More than any other Avenger, the Incredible Hulk seems to have been shortchanged of his potential in terms of standalone movies. His only solo adventure is one that has been largely forgotten in the eyes of Marvel fans and the moviegoing public. Even “Iron Man 2” is remembered by fans of the franchise for how inferior it is to its predecessor. It is actually quite mournful because “The Incredible Hulk” is a good piece of superhero filmmaking in its own right.
The film starts with the gamma radiation experiment that turns Bruce Banner (Edward Norton, “Isle of Dogs”) into the titular character and causes him to go on the run for five years. However, he is constantly chased by General Ross (William Hurt, “Captain America: Civil War”) and Captain Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth, “The Hateful Eight”). His only hope now is to return home, and with the help of his ex-girlfriend Betty Ross (Liv Tyler, “Wildling”), find a cure for his condition.
One aspect that sells the film successfully is the performances. Norton channels the humanity of Banner with a tortured performance that allows viewers to see his desperation for a cure. Roth convinces as well, though he is sadly underdeveloped like many other MCU villains and undeserved when he finally becomes the Abomination, Hulk’s archenemy. Hurt brings the right kind of determination to Ross, and it is easy to see his selfishness in trying to capture Banner. Tyler, a self-proclaimed fan of the Hulk TV series from the 1970s, is merely acceptable. Her chemistry with Norton does not always work, but it is better than what Eric Bana and Jennifer Connelly had in the 2003 Ang Lee film.
The action is fun to watch, and it feels satisfying at times to see the Hulk smash buildings and vehicles. But what is important is how Banner’s time as the Hulk affects him. Throughout, he flashes back to the destruction he causes and is reminded almost every day of what kind of problem he has inside him. Its tone is more serious than many other MCU films, so those expecting a comedic affair with the Hulk, like in “Thor: Ragnarok,” will be disappointed. It is still something to appreciate in regard to trying to give depth to the proceedings. At times, it feels more like a B-horror film, especially in the scene where Hulk fights Blonsky in a soda factory; the shadows conceal Hulk, and the cinematography is appropriately claustrophobic.
The film falters in the CG for both Hulk and Abomination. It is quite hit-and-miss, half the time looking like bad cartoon figures and looking like realistic beings during the other half. Also, Tim Blake Nelson is probably the only member of the main cast who is truly bad; he is more campy than anything. There is also an attempt to make Banner’s condition too realistic. There is a rule that if his heart rate reaches 200, he transforms. Honestly, it is redundant when there is already the issue of getting too angry.
Easter eggs are quite insignificant. If it was not for namedrops for Nick Fury, S.H.I.E.L.D., the Super Soldier Program and Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr., “Avengers: Infinity War”) appearing in the last scene (which should have been after the credits), one would not even realize that this is an MCU film. In terms of where the film stands in the franchise as a whole, the only important factor that carries through the later films is that Banner supposedly can control his Hulk transformations. Even with Hurt reappearing in “Civil War,” casual fans would not have missed anything by skipping this film. With all of that, it is not hard to see why MCU fans forget about it and why it is usually downplayed compared to the other films.
What should be taken away from this, however, is how the film works on its own terms. The performances from most of the cast, serious tone and attempts to delve into Banner’s psyche show that director Louis Leterrier wanted to do a good job working on this film, and for the most part, he succeeds. An added bonus for the nostalgia are the references to the 70s TV series, ranging from namedrops like Jack McGee (Jack Colvin’s reporter character who always tries to capture the Hulk) to the “Don’t make me angry” line, to the “Lonely Man” theme, to a TV clip with Bill Bixby (David Banner in the series) and giving Lou Ferrigno (the Hulk in the series) a cameo and having him say the Hulk’s dialogue. This film may not be for MCU fans, but Hulk fans should appreciate this film, both as a standalone superhero film and even a cinematic remake of the TV series.
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