Despite Ron Perlman’s merry, self-deprecating presence as the title demon, this latest comic-book adaptation gradually flames out amid the usual chaos of too-loud explosions and too-numerous computer-animated beasties. Adapted from Mike Mignola’s comics by writer-director Guillermo del Toro, “Hellboy” is the story of a demon infant unleashed by lunatic Rasputin (Karel Roden) but intercepted and raised by a kindly occultist (John Hurt). Perlman’s Hellboy grows into a wisecracking blue-collar monster fighter, who leads the battle against Rasputin’s plot to bring about Armageddon.

Selma Blair co-stars as Hellboy’s sort-of girlfriend, a human firebug, and John Myers plays an FBI ally. Rated: PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and frightening images. Rating: 2 out of 4 stars.

– David Germain, AP Movie Writer
‘The Whole Ten Yards’

It’s only three feet from “The Whole Nine Yards,” but the jokes get stretched so thin in this sequel, it feels more like a mile. The 2000 original wasn’t exactly begging for a follow up – it seemed to wrap itself up in a rather tidy, satisfactory fashion – but it was surprisingly funny in an low-key, film-noir way. Bruce Willis, as a retired hit man, was supremely cool and confident. Matthew Perry, as a dentist who’s his nervous next-door neighbor, allowed the laughs to flow from his often deadpan delivery. That has been scrapped here in favor of broad slapstick and loud, shrill repetitiveness. Rated: PG-13 for sexual content, some violence and language. Rating: 1 out of 4 stars.

– Christy Lemire, AP Entertainment Writer