Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Don't make me angry, you wouldn't like me when I'm angry.", 29 Oct 2008
When the first version of the Hulk hit the screens it met with a rather lukewarm reception but now Marvel have gone back to the drawing board and given us a new film which hits the mark one hundred percent.
Set five years after Bruce Banner's accident with Gamma radiation, we find our hero living in South America, holding down a part time job and trying to learn how to control the beast that rages within him.
Banner is in contact with the mysterious Mr Blue who is trying to help him find a cure for his problem but things get hectic when a military team succeed in tracking Banner down with the intention of examining him to find out how he got his abilities so they can replicate the treatment.
Seeking help from Betty Ross, Banner returns to the USA to cure his condition once and for all, unaware that the military has taken further steps to bring both him, and the Hulk inside him, back home.
Now this is exactly what the first Hulk film should've been. However, this one has been made by someone who obviously had a real passion for the original television series in the 70's as there are numerous nods to the show, right down to the opening title sequence and some of the music too.
Norton is spot on as Banner and looks freakishly like Bill Bixby in some scenes. William Hurt is excellent, as always, as General `Thunderbolt' Ross, Liv Tyler is surprisingly good as Betty Ross and Tim Roth plays Banner's nemesis Emil Blonsky with zeal and gives us some great scenes.
The film is well paced and builds to the satisfying conclusion as the Hulk and The Abomination fight it out while another classic Hulk villain is born in the debris of the battle. Readers of the comic book will spot him as soon as he appears on screen! There is a nice tie-in at the end with an appearance by Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark.
For those who haven't seen it yet it's advisable for continuity purposes to watch Iron Man first, specifically the scene at the end of that film's credits, before this film and then the last scene will make perfect sense.
The second disc contains some great extras including an alternative opening which comic book readers will understand the significance of, nearly 45 minutes of deleted and extended scenes, the ubiquitous making of and lots of behind the scenes info.
As Marvel films go, this rates as one of their best and it's a must have piece of the puzzle that leads us towards the upcoming Avengers movie.
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33 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Punches the first installment in the face. And neck, 3 Aug 2008
If they were capable of making a Hulk movie like this all along, why on earth did they bother with the first debacle?
Edward Norton is surprisingly good. He's an exceptional actor, but I still associate him with "proper" films like American History X. So to see him in a huge superhero film is still a little odd - however, he's wonderful. He manages to convey an awful lot by saying very little, and it's a real joy to watch.
The effects in this are immeasurably better than the first outing. It's actually probably pointless to compare the two, as they really are virtually incomparable. But even by general standards, this is way up there. They've clearly *poured* energy into making the Hulk look as realistic as possible, and they've pulled it off neatly. From his hair to his eyes (down his rippling musculature to his toes, come to that) he's about as real a CGI character as I've seen.
Tim Roth (Emil Blonsky and later The Abomination) and Liv Tyler (Betty Ross) are excellent support, also. The chemistry between the 3 of them is believable, and Roth's Abomination is genuinely hideous with an epic final battle that seems to go on for weeks. But in a good way.
Lou Ferrigno (Hulk in the iconic tv series) has a cameo, and provided the voice for the Hulk, and Robert Downey Jnr turns up at the end as Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) in what is a *lovely* touch, given Iron Man is also newly released. It adds a degree of realism and depth to that "world", and Stark's cameo brings with it the promise of a sequel... and am thrilled!
The Incredible Hulk is brilliant fun, and it comes highly recommended.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Although his aim's still a bit off, Hulk DOES smash this time!, 3 Feb 2009
2008 was quite the year for superhero films. Obviously, you had The Dark Knight and you had Iron Man. The Dark Knight was an outstanding masterpiece and Iron Man was an absolutely brilliant film. Both were so great in fact, that they overshadowed a THIRD superhero movie that was released that same year.
The Incredible Hulk is one of Marvel's most famous characters. Everyone knows the story of Bruce Banner, the scientist turned fugitive who is cursed by the beast within. Whenever he loses his rag, he turns into an unstoppable force of destruction known as the Hulk. Banner's desire to cure his curse, being constantly pursued by the U.S. Army, the Hulk's incontrollable anger and simple desire to be left alone; all these wonderful characteristics have been so well presented in not just the comics, but also in the cult seventies TV series.
