4/5 Old JADE-JAWS is Better Than Ever!
  by Woopak (Where Dark Asian Knights Dwell)
"THE MADDER HULK GETS, THE STRONGER HE GETS". Apparently, ol' Jade-Jaws has been rebooted for the screen under the moniker; "Incredible Hulk" with a new director; Louis Letterrier, a new script by Zack Penn and has a new lead actor in Edward Norton. To be honest, I'm one of the few who appreciated Ang Lee's "Hulk", appreciated but didn't love. Sure, it was too moody, nary a smile on anyone's face, full of human angst and fake looking CGI, but I thought it was reminiscent to the comic book when Paul Jenkins was at its helm. 2008's version of the Green Goliath trumps the 2003 version, with a different origin, more action and the CGI is a vast improvement over its predecessor. No, it is not a sequel to the 2003 film but a re-imagining that has close links to the "Hulk" (except for the color) who appears in Marvels' "The Ultimates" comic book.

Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) is hiding out somewhere in South America, looking for a cure for his gamma-induced affliction, trying to keep his temper in check, keeping a low profile and avoiding a certain General Ross (William Hurt) who intends to make an army of super-soldiers from his own D.N.A.. After being pursued by a team led by Emil Blonsky (Eli Roth), Banner returns to America to pursue a cure and asks longtime love Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) for her help in finding a man named "Mr. Blue" who may be able to cure him of his gamma-powered alter-ego. Blonsky is hot on their trail and asks Ross to experiment further with the workings of gamma radiation and cellular manipulation with him as the guinea pig. Blonsky is a man who wants power--at any cost.

The origin of the Hulk has been re-written from its 2003 version. Banner is a scientist who is unknowingly performing experiments on gamma applications to try to replicate a serum based on a World War II super-soldier serum (Captain America anyone?) that apparently got out of hand. Ross wants it as a weapon (no surprise) and Banner is the victim. Readers of Marvel's "the ULTIMATES" may see some similarities and may applaud this move. It was a good move to incorporate a new script to this 2008 film and Louis Letterrier seems to be the right man for its directorial duties. The script by Zack Penn in the hands of this director still has the usual touches of human drama and a moody atmosphere but at a better pace than Lee's rendition of ol'greenskin.

The CGI effects is a step forward from its previous incarnation; an improvement but still not perfect. The Hulk looks more ferocious and feral than the 2003 version and the moments where he says "Hulk Smash" still puts a smile on my place. I was waiting on the line "Hulk is the Strongest one there is" but I guess this would ruin the film's mood, and become a bit too comical. The battle with the Abomination is the film's main draw. The fight is fierce, savage and above all, very hard-hitting. You feel the impact of the blows, and the snarls add a lot of animal-like ferocity. There is also quite a decent number of action sequences dispersed throughout the film. Banner's encounters with a Black-ops team in the first 20 minutes and with a small army contingent helps the film's pace. Hulk smashes cars, humvees, and crushes almost everything in sight; Hulk also "claps" with such devastation. There are also moments that put Hulk's relationship with Betty in the spotlight and the savage monster is truly only savage when provoked. Hulk gets to display some emotion and sensitivity in the presence of Betty. Nice touches, truly reminiscent of the comic book.

Edward Norton's Bruce Banner may well be a little underdeveloped but by now, the film is probably relying on the fans to know what he is all about. Banner has that nerdy look but at the same time, strong and determined. Banner trains in the Brazilian style martial arts to try to control his anger by discipline. I almost wanted him to say: "Hulk knows Kung fu" but thankfully that didn't materialize. Norton gives a strong performance as our tortured scientist, I rather thought that he displayed the right emotions when one is afraid of losing himself. William Hurt is an outstanding General "Thunderbolt" Ross, his character is reminiscent of the other ruthless ones, Hurt has played throughout his career. Ross is a man of duty and has that `someone needs to get their hands dirty' attitude that gives his character a lot of depth. Liv Tyler is on par with Jennifer Connelly's Betty Ross. She's the anchor that pulls Bruce through the hardened moments.

