The sequel centralizes on Hellboy dealing with a magical creature who has broken the oath his kind made with humans at the beginning of time. Hellboy fights on our side, the lowly humans.

The creatures of the film, including Hellboy, are given special makeup effects and do not suffer the overabundance of computer-generated effects of other superheroes. Guillermo del Toro's hand is definitely felt in the movie, as many of the creatures could be picked straight out of "Pan's Labyrinth." Gight sequences are elaborate, similar to his work on "Blade II." But the effects do not overpower the movie. One particular scene in the "Troll Market" introduces you to the world that the characters in Hellboy's universe have to deal with. It is reminiscent of the cantina scene in Star Wars.

The main problem of the film is its pacing. The big action sequences are followed by extremely dull "resting" sequences where the good guys are hanging around at home. In one scene, Hellboy and his amphibian friend, Abe, get drunk and sing Barry Manilow. While that type of interlude continues the sense of humor the film establishes, it goes on for way too long.

Despite the pacing problems, the actors manage to maintain the integrity of the movie. Ron Perlman can still pull off the character even at the ripe age of 60. Selma Blair seems to be getting a little more comfortable with her role in action movies, but still has some odd moments where her acting feels out of place. Seth MacFarlane ("Family Guy") joined the cast as the voice of Johann Krauss, and Doug Jones took over the voice role of Abe Sapian from David Hyde Pierce.

The production earns its biggest kudos from the ability to convince the audience that these mystical creatures could actually exist. This film is one of the few sequels that live up to the quality of  the original.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army is rated PG-13 and is in theatres now.