Ang Lee's 2003 Hulk movie had the potential to be absolutely classic. But it turned out NOT to be. It had some good stuff, great action, great CGI, but what really hampered it was that it was perhaps too psychological for its own good. It was also too much of a radical reinvention of the character we all know and love. And the whole "comic-book-brought-to-life" presentation of it took a lot of credibility away.
So...obvious question: is The Incredible Hulk a direct sequel to Ang Lee's film? Not exactly. Certain story elements have been adapted and utilized here, but it's mostly a reboot, inspired by what Christopher Nolan did for the Batman film franchise. Here, Bruce Banner has been on the run for five years, trying to maintain a low profile and control his rage. All the while looking for the elusive cure and stop the military from using the Hulk's power for a weapon. But the relentless General Ross won't leave him alone, and he's brought in transferred soldier Emil Blonsky to apprehend Banner. But Blonsky's after the Hulk's power for his own ends...and inevitably, the Abomination rises.
So...NEXT obvious question; is The Incredible Hulk BETTER than it's 2003 predecessor? YES, it is. If you had a flawed film to begin with, you either try to fix the formula if you're doing a sequel (which is very risky, as it can do more harm than good), or you start over from scratch. Universal Pictures deserve praise for their approach by rebooting the Hulk film franchise, as it allowed to start afresh with a brand new slate. They've clearly learned from their mistakes with the previous film, yet also inventively utilised the best plot elements from Hulk to help establish the setting this time around.
The Incredible Hulk has all the fundamental qualities taken from the comics to produce a very good story. How Banner has to deal with the raging monster inside him every day of his life is superbly presented, as is his obsession to cure himself, his desire to be with the woman he loves, Betty Ross, being tormented by enemies from all sides etc. Plus, all the relationships and interactions between the characters (Banner, Betty and General Ross) have been faithfully adapted on screen, which is very pleasing.
But if you're looking for the ULTIMATE Hulk movie, a cinematic treat that is deservedly perfect, you're still going to have to wait. The Incredible Hulk has it's own set of nagging faults. For instance, the CGI is good but doesn't hold a candle to stuff like Iron Man, Transformers, the Spider-Man/X-Men films etc. Even Hulk had much better special effects.
Another problem is the story. Don't get me wrong, it's very good indeed but could've been so much more. Quite a few sub-plots have been left unresolved here and in comparison to say The Dark Knight or Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk is left feeling a bit shallow in terms of story/character depth/development. And that's what's really annoying about this film. It's not a bad movie, it just has a lot that could and should have been fleshed out more.
Still, there are redeeming qualities here. Particularly the action scenes and the fact that they chose a proper Hulk villain, The Abomination, to serve as the primary antagonist. Again, this is a notable improvement over this film's predecessor, as the Abomination is one of the Hulk's most famous enemies; a more nightmarish and even stronger brute that provides for a fabulous challenge. It's another thing that's been well-adapted and presented here.
The Incredible Hulk also tries to mirror Iron Man in certain parts, in the sense that there's some outstanding humour. In comparison to Iron Man, though, the humour is very few-and-far-between and this movie takes itself a lot more seriously, but the humour is nevertheless expertly delivered when it pops up. The casting is also something to approve. Edward Norton makes for a fine Bruce Banner and Liv Tyler and William Hurt are brilliant in their respective roles as Betty and General Ross. The most outstanding actor here, though...is Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky. His casting is absolutely inspired, and he clearly relishes in being the villain, and delivers some dry humour as a nice bonus.
Finally, check out the ending to the film. It features a VERY special guest appearance, which crosses over into...well, I won't spoil anything. Just check it out. You'll absolutely love it.
There's only ONE extra here for the single-disc edition, and that's an audio commentary featuring Tim Roth and director Louis Leterrier, who talks about various inspirations, comic elements and ideas for the film. The two provide a narrative that makes for very good listening, but I'd advise you choose the 2-disc set for more features, as that's better value for money.
Although still not perfect, The Incredible Hulk is a step in the right direction. Compared to Iron Man and the Dark Knight, this isn't essential at all, but Hulk DOES smash this time. Give it a rent at least, then make your own mind up.
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