The summer of the superhero continues with “Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” a satisfying sequel to writer/director Guillermo del Toro’s pre-“Pan’s Labyrinth” cult hit about a wise-cracking demon who helps fight evil.

This second installment begins with a prince (Luke Gross) seeking to awaken an unstoppable army of creatures and end an ancient truce that exists between humankind and the mythical world.

With Hell on Earth about to erupt, it is up to Hellboy (Ron Pearlman) – the cigar chomping, misunderstood super hero – and his team of paranormal researchers to put an end to the prince’s evil plans.

Del Toro has proven himself as a visionary director – even in lesser films like “Mimic” and “Blade II” – and “Hellboy II” only strengthens that argument. The film is full of fascinating creatures and a mythical world unlike any seen on screen since, well, del Toro’s last film, “Pan’s Labyrinth.”

But unlike “Labyrinth,” “Hellboy” shows a lighter side of del Toro’s talent with a film full of humor and action sequences that rival any other summer release up to this point.

The cast also seems to be having a good time – led by Perlman, who delivers a memorable and engaging performance as Hellboy.

The film also features nice supporting work from Selma Blair as Hellboy’s love interest and Jeffrey Tambor as the head of the bureau trying to keep Hellboy on a tight leash, but the film’s strength comes from del Toro and Pearlman. Del Toro has a vision and Pearlman proves to be just the man to navigate that plan.

The result is a film that is not quite up to par with “Iron Man,” but far superior to the other mega superhero blockbuster, “Hancock.”

DVD dandy of the week

This week’s dandy is “The Bank Job” (A-), the true story of an infamous heist that is one of the funniest releases to date in 2008.

“Bank Job” tells the story of the 1971 Baker Street bank robbery – one of the biggest robberies in British history in which no arrests were ever made nor any money ever recovered.

Jason Statham stars as Terry, a small time criminal who gets the chance of a lifetime when an ex named Martine (Saffron Burrows) approaches him with a foolproof plan that targets a room in the bank full of safe deposit boxes worth millions in cash and jewelry.

Terry assembles a crew, but soon realizes he may have gotten into something much bigger – with some of the boxes full of dirty secrets that weave a deadly web of corruption and illicit scandal.

“The Bank Job” is easily one of the most crowd-pleasing action films in recent memory, full of strong characters and witty dialogue.

Statham has never been better, while director Roger Donaldson delivers his best work since the Kevin Costner spy flick “No Way Out.”

“The Bank Job” was a mild success when it was released in early March, grossing just more than $30 million, but this is a film that deserves a longer – and more successful – life on home video.

“The Bank Job” is rated R for sexual content, nudity, violence and language and is now available on DVD.

— Sportswriter/movie reviewer Micheal Compton (who’s been in the middle of a few infamous heists himself) can be reached by e-mailing mcompton@bgdailynews.com.