The Incredible Hulk - Review

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Rated: PG-13

Distributor: Universal Pictures

Release Date: 2008-06-13

Starring: Edward Norton (Bruce Banner), Liv Tyler (Betty Ross), Tim Roth (Emil Blonsky), William Hurt (Gen. "Thunderbolt" Ross), Tim Blake Nelson, Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark)

Directed by Louis Leterrier

Produced by Avi Arad, Kevin Feige, Gale Anne Hurd

Written by Zak Penn

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Reviewed by Josh Tyler : 2008-06-10 03:01:51

Marvel’s new take on the Incredible Hulk starts by pretending their old take, the 2003 movie by Ang Lee, doesn’t exist. It stops just short of being a total do over, only in that this new version skips over the obligatory origin story, choosing instead to cover it via a hasty recap underneath the movie’s opening credits. If it’s a sequel to anything, then The Incredible Hulk owes its allegiance to the late 70s, early 80s television series starring Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby. For better or worse, the movie is steeped in the nostalgia of that forgotten network program (both Bixby and Ferrigno make cameos… of a sort), right down to Edward Norton’s wardrobe and his character’s proclivity for wandering the countryside sallow and alone. At times the film actually feels like a grouping of several serialized episodes, only with markedly better special effects.

Fans who remember Lou Ferrigno painted up green will no doubt find thrills in this new movie. This is clearly a film for the most ardent of Hulkamaniacs, the same people who were most disappointed by Ang Lee’s thoughtful, introspective take on the character. In response to their lust for Hulk smash, all pretense of depth has been tossed right out the window to deliver a light and airy popcorn movie full of all those watermarks Hulk fans clamor after, while being woefully short on many of the things anyone looking for a more complete movie experience might wish for.

The aforementioned Ed Norton plays doctor Bruce Banner this time around. We join him in hiding, and the movie is in no particular rush to get him out in the open. That’s good, since the film works best when we’re watching Banner alone in the woods. Eventually though, he’s forced to return home in pursuit of a cure for the green beast which ails him, and in pursuit of the woman he loves: one Betty Ross (Liv Tyler). Very little is actually asked of Norton or Tyler. Ed spends the vast majority of The Incredible Hulk staring silently, or breathing heavily to keep caged the beast inside him. Liv gives a solid performance as his besotted girlfriend, though even she seems to spend most of the movie wide-eyed and mute. There’s limited depth written in here for either character, and that’s not their fault. Banner is defined primarily by his need to keep moving, and Betty is defined by her need to move after him. There’s little more to either of them than that, and the few times when the script strives for more it’s quickly glossed over or doused by the inexplicable rain which invariable pours down from the heavens (perhaps as a stand-in for the genuine emotion the movie fails to conjure) whenever they’re reunited… sometimes even on a bright and sunny day.

Hot on Banner’s trail is the obsessed general Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt), Betty’s estranged father and the guy the army has tasked with capturing Banner and copying his affliction to create a new breed of super soldiers. If there’s a major problem with Incredible Hulk, it’s his character. Thunderbolt is on camera more than any other cast member, yet he never makes a whole lot of sense. He’s wildly inconsistent. One moment he displays a blatant disregard for innocent life, the next he’s contradicting everything he’s said he stands for to protect it against his own utterly predictable failures. Thunderbolt never quite gels, and seems motivated only by some vague vendetta which is never properly explained.

Eventually it all culminates in one of those big, obligatory, superhero movie, New York City street brawls in which the Hulk mast face off against his equal and opposite. Apparently the bad guys never want to fight in Denver or Dallas. There’s not much in it you haven’t seen before. Cars are thrown and streets are smashed. The CGI is adequate yet obvious, and really no better than what we saw five years ago in Ang Lee’s movie. The movie’s final fight scene has been touted heavily, and there have even been claims that it’s 26 minutes long. I didn’t time it, but the scene I watched seemed to last about 5 minutes. Regardless of length, Louis Letterier delivers plenty of nice wide shots to let you see what’s going on during the action, though he never seems to linger on any part of a fight long enough for us to get truly involved.

Rather than letting us latch on to the fights, Letterier uses Hulk’s battles (his final one in particular) as opportunities to treat fans to more geeky asides, all of which will no doubt have them quivering in their feetie pajamas and clutching their vintage Hulk lunchboxes with glee, and it’s those moments and references to other things which are often the most fun throughout the film. In fact my favorite scene comes in the movie’s closing minutes, when Robert Downey Jr. finally shows up for his much talked about Tony Stark cameo. I’m not sure what it says about a movie when the best things in it are references to other things, but it probably doesn’t say anything particularly good.