While the film has the tendency in becoming a bit overlong and fall to the pitfalls of too much melodrama and excessive display of human angst, the film has some cleverly placed bits of satire that assists the film's pace. You wouldn't believe Banner's attempts in communication in Portuguese; "..you wouldn't like me when I'm hungry." Stan Lee and Lou Ferrigno makes cameo appearances which also add some subtle bits of humor.

Ultimately, "Incredible Hulk" is a success and an effective reboot from Ang Lee`s 2003 version. The film managed to stay focused in its context of a "Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde" formula and the same time delivered a cleverly action-filled popcorn film that delivers the goods. There are hints of an underlying plan with Robert Downey's guest appearance and the hints of a "super-soldier" does give comic book fans something to look forward to. The film is a great comic book adaptation and it comes highly recommended from me who has seen Jade-Jaws' ups and downs since 1979.

HULK SAYS RECOMMENDED! [4- Stars]




5/5 The Best of All Worlds
  by shaxper (Lakewood, OH)
The second film to be produced directly by Marvel seems eager to prove why comic book companies should exercise direct control over their films. Rather than being nothing more than a new director's take on an old classic, The Incredible Hulk is both an engaging film and a love letter to every other incarnation of the The Hulk that proceeded it. This film truly endeavors to understand and assimilate the entire history of the character into one new project, and boy does it succeed.

At the center of The Incredible Hulk is an ambitious attempt to marry the two most popular and conflicting visions of the character. The film borrows many elements from the fondly remembered 1970s television series but also incorporates many of the more important elements from the comic book. It's a tough balancing act, but the film makes the disparate elements mix together in a way that makes complete sense and (I believe), leaves fans of both series feeling satisfied. The origin and characterization come largely from the TV series (though, thankfully, it's Dr. BRUCE Banner this time), but the more memorable supporting characters and conflicts from the comic are worked in as well (though Rick Jones was quite fortunately forgotten). Additionally, the enemy is a highly logical choice from the comic book series. Finally, the bad memories of a mutated Nick Nolte are beginning to subside.

The film also incorporates minor elements from the TV movies, the previous film (which is neither acknowledged nor completely contradicted), and even the previous Hulk video game. Of course there are also many wonderful nods to fans of each of the Hulk incarnations. The flashing danger light, the appearance of student reporter "Jack McGee," and Stan Lee's cameo proved to be my personal favorites. Lou Ferrigno also receives a far better cameo than in the previous film.

Most importantly, whether you have any interest in previous Hulk incarnations or not, this film is exceptionally well plotted. It resists the urge to shine the light fully on Hulk or Dr. Banner, instead carefully developing the two in unison. Dr. Banner (masterfully played by Ed Norton, who actually outshines Bill Bixby) gets farther than his television counterpart was ever allowed, and that experience necessarily changes him. The transformation is satisfying, yet still allows the franchise to return to familiar territory by the end.

In parallel, the monster also receives his share of development, though this isn't made clear until the end. His final scene cements this film's brilliant unison of television series and comic book, leaving no doubt that this is the most impressive project ever to come out of the Hulk franchise. I was left so excited, so convinced for the first time that the character had truly come to life, that I almost expected Doctor Strange and the Defenders to show up in the next moment. For only the third time in all my movie going experiences, a beloved comic book character actually seemed real (or at least possible), even in spite of the sometimes questionable computer animation.

Finally, true Marvel fans will be amazed to see just how much continuity this two hour film packs. Clear and meaningful ties are made to Captain America, Iron Man, and S.H.I.E.L.D., and just you wait for the film's final scene! While DC is still trying to decide who should play Superman and Batman for their Justice League movie, you can rest assured that Marvel is getting ready to tie their films together in a meaningful and impressive way. The Marvel Universe has truly made the move into Hollywood and, with The Incredible Hulk as a shining example, it's safe to believe that they've just begun delivering everything a humble fan boy could ever hope for.

