Directed By: Louis Leterrier
Starring: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth
Do not be mistaken; this is not the sequel to the boring, underachieving Hulk released in 2003, directed by Ang Lee. This version, released five years later, seems like an attempt to completely erase that "mistake" that was the Eric Bana Hulk. And if that's what the movie is principally trying to achieve, then it does it well.
Unlike the Ang Lee version, there's no long-awaited anticipation for the protagonist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) to finally become the monster Hulk - in fact, the whole period of when Bruce goes from normal scientist to monster in human skin is finished through the film's opening credits. Also unlike Lee's version, the quiet subtlety is diluted with more comic book hero-like precision. There's no time left to wonder the mystery of the beast - watching the film does it for you.
Elizabeth Ross, now played by Liv Tyler, replaces the overwhelming role Jennifer Connelly filled in the previous Hulk, supplanting her obvious love for Banner without any wasted screen-time. The antagonist roles of Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) and General Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt) aren't played to the quiet likeness that Norton and Tyler seem to find, but are by no means inadequate in comparison. In this movie, really, no one part is unnecessary.
Watching the premiere of The Incredible Hulk at another mid-night showing packed full of nerds, I began to really take in how much of a positive upturn comic book movies have been showing. After a blistering cascade of immensely popular comic book movies earlier this decade like Spiderman, X-Men, X-Men 2, Hellboy, and Spiderman 2, the industry saw a large amount of shit fall its own way - Daredevil, Elektra, Hulk, Ghost Rider, Son of the Mask, and by a large margin, the hugely disappointing X-Men 3: The Last Stand, and the godawful Spiderman 3. But now, with the releases of Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, and the soon to be released The Dark Knight (which looks like it's going to be better than all of them), the industry seems completely back on the upswing. And what seems even more exciting are these cameo's that keep popping up at the end of these Marvel Films. Like Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury showing up in Iron Man, telling Tony Starks (Robert Downey Jr.) about a team he's looking to form. And then Tony Starks showing up at the end of The Incredible Hulk, telling General Ross about adding another member to the team. Also with the words on an Ant Man and Thor movies coming out, get ready for a one Hell of a Avengers Movie.
As for the Incredible Hulk review. It's good. Go see it. Go Avengers. Iron Man was better. See that too.
Score: 8.4 out of 10
Starring: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth
Do not be mistaken; this is not the sequel to the boring, underachieving Hulk released in 2003, directed by Ang Lee. This version, released five years later, seems like an attempt to completely erase that "mistake" that was the Eric Bana Hulk. And if that's what the movie is principally trying to achieve, then it does it well.
Unlike the Ang Lee version, there's no long-awaited anticipation for the protagonist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) to finally become the monster Hulk - in fact, the whole period of when Bruce goes from normal scientist to monster in human skin is finished through the film's opening credits. Also unlike Lee's version, the quiet subtlety is diluted with more comic book hero-like precision. There's no time left to wonder the mystery of the beast - watching the film does it for you.
Elizabeth Ross, now played by Liv Tyler, replaces the overwhelming role Jennifer Connelly filled in the previous Hulk, supplanting her obvious love for Banner without any wasted screen-time. The antagonist roles of Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) and General Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt) aren't played to the quiet likeness that Norton and Tyler seem to find, but are by no means inadequate in comparison. In this movie, really, no one part is unnecessary.
Watching the premiere of The Incredible Hulk at another mid-night showing packed full of nerds, I began to really take in how much of a positive upturn comic book movies have been showing. After a blistering cascade of immensely popular comic book movies earlier this decade like Spiderman, X-Men, X-Men 2, Hellboy, and Spiderman 2, the industry saw a large amount of shit fall its own way - Daredevil, Elektra, Hulk, Ghost Rider, Son of the Mask, and by a large margin, the hugely disappointing X-Men 3: The Last Stand, and the godawful Spiderman 3. But now, with the releases of Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, and the soon to be released The Dark Knight (which looks like it's going to be better than all of them), the industry seems completely back on the upswing. And what seems even more exciting are these cameo's that keep popping up at the end of these Marvel Films. Like Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury showing up in Iron Man, telling Tony Starks (Robert Downey Jr.) about a team he's looking to form. And then Tony Starks showing up at the end of The Incredible Hulk, telling General Ross about adding another member to the team. Also with the words on an Ant Man and Thor movies coming out, get ready for a one Hell of a Avengers Movie.
As for the Incredible Hulk review. It's good. Go see it. Go Avengers. Iron Man was better. See that too.
Score: 8.4 out of 10
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