The Incredible Hulk
Directed by: Louis Leterrier Starring: Edward Norton, Tim Roth, Liv Tyler, William Hurt Synopsis: Dr Bruce Banner was exposed to a huge dose of gamma radiation which causes him to mutate into a giant neanderthalic creature when stressed or angry. Evading the military, in particular his girlfriend’s father, General Ross, who wants to study him for military applications, Banner hides out in Brazil, trying to develop a cure. Unfortunately, the military is hot on his trail... Review: I have to admit that I enjoyed Ang Lee’s Hulk, until it got to the end and Nick Nolte turned into some sort of malevolent cloud creature. It seemed to me that a) they’d run out of ideas and b) the fx budget had run out. For all that I enjoyed the first three quarters though, it was apparent that Lee was making a post-modern art movie only dressed up to look like a comic-book. It even had scenes drifting in and out of comic panels.
When I heard that a second Hulk movie was going to be made, I imagined that it was going to be a straight-to-DVD affair, considering how badly the original performed at the box office. Then I heard the cast line-up, and I was thinking, really? Ed Norton and Tim Roth? In The Hulk? Strange as it sounded then, it makes perfect sense now. The Incredible Hulk is the latest step in the evolution of comic-book movies. Originally, comic-book heroes were taken out of their environment and juxtaposed into the “real world” , leaving all the other trappings behind. This is very true of the Hulk, whose tv series basically boiled down to a rehash of The Fugitive. The big difference now is that we’re seeing the dots being joined between different characters and legends. There are big nods to Stark Industries (Iron Man), the Super Soldier project (Capt. America) and S.H.I.E.L.D (Nick fury), as well as a number of others. What this background trivia does is help the viewer accept the plausibility of The Hulk’s existence. This isn’t the real world, its The Marvel Universe.
So what of the film proper? It starts perfectly. In my review for Speed Racer, I cited the opening 10 minutes as perfect storytelling. The Hulk beats it hands down with an excellent précised visual recap of The Hulk’s origins and why Banner is on the run. By the time the credits are over, even the least comic-book literate audience member is up-to-date.
Director Letterier does a good job of revealing the Hulk to us in stages. The first encounter is in a darkened factory, with the Hulk’s arms looming out of the shadows to grab or hurl one of the soldiers. He also keeps Banner’s transformation under wraps until a crucial moment late in the movie. Edward Norton is great as Bruce Banner, both hunted and haunted, desperate not to hurt anyone and to destroy the monster within. All the psychological “daddy issues” which dogged the first movie have been dropped to make the character more streamlined. Norton is even able to bring a sense of humour to the role. Tim Roth makes for a cool baddie. As a soldier he’s seen and done just about everything – until he meets the Hulk, of course. When Ross fills him in, he’s fascinated and wants something similar. William Hurt plays Ross as a complete obsessive, too. Styled to be visually in keeping with Sam Elliot’s portrayal in the first movie, he is angry at how the hulk made him feel weak and vulnerable. The only wet blanket on show is Liv Tyler, whose Betty Ross just doesn’t have the inner strength her character needs. As a result her scenes tend to slow the movie. The ending, although unavoidable, is basically a big CGI slugfest as the Hulk battles with Blonsky, smashing their way through New York. This is where I kind of switched off unfortunately, as there was no real threat or danger. A shame, considering the fun that had preceded it. Verdict: Whilst not as big and shiny as Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk at least does it’s hero justice, giving the world the first truly recognisable incarnation of The Hulk. 7 Out of 10 (MikeOutWest)
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