4/5 The new Hulk film was well made for a number of reasons
  by Jenny J.J.I. (That Lives in Northern Nevada)
This re-imagining of the green Goliath works far better than Ang Lee's 2003 outing that's for sure. Being an avid admirer of the Bixby/Ferrigno series in the late seventies and early eighties I found this film to be closer in spirit to the series and I definitely liked that.

The Hulk's origins are played out at the very beginning and once that's over and done with audiences are in for a fast paced and enjoyable ride. The film attempts to keep people who liked the series happy as well as the crowd who want it firmly rooted in Marvel tradition. The Hulk battles a foe called The Abomination in the final third, and by the way that fight is pretty amazing, and I gather that that's a person to be found in the original comics.

While Eric Bana was one of the few things that was positive about Hulk (2003), Norton betters him here. He's such a natural performer and he can convey so much with mere expressions. He was the perfect choice to play Banner, in some ways he reminded me of Bixby. Tim Roth is one of those actors who's always good and he doesn't falter here. But William Hurt really surprised me. I've always thought he was good but I'd have to say this is his finest performance in many years. General Ross is a much better written character here than in the 2003 version and Hurt simply excels in the part.

As for the CGI, they work really well. The Hulk looks extremely cool and far better here. He doesn't continue to grow as he gets angrier and while that may annoy some I actually found it a plus. And those huge leaps are history as well, he jumps far enough but nothing compared to Ang Lee's version.

The Incredible Hulk does well what it intends to do which is entertain. Overall it's full of action, very well acted and fairly well written. Must See!


4/5 Probably the Hulk that most people want to see
  by Joseph P. Menta, Jr. (Philadelphia, PA USA)
A few observations about the mostly successful, mostly entertaining 2008 film "The Incredible Hulk"...

The movie is billed as a reboot or totally new version of the Hulk, not a sequel to the 2003 Ang Lee film that was simply titled, "Hulk". I'd call the movie more of a semi-reboot. Why? Well, the earlier movie ends with Bruce Banner in hiding in South America, with General Ross and his cronies madly searching for him. And the new film, well... opens with Bruce Banner in hiding in South America, with General Ross and his cronies madly searching for him. I think Marvel smartly structured the film to appease both camps: if you liked the earlier movie you can- contrary to all the "forget the earlier movie!" hype- view this one as the next chapter in the story. And if you didn't like the earlier film, you can point to the recasting of the actors and the less introspective, more "big summer movie" tone and say, "Whew, it's NOT the same storyline!" Your money, your choice.

The new film offers a more kinetic, visceral, action-oriented story, peppered with just enough quietly dramatic moments (in other words, talking scenes) so the movie doesn't turn into a relentless, flashing, pinball machine. If you ever read the comic book, it really feels like a three-issue run from the mid-70's "Hulk Smash! era.

The deleted scenes in the 3-disc special edition are interesting. Apparently a more pronounced love triangle between Betty, Bruce, and Betty's new boyfriend Leonard (who we learn, via one deleted scene, is actually comics character Leonard Samson, pre-irradiation experiment) was a bigger part of the original conception of the film. Though the five or six deleted scenes involving this triangle are intriguing to see, I think I like the final film's decision to simply allude to the tension between the three characters instead of turning the middle part of the movie into an episode of "As the Hulk Turns".

There are one or two deleted scenes involving General Ross that I wished were kept in the film. Though never depicting him as warm and fuzzy, a couple of those scenes showed that his motivation to capture the Hulk and harness his power, though misguided, didn't come from an evil place. If they were included in the film, those scenes would have made it easier to swallow the General's semi-change of heart at the end when he decides to extend an olive branch to Bruce and join forces with him to take down the Abomination. That's a quibble, though. The film and its developments in the current cut still work; there's just less explicit evidence on display that the General is capable of making that emotional leap.

