The Incredible Hulk

A long form review originally posted in 2011:

Dubbed as a “re-quel”, The Incredible Hulk was first released in 2008, and now, I’m here to review it in the line of Marvel films I’m getting through a the moment.

I always like to think of films individually, but with the Marvel Cinematic Universe getting so big, that can be rather difficult to do. So though I may comment on films in relation to their sequels, remakes, prequels, spin-offs, parodies and the like, know that my final score out of ten is always based purely on the films merits, or lack thereof.

It’s pretty crazy seeing Edward Norton (American History X, Fight Club, Red Dragon, Kingdom of Heaven, Pride and Glory, Stone) as a very scrawny Bruce Banner, considering that he turns into the giant, muscular Hulk. But to me it totally worked. As an interesting side-note, Norton co-wrote the script, which may or may not have contributed to his being ousted as Banner for any future films after the movie was released. Not because the script is particularly awful or anything, but because as a general rule production doesn’t like actors getting all up in "dey grillz" half way through. Although it’s not like Norton’s never done this sort of thing before.

Under-appreciated Tim Roth (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Planet of the Apes, Lie to Me, Rob Roy) is also excellent (as far as I’m concerned) playing the role of Abomination/Emil Blonsky. Interesting side-note, no, he’s not related to Eli Roth, who’s also a friend and actor of Quentin Tarantino and his films.

Ultimately, The Incredible Hulk is a fine film, but it just can’t stand up to the superior writing and character building of Thor, Iron Man or Iron Man 2. Liv Tyler (The Strangers, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Armageddon) is rather a non-event as supposed love interest Betty Ross. And William Hurt (Robin Hood, A History of Violence, The Village, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, Dark City) as semi-antagonist General Thunderbolt Ross, is nothing but annoying (although it is pretty cool to see just how much they got him looking like the comic book character he is based on.

You would’ve thought that having a modern day Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story to run with, backing from the success of the franchise you’ve got supporting you, that it would be easy to write strong characters, unfortunately, it’s not the case. And while the action sequences are cool, and the fighting is possibly some of the best that Marvel’s come up with, it’s not enough to bring this film up to the standards of the other 3. The film lacks the flair I’m sure everyone would be expecting, and while it’s a perfectly good monster-movie movie, perhaps a completely separate Super Hero origin story would have been better than the overly-CGI-ridden quasi-sequel to 2003’s The Hulk that we ended up with.

66%

-Gimly

It's an improvement on the Ang Lee film only in the sense that the smashy smashy bits are more entertaining than the previous film's thinky thinky bits. But the fact that the entire film is just one long extended fight scene is disappointing to us who enjoy the darker, more emotional beats of the Hulk's story. I enjoy this movie quite a bit as a well put together piece of fluff entertainment, but I hold no delusions that even Marvel Studios couldn't get the definitive version of Hulk on screen.

Much more enjoyable than the 2003 film, which this 2008 release reboots. So that's a positive. As for a follow-up in the MCU, it's a little underwhelming if still passably good - at least to me.

'The Incredible Hulk' is closer to being forgettable than it is to being memorable, but that's not to say I didn't have a solid time watching. It's only really the ending that I felt dragged, yet even then it still has positive moments.

I liked Edward Norton's performance for the most part, particularly early on in South America. Tim Roth is good too, though a few of his scenes irritated me slightly - perhaps more to do with how the film uses him, rather than what Roth does himself. There are a few others, but those two are the most standout.

I did expect more, but there's enough there that I rate.

So the "Gamma Bomb" has done it's stuff and "Banner" (Edward Norton) has got to find some way to control his newly found, bodice-ripping powers - there must have been quite a bit of lycra in his trousers! Anyway, desperate for a cure and on the run from army general "Ross" (William Hurt) he alights on that man's daughter - and his ex-girlfriend - "Betty" (Liv Tyler) to help him sort himself out. "Ross" isn't the giving up easily type, though, and he engages the help of British killing machine "Blonsky" (Tim Roth). Tired of coming off second best in their battles, this man decides that he too must find a way to mutate - setting up the prospect of a battle royal between the two powerhouses of brute strength and terrible skin conditions. It's watchable, this, but I always found the "Hulk" stories amongst the most boring from amongst the comic characters. Norton enters into the spirit of things well enough, as does the always reliable Roth, but neither William Hurt nor the terribly sterile Tyler really add any richness to this otherwise procedural fantasy. The visual effects are efficient, the pyrotechnics likewise but the sum of these parts just doesn't really add up to much of an whole as it concludes in the only way it can. A triumph for the make-up department, certainly, but not really much else.

Everything was green and no one had a character.

Despite being one of the most overlooked entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Incredible Hulk isn't quite the disaster many remember it to be. It's undeniably generic and formulaic, lacking the personality or narrative depth to stand out - and its place in the MCU has only faded further due to the recasting of its lead, the disappearance of key characters, and the franchise's later tonal shift. But looking at it as a standalone Hulk film, there's actually something admirable about its grounded action and raw energy. The VFX still holds up surprisingly well, especially when compared to later, more bubbly iterations of the character. Hulk feels like an unpredictable, destructive force here - something to fear, not cheer on - and that sense of danger adds real tension to the sparing but impactful set pieces.

Edward Norton fits this more introspective, serious version of Bruce Banner, even if it's easy to understand why Mark Ruffalo's lighter tone ultimately prevailed. Liv Tyler and William Hurt bring sincerity to their roles, and Tim Roth is a clear highlight as Emil Blonsky, injecting the movie with intensity. Unfortunately, the film suffers from thin characterization and uneven tone - exemplified by Tim Blake Nelson's cartoonish Sterns, who feels plucked from a different universe entirely. While it may not hold much weight within the grand MCU tapestry, The Incredible Hulk offers a decently engaging throwback to a time when the franchise still didn't quite know what it wanted to be… and for that, it's oddly refreshing. Just not enough for me to really, really enjoy that much.

Rating: C+