Review: The Incredible Hulk

#124 - The Incredible Hulk


The Incredible Hulk is the story of Bruce Banner and gamma radiation gone wrong. Bruce Banner is a scientist that agrees to have an experiment done on him involving gamma rays. It takes a turn for the worst, and it creates a monster. When Bruce's heart rate rises, he turns into a creature called The Hulk. Large, green, and mean, he attacks everything and everyone around him, and it's extremely difficult to control...until he comes face to face with the love of his life, Betty Ross. Betty's father, the general, was the one who performed these experiments on Bruce all those years ago. When Bruce sees Betty for the first time since he went on the run, it's like he never left. Betty helps Bruce hide from her father and the military. Eventually Bruce is discovered, and The Hulk puts up a fight. The general has to take matters into his own hands, so he injects one of his men with a chemical much like that flowing through Bruce's veins. It doesn't work as planned, so a new creature is created: Abomination. He terrorizes the city, and The Hulk has to sweep in to save the day. Hulk wins, but the media doesn't care. They see him as a threat and a freak, so Bruce is forced into hiding again.

This film is Marvel's attempt to fix the piece of crap they released with Eric Bana as Bruce Banner back in 2003. It had a good cast, but it missed the mark majorly. This one, still written by Stan Lee and his team, was much better. I would still like to see a new Hulk movie made with the new Bruce Banner: Mark Ruffalo. I feel as though he fits the role of a nerdy scientist holding in a devastating secret the best of anyone cast to date. However, in this film, Edward Norton does a stellar job. I think they cast the character a little old, but Norton definitely pulls it off.

I do not, however, agree with the casting of Liv Tyler. Let's just all agree that when Liv Tyler is cast, it is NEVER a good casting decision.

Being the Marvel fan that I am, I can appreciate the homage they paid to the original Hulk television show. They even gave Lou Ferrigno a cameo as a security guard. They also used the original music from the show, and they made a joke about Hulk's purple stretch pants when Betty purchases them from the store. That is true Marvel fashion: throwing in subtle things that hint toward other Marvel characters and stories. And, of course, Stan Lee also made his cameo very early in the film.

I feel bad for Bruce Banner though, let me tell you. That dude's heart rate rises every time he goes to have sex...so he can never have it...ever. Sucks to be Bruce.

The writing is surprisingly good. They even throw in great lines like, "If we mix the chemicals, it could create an abomination," as he's saying it to the man who will eventually become the villain, Abomination. It's creative. However, I think it misses on the jokes. Marvel is usually littered with witty dialogue and jokes galore, but there is really only the purple pants joke in this film...and that's not even really a joke. It is still lacking something that the other Marvel films have. It can't stand up against Captain America, Thor, or Iron Man. I feel that if they re-made it one more time with Mark Ruffalo, it could be successful.

Overall, I would give The Incredible Hulk 3 out of 5 stars.