For the most part, I think The Incredible Hulk accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. It simply isn’t out to accomplish much. This isn’t a particularly ambitious or subtle film, it exists primarily to tickle the nostalgia-bones of moviegoers who are already invested in the history of this character and his world. There’s nothing wrong with that I suppose, and it’s done well enough that no doubt Hulk fans will enjoy the hell out of it and then overrate it to everyone else. If you’re part of that everyone else, feel free to stay home.

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Phil Miller Says:
June 11th, 2008 at 01:49
Hey Josh, do you think this movie was better than Ang Lee's version? I actually like Lee's version.

JoshT Says:
June 11th, 2008 at 01:50
No, I think Ang Lee's version is significantly better. Lee's version has some problems (the ending in particular is terrible), but at least it has lofty ambitions. This does not.

Rich Says:
June 11th, 2008 at 13:53
I LOVED Lee's version. I still don't understand why so many people ragged on it. The Hulk is SUPPOSED to be a cerebral character and not simply, "Hulk smash!"

Doesn't anybody understand that besides the three of us?

Wade Says:
June 11th, 2008 at 21:46
I think it all depends on your generation. I was a major fan of the comic books in the 70's. Even though I have not seen the new movie yet, the trailers indicate this new movie is closer to my generations Hulk. Ang Lee's production was good, I loved it...but it was not what it should have been. Ang's hulk was not the Hulk of the 70's and early 80's

J. Truffle Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 05:15
It's a shame that Bill Bixby passed away. Many fans of the old TV series would have loved to see him have a role in this movie.

-

Reference

Actor: Bill Bixby
Date of Birth: 01/22/1934
Date of Death: 11/21/1993
Age at Death: 59
Cause of Death: Cancer

Texrat Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 14:17
Ah. So any comments that disagree with the reviewer aren't accepted by the moderator. No wonder the commentary is stacked. Pathetic.

JoshT Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 14:17
Truffle, read my review again. Bill Bixby is in the movie.

Even death couldn't stop him.

MDone Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 17:35
If Texrat is right this will not be posted. Ang Lee's version sucked ass. It was emo for the first hour and 15 min. until finally Bruce Banner turned into the Hulk. And lets not forget the "hulk dogs" that in itself was completely lame. I have not seen the new version myself but I completely agree with the creators of this version moving on to completely forget Ang Lee's version.

Dwill Says:
June 13th, 2008 at 00:53
Ang Lee's "The Hulk" had no true storyline, and the last battle was poorly directed and lighted. You can hardly see a thing until the damn thing is already over! The entire movie was basically about the Hulk jumping from mountain to mountain and destroying loads of the military's toys.

JDon Says:
June 13th, 2008 at 04:25
Eh, praising Ang Lee's film, why? Because he has intellectual pretensions? The film was horrible. It was not memorable.

The hulk is a simple storyline and a classic one. It pries deep at our own psyche. I am not surprised to see the Spider-man and Hulk as Marvel's two most popular figures.

Ang Lee's movie was boring. It was confused. He missed entirely the beauty of Hulk... in an attempt to bring about some sort of validation for his own skill. I fail to see what is redeeming about that.

The television series brought out the Hulk well. The idea of a man plagued by his own anger... a fugitive, a scientist, an intellectual man grappling forever with his own instincts.

Supposedly this latest one touches more upon these concepts. I can't wait to see it.

Seb John Lee Says:
June 13th, 2008 at 14:30
I think that the Incredible Hulk movie should have: The leader, Gargoyle, Abomination and The gloth

OJR Says:
June 13th, 2008 at 15:37
The first Hulk movie was well done except it was...boring.

Its a movie based on a comic book character. Comic book characters fight villains. Its not rocket science. The first Hulk movie had him fighting 3 dogs. Huh? A ridiculous scene for a COMIC BOOK MOVIE. Follow the easy formula, people...

Even the average non-comic book fan can see that it was too artsy for the genre.

Hopefully this Hulk movie version can right the ship and try to be more entertaining.

Lilbit Says:
June 13th, 2008 at 16:28
I went to see the movie earlier today and I was pleased with it, from beginning to end. I was definitely excited by the Stark cameo and I'm really looking forward to the future movies that come out of this! I think people ask too much when it comes to creating Comic Book movies. I liked that it didn't delve into the old history...it starts five years later. I don't care to see HOW it happened...I wanted to see what BECAME of him...and I got that. The poor man is tormented by what he is and I wish other comic movies would show what happens to al the greats when they finally try to live their lives and try to fit in again. It's no "Iron Man" but it was definitely worth the $8.00 I paid to see it. ;)

ollie english III Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 17:18
i really enjoyed the new hulk film it had all of what the last one did not . i compare the last one to a matrixs film if u came in late u would be confused. Ed brought something new to the role so did liv. i also loved the transformation starting with the eyes and hulk really had to fight because abomination was stronger. i give this movie a 10/10 the hulk is back!

