2008’s The Incredible
Hulk, directed by Louis Leterrier.
Starring Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, William Hurt, Tim Roth,
Tim Blake Nelson, Ty Burrell, Christina Cabot, and Lou Ferrigno.
What is it about?
The Incredible Hulk
is about a scientist (Edward Norton) who is exposed to gamma ray radiation. As
a result, whenever his heart rate gets to an accelerated rate, he temporarily
mutates into a monstrous creature consumed by rage. Norton lives on the run, as
a military general (William Hurt) and his right hand man (Tim Roth) pursue him
in order to figure out how to weaponize super soldiers with the Hulk’s powers.
While being pursued, Norton runs into an old flame (Liv Tyler), who would like
to get back together with Norton, if only her father (the General himself) would
approve. Will Norton be able to find a cure for his black out rages before
somebody else steals his powers?
Why is it worth seeing?
The Incredible Hulk
came out the same year as Iron Man, as part of the Phase 1 of
the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)’s grand experiment. While Iron Man is a bold declaration setting
the table for the juggernaut that would become Disney’s Marvel movie machine, Incredible Hulk is just as notable for how underwhelming
it is. With the benefit of hindsight, it’s surprising the Hulk character would ever
be seen again, given the efforts here combined with the already mixed response
to Ang Lee’s 2003 version, Hulk.
Zack Penn’s screenplay gives its characters very little to
say. Norton spends his time running, the Hulk smashes, William Hurt’s general
constantly shouts ineffective orders, Tim Roth does psycho, and Liv Tyler
whimpers behind scientific business cards. As a result, we see a movie’s
perspective that spins around like an out of control helicopter, unable to find
a focus.
In the middle of that blur, is a CGI mess. I hate to pick on
movies for their effects (Robocop arms anyone?),
but the Hulk is impossible to relate to because he reminds me so much of The Mummy Returns.
It’s quite the empathy test trying to feel compassion for a character that
looks like he came from a video game cut scene.
Director Louis Leterrier’s at times clumsy efforts feel very
much like a TV movie, and despite a lot of howling and smashing, the noun that
best describes The Incredible Hulk is
inertness. So that’s how the Hulk feels- if you watched this, you’d want to smash everything in
sight too.
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