Review: The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Directed by: Louis Leterrier
Written by: Zak Penn
Starring: Edward Norton, Tim Roth, Liv Tyler

Okay, whilst this film isn't officially a sequel, they haven't remade the 2003 film, which in my mind, is clever, as no-one wants to rewatch the film.  They have simply condensed the mythology of Hulk (which most people should now - should be taught in schools I personally think - Gamma radiation = hulk), but the general gist is, Bruce Banner (Norton) submits himself as a test subject in his own gamma radiation experiments, and ultimately becomes a behemoth of rage and uncontrollable aggression.  This 'hulk' comes to form when his heartrate reaches certain levels.  This film starts with Banner on the run, and also, Emil Blonsky (Roth) hunting him down, and admiring the raw power of the hulk.

Now, plotwise, this film, well, it's a marvel summer blockbuster, so dont expect to feel like it goes too deep into the psychology behind uncontrollable rage that is in all of us which is often a subtle overtown in the comics, and as so, it is VERY subtle in this (with Bettys [tylers] boyfriend as a psychologist).  Whilst there is nothing particularly clever about this film, it does give us a few basics, some good action/chase scenes, and some interesting moral dilemmas concerning the use of the hulks power.  Couple of drawbacks to this film, Betty Ross, Tyler seemed to make the character a little too weak in the film, whilst she isn't supposed to be an action star, she is meant to be very strong willed, and you would have expected her to be a little pi***d off the Banner hadn't contacted her in all these years, returns, and still doesn't get in touch.

This said, whilst the fight scenes were pretty huge, there was (as in Iron Man) a sense of relying on them too much in parts, whilst the beginning was excellent, and most scenes throughout the film used the CGI as though it wasn't there, the final action scenes, well, CGI-fest.  I mean it was done well, but still, could have been thought about better, I felt.  Also, finally Marvel realised their mistake with Iron Man, no extra scene after all the credits, it came at the end of the film, after the story ended, and it made me happy.  Although, they could have gone for the in between credits area, I would have accepted that as a good compromise.

Overall, not quite as good as Iron Man, but a worthy Marvel film.

THE RANT - okay, I have decided I need an area in my reviews for a good old rant, this week, it comes from reviews that simply state 'well it isn't Batman'.  Of course it isn't Batman is a completely different style of comics.  To be brief about it DC stands for detective comics, working in solid stories of discovery, and personal agony.  Whereas Marvel, well you know what the term marvel means, so is based on the huge, the very much in your face, and as such, is focussed on a younger, and more fantasy based audience as opposed to DC.

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

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