissed-off dragon, a lost and cranky Hellboy must find his way home. Even if he can survive the perilous journey, how much crap does a guy have to put up with from the two most vengeful and ferocious spirits of Japanese legend?
HELLBOY ANIMATED: BLOOD & IRON OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS
When Hellboy, Liz Sherman, and Abe Sapien are assigned to investigate the ghost-infested mansion of a publicity-hound billionaire, they uncover a plot to resurrect a beautiful yet monstrous vampire from Professor Bruttenholm’s past. But before they can stop her bloodbath, Hellboy will have to battle harpies, hellhounds, a giant werewolf, and even the ferocious goddess Hecate herself. How much crap does a guy have to take from a Hungarian Blood Countess before he and his surrogate father can avenge the souls of the damned? It’s going to take more than just a horde of very pissed-off demons for our heroes to see the light in this animated adventure from creative producers Guillermo Del Toro and Mike Mignola.
What We Thought:
Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms and Blood & Iron looks beautiful on 4K. I had actually never seen either film, but knew of them. These two films are a continuation of the Ron Perlman as Hellboy films, not the new reboot. Perlman, Doug Jones, Selma Blair and John Hurt return as the voices of their characters in Hellboy and Hellboy II: The Golden Army. We never got a third from Guillermo del Toro so these will have to do.
The first film, Sword of Storms, finds Hellboy dealing with a sword that holds demons inside and he is sent into the past. Liz and Abe fight a dragon all while everyone is trying to get Hellboy back to the present. Blood & Iron send the crew to a haunted mansion with a vampire, ghosts, hellhounds and more.
Both films are fun, but I did expect a little bit more from them. They skew younger than I expected. The Hellboy films are PG-13, but I do think of them as more mature and raunchy. Because of that I expected these two animated films to be a bit more adult-ish. But overall I did enjoy them and I can see myself watching them again.
Animation is perfect for 4K. These films look pristine with a cool style of animation. The sound is top-notch and they come with a slew of bonus features including commentary and a bunch of featurettes.
I’ve always liked the Hellboy films so Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms and Blood & Iron are a great addition to the series. I am looking forward to the reboot, but this was a nice return to the original cast members. If you like the Ron Perlman lead franchise and haven’t seen these, you should check them out. If you’ve seen them already, this new release is well worth it because they look great and have all kinds of extras.
4K ULTRA HD SPECIAL FEATURES:
- “A New Breed: Creating the New Hellboy” Featurette
- “Conquering Hellboy: The Actor’s Role” Featurette
- “A View from the Top: The “Heads” Sequence” Featurette
- “Tales from the Tomb: A Look Inside Blood & Iron” Featurette
- “’Iron Shoes’ with Introduction by Mike Mignola” Featurette
- Sword of Storms Audio Commentary Featuring Hellboy Creator Mike Mignola, Supervising Producer-Director Tad Stones, and Director Phil Winstein
- Blood & Iron Audio Commentary Featuring Mike Mignola, Tad Stones, and Vic Cook
- “Reversal of Fortune, Professor Bloom’s Story” Featurette
CAST
Ron Perlman TV’s “Hand of God,” Hellboy, Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Selma Blair TV’s “American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson,” TV’s “Anger Management”, Hellboy, Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Doug Jones TV’s “Star Trek: Discovery,” Hellboy, Hellboy II: The Golden Army
John Hurt That Good Night, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Parts 1 & 2, Hellboy, Hellboy II: The Golden Army
The Nerds Templar 