In a word or two: better than the first film. Now it's got heart, everyday personality in its characters (I give you the scene in which HB and Blue get drunk together as they talk over their women problems), a whole lot of visuals, in fact a whole new world to play around in, and of course the expected action, adventure, and world-shaking crisis.

The Golden Army is a fabled mechanical super-army made by the elves in a waragainst Mankind, then later put to sleep in favor of a truce, but now the elven Prince (looks more like a Drow to me) wants to change things and in walks Hell Boy. He and his cronies- including a new one you'll love- travel the hidden world of supernatural kind in search of a map to the hidden Golden Army to reach it before the Prince does. Simple and yet appealing, very visual when it comes to such things as the Troll Market, a lot of special effects and great costuming, and exciting fighting sequences from the littlest Tooth Fairies to the Big Bad guy at the end.

Great matinee' flick, you'll love it.