The Incredible Hulk: Review By T.Clark

Ang Lee should stick to his gay cowboys.

Don't get me wrong, I liked Lee's Hulk, but in a "Summer of Superheroes," the Hulk finally gets the attention he deserves thanks to a new director in the form of Luis Letterier(Transporter) and a batch of damn good actors to fill the shoes left behind by the terrible casting choices of the past. While I never really picture the Hulk as a superhero, but more as a beast on the run who runs into some adventures on the way, this film proves Hulk's potential for being a major action superhero...even if he does cause a lot of damage in the process.

Letterier's film is what I like to call a "requel"-it's a remake and a sequel. A remake because it's a brand new creative team and cast, and a sequel because it doesn't focus a whole lot on the Hulk's origin because the last film already took up the whole movie explaining it.

The plot is simple and what a Hulk film should be like: Bruce Banner is working at a bottle factory in Brazil when the U.S. army and General Ross get wind of his presence there. Bruce finds himself yet again on the run from the army, who want to harvest the beast inside him as a weapon. Ross brings in Russain soldier Emile Blonsky to help him in his pursuit against Banner, who ultimately becomes the raging Abomination.

Letterier's directing is fast paced and adrenaline pumped, which isn't surprising coming from the director of the Transporter. Where as Lee's film focused on Banner's childhood and his traumatic stress, this version slams on the gas and never lets up. The action sequences are breathtaking and clear, especially Hulk's fight with the Abomination, which, let me warn you, isn't just a five-minute slap fight: it's a full on battle of two goliaths which is fun and fantastic to watch.

While you can clearly separate the CGI from reality, I have to say the effects team did an astounding job bringing the Hulk to life, creating an angrier yet more believable Hulk than the last. The last rendition of the Hulk's physique seemed too fake and this Hulk is more of a cross between the huge comics version, and the smaller Lou Ferigno days.

Speaking of Lou Ferigno, both him and Stan Lee get extended screen time after thier half-assed cameos in the original-Lou even voices the Hulk, and while he doesn't speak a lot, it's worth hearing the famous "Hulk Smash!" line from a true master of smashing. Also speaking of the Ferigno days, the movie makes an effort in adding some touches from the original TV show starring Ferigno and the late Bill Bixby(keep an eye out for him as well). It made me glad to see the filmmakers taking an interest in the show that really created the Hulk's large fan base. Now both fans new and old can enjoy the olden days, as they hear the sad "lonely man" theme song and even the origin story in the beginning credits.

The acting is great also, and when you have an all-star cast like this one, it better be damn good. Ed Norton, who also wrote the script, makes his blockbuster debut and delivers as he always does, completely destroying the performance of his predecessor Eric Bana. However, Bana's portrayal was fine also, and you have to blame the creators of the first Hulk for a story bogged down by conversations about Banner's past.

The same can be said about Liv Tyler's and William Hurt's performance in this version compared to Jennifer Connely's and Sam Elliot's in the first. William Hurt as General Ross brings his character to life and captures the stubborn general perfectly, while Tim Roth creates a perfect Blonsky, being a true badass.

I've heard this movie lacks heart: bullsh*t. This movie has enough heart to make Hannibal Lecter hungry. Hulk's relationship with Betty is even made stronger, and it almost reminds me of Peter Jackson's King Kong: a beast who loves a beautiful women and will demolish anything to protect her.

Also, I'm sure you all know Tony Stark makes an appearance(Downey Jr. is even great for a minute cameo), but there's another critical item that is a key part of Marvel history and plays a huge role in the film. Comic fans and readers alike will know exactly what it is.

In the end, this is the Hulk film fanboy's have been waiting for...and all they needed to do was change EVERYTHING. Bravo to everyone involved for making a true monster out of the Hulk.

AR's score: 4.0 stars(8/10)