The Incredible Hulk

What a job Marvel has done this year with the Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk. Going in to see this movie, I was not expecting to leave with the same feelings as I did with Iron Man… the feeling that I needed to see more, 100 sequels if need be, the comic has come to life in superb fashion.

Edward Norton stars as Dr. Bruce Banner, a scientist belted by Gamma radiation while experimenting on what would have been the replica to the Super Soldier Serum of World War 2. A bit of history… the serum was an experiment in the 40s that had killed and mutilated many volunteers who wanted to help their country develop a super soldier. Captain America was and still is the only person whose body could accept the serum and it resulted in his super strength and speed which aided the allies against Hitler’s troops. Upon recieving the serum, the lab that had finally achieved success was destroyed and the government started the program again in order to develop more.

Bruce Banner’s exposure to the gamma radiation caused him to grow into a raging monster of tremendous muscularity (the Hulk). Larger than life and pissed off beyond measure, the Hulk has the strength of a hundred men and heals as fast as he gets hurt. While in this form Bruce Banner can no longer control his actions outside of emotion, and with rage being the primary catalyst for his change… well you can imagine how devastating he could be to have around. Well due to this, Bruce escapes the facility and takes to a nomad’s life, hiding from the government while trying in vain to develop a cure for his changing.

The Incredible Hulk’s major cast of worthwhile actors pays off in the delivery of lines, emotions and action. I was treated with remorse and compassion for Bruce Banner as I saw him portrayed by Norton, he absolutely sells the role and it seems to me that he is the major reason why this version worked. Liv Tyler’s portrayal of Banner’s girlfriend (Betty Ross) is a good fit and she really showed her range as we see sweet loving Betty snap and rage in one memorable scene. The chemistry between her and Norton was genuine and believable, their moments together on the screen were some of the best and it places a necessary undertone of love and loyalty as the base of this movie.

If you think Tim Roth was a badass in Planet of the Apes, you haven’t seen anything until you see him take on Banner. Cocky, challenging and all balls to the wall piss and vinegar, Roth’s Emil Blonsky is scarier than the Hulk himself. He was a relentless antagonist and put himself over in a major way. The CGI was fast, well done and impressive. The direction flowed flawlessly, and the movie felt very much like a huge tibute to the former Hulk tv show since their are splatterings of memorabilia all over… not limited to cameos, music and the plot itself.

This is not only one of the best Marvel movies I have seen to date, but one of the best movies I have seen in the last few years. The action was 100% comic book perfection, the acting was there and the direction blew my mind… cinematography? Well the Hulk doesn’t go fighting amongst the roses or anything but the dark rainy atmosphere added to his sad condition of hopelessness. In the end it is a story about loyalty, and you know a comic book movie kicked ass when you are staying after the credits just hoping and praying to see the hero just one more time. This was a nice surprise for me, and I look forward to the Avengers and the sequels that will bring more Ed Norton and the devastating Gamma Crush!

Written by Greg Dragon – who has written 365 reviews on Spicy Movie Dogs.

Cinephile and opinion writer, Greg Dragon has been a fan of movies since the 80's when Kung Fu theater was all the rage and Roger Moore was James Bond. As an opinion writer that has reviewed Box Office releases on a number of prominent websites, Greg is the founder and lead critic of Spicy Movie Dogs.