Stuart Says:
June 16th, 2008 at 16:21
I love that people are calling Ang Lee's Hulk boring while praising this lazy walkthrough.

Banner is safe. Banner is in peril. Banner runs. Banner is cornered. Banner Hulks. Hulk Smashes. Banner escapes.

Repeat no less than 3 times.

And that is Louis Letterier's Hulk.

Really. That's. It.

If it's not at least boring then it's certainly mind-numbingly repetitive and uninspired.

Just because it's louder and more obnoxious doesn't mean it's more interesting, unless you have the IQ of the average Labrador.

No wonder Ed Norton politely disowned it.

OJR Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 13:13
Stuart:

Its a movie based on a comic book!

What depth/emotion do you expect from a movie about a guy who turns green?

Your pretentious assumption that people who enjoyed this movie are low IQ individuals is asinine.

I love it when faceless, facetious pseudo-intellectuals scorn the general public because they love popcorn movies.

Dave Says:
June 18th, 2008 at 14:54
A "Hulkamaniac" is the nickname for fans of former WWF/WWE wrestler Hulk Hogan. As well as" "Hulkster".

web master Says:
June 19th, 2008 at 15:03
Ang lee's hulk was gay, there was hardly any action, and those stupid split screens gave me a head ache. the new hulk is far better it had more action, better visual affects, and a better plot. the only thing i didnt like about it was that betty ross was so unbelievable and boring, and it could have had more humor in it.

Anna Says:
June 20th, 2008 at 23:22
I won't be seeing this movie although I was a fan of the first and love the HULK-reason being I don't like sequels that change the characters where is Eric Bana and Jennifer Connolly it would be like swithching Tobi McGuire and Kirsten Dunst in Spiderman. BIG MISTAKE IN MY OPINION-due to this I lost all interest in spending the money at the movies to see it.

pedro Says:
July 7th, 2008 at 18:21
i found most of the same flaws you did, Josh. but i liked the movie just fine. sure, it's no Spider-Man, but Norton is good as Banner, a man who manages to keep his wits throughout his predicament. actually, i think the movie should have been just Banner hiding in the favelas and laying low.

a few things: that "sudden rain" was pathetic, betty ross should have died, and where's Doc Samson!? And why does the Abomination look like a member of the Hellboy Rejects Club!?

Also, that last scene ROCKED...why does something tell me there's an Avengers movie coming up soon!? i wonder... ;)

And by the way, is this movie based on the "Bruce Banner: Fugitive" storyline from a few years ago? Apart from Betty Ross being present, it would seem so, what with the whole Mr. Blue/Mr. Green thing...also, was the comic-book Mr. Blue the same person as the movie Mr. Blue?

to sum up my opinion of the movie, i leave you with a quote: "any last words!?" "HULK....SMASH!!!!"

Ash Says:
July 9th, 2008 at 09:37
I, like the reviewer, much preferred "Hulk" to "The Incredible Hulk", but I won't say one is or isn't superior to the other. Rather, it comes down to the tastes of the individual. If you're intellectually in the top twenty per cent of the population, you'll probably prefer the Ang Lee film. If, like eighty per cent of people, you are a member of the brainless masses, then you'll likely prefer the 2008 film.

All sarcasm aside, I won't say that "The Incredible Hulk" is one of the worst movies I've seen, but it definitely is one of the worst that I've actually gone and seen at the cinema (it's right up there with Speed 2 and Vertical Limit). My GOD it was boring!

I left the film wondering if the director had doped the actors during filming. I COULD NOT BELIEVE that Edward Norton and (even more amazingly) Tim Roth could be made to look so bad. I mean, TIM ROTH FOR GOD'S SAKE? The same actor who played Cunningham in Rob Roy?

I'm confused about this talk of the new film having "more action" than its predecessor. It's shorter and has a faster start, but it still has long periods of talking (which are far less interesting this time around). I thought the first film probably had more time spent in action sequences than the new one, if you add them all together.

Also, what the hell was with that scientist who appeared late in the new movie? I found him to be EXTREMELY irritating.

I think the reviewer was generous. Three out of five stars is an average movie, which this one wasn't.

3/10

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