Other treats abound. There's a fun little cameo involving Iron Man's alter-ego Tony Stark which was clearly moved from its original "Easter egg" post-closing credits position to the final scene in the main body of the movie after the huge success of "Iron Man". As said, it's an enjoyable cameo, but a little confusing: Is Tony asking General Ross to help him recruit the Hulk into the new super-team he's forming or offering the use of that team to help Ross take down the Hulk? I guess we'll have to wait for the next round of Marvel movies to find out. Also fun but somewhat under-written was the obligatory Stan Lee cameo, where we see him as an innocent bystander who drinks some gamma-infected soda pop (the scenario is not as inane as it sounds) and then freezes up and drops the soda bottle. It's amazing to me that they missed the opportunity to have him writhe on the ground and turn at least a little green, if only for a moment. Oh, well.

More about the three-disc DVD I bought: Though generous, the set is not as lavish as the term "three-disc DVD" might suggest. The first disc is the movie (looks and sounds great) along with a commentary track; the second disc contains a thirty-minute or so "making of" piece, a few short (about ten minutes each) companion pieces that provide additional details about different aspects of the production, the deleted scenes I mentioned, and a cute piece (a few minutes long) showing how a scene from the movie was inspired by a scene in the comics. The third disc is simply a digital copy of the film that you can upload and watch on your PC.

I hope that the DVD release of "The Incredible Hulk" puts the movie over the top financially, offsetting its somewhat lackluster box office (so much for blowing the Ang Lee film out of the water). It would be be nice to see another chapter in this saga, after all, and without having to suffer through another re-boot, or semi-reboot, or whatever confusing technique they'd end up employing in a hand-wringing gesture to overthink the concept of what people want from this character that's simultaneously highly commercial and "what's he really about?" offbeat.



4/5 A pleasant surprise, and a fine tribute to the Bixby series
  by A. Gammill (West Point, MS United States)
WARNING: This review contains SPOILERS.

Coming on the heels of the terrific Iron Man (Two-Disc Special Collectors' Edition), I was a little concerned that lightning wouldn't strike twice for Marvel. But I'm happy to report that The Incredible Hulk was every bit as good as Iron Man. Maybe, in some small ways, even better.

I was a huge fan of the Bill Bixy/Lou Ferrigno t.v. series, even though it bore little resemblance to the Marvel comic book. But it was great entertainment, full of action, and a better-than-average peformance from Bill Bixby as Dr. David Banner. Louis Letterier's big-screen reboot wisely takes a note (several notes, in fact) from the series, turning the film into a sort of "Fugitive" with gamma radiation. There are several sly references to the t.v. show, including cameos by Ferrigno, the late Bixby, a young journalism student named Jack McGee, and for one brief nostalgia-laden moment. . .that aching, unforgettable piano theme which closed each episode.

OK, fine, you say, what about the film itself? Norton, who also co-wrote the script, handles his duties as Banner as well as can be expected. I've never been a huge fan of Liv Tyler, but she's also well cast as Betty Ross (reportedly Norton wrote the part with Tyler in mind). William Hurt overracts like mad as General Ross, who's probably the most "comic book" character in the film. Well...no, Eli Roth's character becomes another rampaging creature, in a predictably CGI-heavy climax.

Still, for all its occasional predictability and reliance on special effects, the film offers many fine moments. The 2 or 3 big action set pieces are expertly-realized, with a standoff on a college campus standing out as one of the most memorable sequences. And, like the Hulk of comic book origin, this Hulk can talk. And although he's a creature of few words, I guarantee you'll remember each one.

Although it was eclipsed by Iron Man in box office receipts, The Incredible Hulk was a solid hit, and is certainly a welcome addition to big-screen Marvel universe. A closing cameo from Robert Downey Jr. ties the two films together neatly. And you can bet we'll be seeing more Hulk on the big screen in the future.