3. Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Believe me, a week ago, I would not have believed that I would have enjoyed Hellboy II: The Golden Army more than Pacific Rim, but in almost every respect, it's a far more consistent, level-headed film, and far less desperate to thrash around, grabbing for an audience. Following del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, it's clear from mere moments into Hellboy II that the director has honed his visual sensibilities to a fantastically pristine degree; this is a far better-looking film than the original Hellboy, not just by way of an increased budget and more advanced effects, but the entire production design appears wholly streamlined. This is del Toro at his most determined, clearly trying to fashion himself the opportunity to make a third film - an idea still being bandied about and constantly rejected - by doing as much as possible to charm, stun and entertain. It's amazing, therefore, that the final result isn't just completely overwhelming, with the vast array of peculiar-looking creatures we meet, not to mention the sub-plot involving Hellboy and Liz preparing to have a baby (sorry,
babies...)