06.29.08
Lee1990 Movie Review - The Incredible Hulk
HULK SMASH! is a good general description for this fast-paced vision of the story of the comic book Jekyl and Hyde story The Incredible Hulk.
A quick review for those readers who have been on another planet and may not be familiar with the story line, here is a primer. Unassuming scientist Bruce Banner was experimenting with gamma radiation one day, and accidentally received an overdose. As a result, when Banner becomes enraged, he turns into a nearly indestructible, amazingly strong, 10 foot, green-skinned giant called the Hulk. He searches for a cure endlessly so that he can resume a normal life with his lady love, Dr. Betty Ross. Unfortunately, Dr. Ross’ father, US Army General Thunderbolt Ross, is obsessed alternately with the capture or destruction of the Hulk, depending on which version of the story is being told.
The movie assumes all this back story is more or less know to the audience, and concentrates instead on being a fast paced fugitive movie as Dr. Banner again and again is pursued by his nemesis, only to be saved at the last instant by transforming into his meaner, greener self.
The battle scenes are spectacular, and far more frequent that Ang Lees far more cerebral Hulk, which this movie pretends never existed. All throughout, the Hulk also manages to keep a semblance of basic humanity, which makes the audience able to root for what would otherwise be a simple monster. It also helps that, true to form with the comic/cartoons made of the Hulk over the years, this incarnation of the Hulk is able to speak in his usual two-word sentences by the end of the movie.
This movie set up both a sequel and a crossover during the course of the film. At the very end, Tony Stark from Iron Man (played by the same actor no less) shows up and speaks of a special project with General Ross. There is also a brief glimpse of the birth of Hulk’s true arch-nemesis, the gamma mutated genius know only as The Leader. This points to me that there may be an unprecedented cross-over/sequel coming combining both Ironman and Hulk into a single movie.
A entertaining evening, if a bit on the long side.
8 out of 10.
