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Incredible Hulk - Non Spoiler Review Hot

Movie Reviews

Release Date: June 12, 2008
Studio: Universal Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action • Adventure • Scifi
Director: Louis Leterrier
Writers: Zak Penn, Edward Norton, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
Cast: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson, Ty Burrell, Lou Ferrigno, Robert Downey Jr, Christina Cabot
Synopsis: HULK SMASH!! Nuff Said.
The Review: As many of my friends can confirm I've been saying for years that no matter the quality of the film the one key missing ingredient in these comic book flicks is the connection to one another that forms up what the heart of these comic book universes have to offer.

Even if it’s something as simple as Peter Parker looking at the front page of the Daily Bugle featuring some story about the Human Torches latest paternity suit it would be enough to expand the these worlds together. Better still would be the ability to continue some sort of continuity with the actors playing the roles popping up in other films.

What I saw on screen last night at the Incredible Hulk tickled my geek DNA at its core! When Marvel Entertainment took on some huge debt’s to gain control of their comic book film franchises many people saw it as a risk bigger than the Hulks stretchy purple pants. While Iron Man blew people away, the Hulk is a bigger risk since the last outing was such a dismal failure on so many levels. Even if it doesn’t pay off at the box office with this one it’s certainly going down in the minds of many as a total success story based on respect for the characters and the fans.

It’s no secret at this point that this movie has ties to Iron Man, and even if you didn’t know that before reading it’s nothing that will spoil anything for you and all I will say is this movie has the Stark Industries seal of approval all over it and it’s glorious. The rest of the Marvel Universe sprinkled through out will depend on your geek knowledge at this point…but I assure you there is a plan laid out and things that you might miss now will certainly have the dots connected later. WOO HOO!!

Crossover fun aside I’m here to talk to you about the Hulk so let’s get to it.

First let me say I actually enjoy Ang Lee’s Hulk movie. Sure I was a little bitter at first because I was signed up to be an extra in the damn thing and never got my chance for various reasons, and even more bitter when I watched a movie where the Hulk did so little smashing and treated us instead to a crazy ranting fest of Nick Notle and an ending that was so hard to visually understand. But something about the film kept calling for me to give it another shot and the more I’ve seen it the more I understand what Ang was going for and how beautiful a film it can be at times. Not sure the Hulk was the comic book I’d suggest going for an art house film out of but still.

This time round they erase all ties to that movie and start over from scratch and get the ball rolling fast giving it more of a connection to the old TV show than Ang’s movie. NICE! What follows plays out a little like The Banner Identity loaded with dialog and set up for not just this film but any possible sequels to follow. As things build one of the most impressive things is Edward Norton’s ability to make you believe he’s exactly what he’s playing on screen. Watching him tinker with anything from machinery equipment to his low tech chemistry set I never once doubted him as a man of science….are you paying attention casting directors? Denise Richards as a Nuclear Physicist? Really?! Even in a bad Bond film this won’t fly people! Norton is an actor who just doesn’t hold back and 110% of what he is left all over the screen.

While it’s not a perfect movie by any means and it has its share of loopy plot messes, and believe what you want about any feud between Norton and the studio over his script work and cut of the film. What does work is the set up that this all happens in a real world setting and one in which The Hulk might not be the toughest kid on the block.

The pace of this thing feels a little wonky at times leaving you with long stretches of time while you watch Banner weave his way around the world searching for escape and a possible cure (if that’s too much a spoiler for you to handle you’ve been living under a rock or shouldn’t be reading this) but once things pick up they are not just dazzling fun they get down right brutal. Watching The Hulk battle in this one gets just down right dirty at times and took me by surprise in the most devious ways.

I’ll leave the spoilers, score, and talk about the CGI of this one to Erich, who I’m sure will stun you with his array of geek knowledge and point of view.

Overall: This is one of the best comic to film adaptations ever made landing somewhere in the top five. Didn’t quite nail it like Iron Man but gives the Marvel Verse some strong legs to build on.
Rating: 4 out of 5

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