Craig Daily Press

An obnoxious, demonic manifestation may not be most people’s idea of mankind’s champion, but the title titan of “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” gets the job done.

Even if he is griping all the way.

Born of black magic and raised by an adoptive human father (John Hurt), Hellboy (Ron Perlman) is a six-and-a-half foot tall demon with sawed-off horns, a massive right forearm and a cigar almost always on his person. Despite his shocking appearance and grating personality, HB has a grudging love for humanity and wants nothing more than to protect them from the onset of the otherworldly creatures he encounters while working for the secret agency, the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense.

When he and his BPRD cohorts are exposed publicly, he relishes the chance to come out of hiding.

Colleague Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) — an amphibious clairvoyant — and HB’s pyrokinetic girlfriend, Liz Sherman (Selma Blair) are not as enthusiastic about getting into the spotlight, but their uncomfortable reception is the least of their worries.

An ancient truce between the human race and an immortal elf king (Roy Dotrice) has been broken by the king’s son, Prince Nuada (Luke Goss). Nuada intends to unleash the long-lost Golden Army to eliminate mankind for its greedy, destructive ways.

As the BPRD team jumps to the aid of Nuada’s twin sister, Nuala (Anna Walton), Hellboy wonders if humanity even is worth the effort.

Perlman has fine comic flair as Hellboy, more affectionately known as “Red.” The actor gives the devilish realization of Mike Mignola’s comic book the smart mouth necessary to make him such an anti-hero.

Blair’s role is more proactive in this installment; her fiery temperament fuels squabbles between Liz and HB that usually result in destruction.

Jones has an increased amount of focus from the first movie, as well. Not only does he get to provide Sapien’s voice — originally done by David Hyde Pierce — but a subplot develops with his character and Princess Nuala, nicely, but rather timidly, played by Walton.

“Family Guy” creator and all-around vocal superstar Seth MacFarlane provides the German modulation for Johann Krauss, a new BPRD member, whose body is composed entirely of mist as a result of a séance gone wrong.

Amazingly, Krauss is one of the more normal beings that HB and his team come upon in their latest adventure, with mythical creatures such as trolls, goblins, tooth fairies and Jeffrey Tambor waiting in the wings.

Writer/director Guillermo del Toro tinkers little with the aspects of his original movie, a surprise hit, affixing some of the touches he has displayed in the likes of “Pan’s Labyrinth.” Admittedly, the action, dialogue and story are nothing especially new — with noticeable similarities to “The Lord of the Rings” in all three categories — but the sheer visual display surmounts these shortcomings.

The first “Hellboy” contained dark, ugly and unsympathetic beasts as friends and foes of the BPRD, but this time around, we are treated to an absolute smorgasbord of fantastic creations. Be they iniquitous elves like Prince Nuada, lofty forest elementals, or the multi-ocular Angel of Death (also played by Doug Jones), even the most despicable characters are vibrantly and realistically portrayed in a manner that makes the whole film that much more enjoyable.

A hands-on filmmaker to the end, del Toro even performs the grunts and squeals of the less verbal creatures.

“Hellboy II: The Golden Army” is at least partly aimed at a comic book-loving target audience, but even somebody who has had enough of the current “summer of superheroes” can appreciate the unbeatable, imaginative visual effects the movie employs. Added to the offbeat, wise guy charm of HB — take that, Hancock — it stands apart from the crowd thanks to del Toro’s aesthetic sensibilities.

Now playing at the West Theater.