The Incredible Hulk (2008)

[TransMonk]

The family gave me a choice of what movie I wanted them to take me to for Father's Day and this one beat out Indy IV and The Happening. I have to say I was pleaseantly surprised. As I've noted in a couple of the Comic Movie threads, I don't know much about comic book characters, so I'm usually pretty disappointed when going to see these types of films. But, I was a fan of the TV show in the early 80's so I figured I could follow along.

I thought the cast and crew did a really good job with the story and effects. They didn't reference the 2003 movie much, if at all (I know I've seen it, but I'm pretty sure I fell asleep about 30 minutes in). They did, however, pay alot of respect to the TV show. Cameos are made by Lou Ferigno and Bill Bixby (via TV images of The Courtship of Eddie's Father) and from what I've read on the internet, Lou even provides the Hulk's dialouge for the 3 or 4 words that he bellows. The piano theme used for the TV show was even reused.

The love scenes are a bit strained, as they often are in these movies, and of course, the last 5 minutes scream "SEQUEL" as well as involvement in other Marvel projects...but these predictable moments didn't ruin what was an exciting and enjoyable experience.

[Guest AG/DC]

I had no idea they were referencing the TV show so liberallly. Good on them.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I really enjoyed it. (Gave it 3 stars.) Much better than I was expecting; I was afraid it would be another disaster like the 2003 movie was.

I was never a fan of the TV series; I didn't recognize the theme song. (If I was going to incorporate a Hulk theme song, I would have gone with the "Doc Bruce Banner..." them from the 1960's cartoon, like they did in Iron Man.) The clip from Courtship of Eddie's Father was a very nice touch, though.

The closing battle was too much like a Japanese monster movie for my tastes. And the CGI Hulk didn't look as realistic as I would have liked but, again, better than I had expected from the few clips I had seen. (I would have CGI'ed the Thing in Fantastic Four and, if possible, used a real actor for the Hulk, although he'd certainly have to be computer-enhanced in some way.)

The film did nicely capture the feel of the comics from the Herb Trimpe days, the mags I read as a kid. I think that they're going to have to tinker with the character a bit if he's going to be a member of the big screen Avengers. The 60's Hulk who was in the first few issues of that title was more of a social misfit type than a raging beast. There's no way that this movie Hulk will sit around a conference room table with Thor and Iron Man and the Wasp.

It was a good movie. A fun movie. So far, anyway, Marvel Studios has done right by their characters in the two films that they've made. My initially rock-bottom hopes for Thor (due in 2010) have been raised a bit.

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

Not bad, despite fairly poor looking CGI. Basically, a quality summer blockbuster with lots of bang and not much brains. I enjoyed Tim Roth's super soldier scene and eventually came around to the big, climactic finale. The parkour-ish chase through the Brazilian streets was also fun, and I was actually a little emotionally involved with the Liv Tyler- Ed Norton scenes. I had more fun at Iron Man, but I can't say the Hulk isn't worth the price of (matin�e) admission.

As a side note, am I the only person who thoroughly enjoyed Ang Lee's version? Poodle fight scene aside, I thought that movie was amazing. I never cared much for the Hulk as a comic book character, but the 2003 movie made me give a crap about the big green guy. Visually, the movie was a treat; from watching the Hulk bounding effortlessly through the desert to the strobe-light final battle to the split screen scenes, I really enjoyed just watching the movie. I thought Eric Bana did a great job portraying a man struggling against his past and the temptation to allow the worst aspects of himself to overtake him. And I felt Ang Lee did a great job showing not only the consequences of surrendering to our simplest, least civilized instincts, but also the freedom that surrender allows. I think it's gotten a bad rap, and as much as I enjoyed the new version, if you gave me a choice between the two, I'd take the 2003 version any day of the week.
Plus, I'm a huge Sam Elliot fan. The dude abides.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I despised the 2003 version. Maybe I would have liked (or at least, hated it less) it if I didn't care about the comic book character, but I do and Ang Lee's movie was a big swing and a miss.

He didn't get the character right at all, and the story had the wrong feel. You can't make a movie like that and not respect the source material.

[nymr83]

The 2003 Hulk was TERRIBLE
I haven't seen this one yet.

[soupcan]

Saw it, liked it.

Thought the Bixby and Ferrigno cameos were a nice touch.

The climactic battle on the Harlem rooftops was a bit too Spiderman 3 for me.

Thought Norton did a serviceable job.

[Guest AG/DC]

It was at it's best with the human story. It was sloppily riddled with continuity errors. He wakes up in the morning a day after a hulk out and a TV reporter is telling about the incident "earlier today" --- stuff like that. The chase scene in the Brazilian slum changes times of day several times.

Clearly a movie developed on storyboards with the script coming after.

Couldn't stop me from caring about the guy though. They were clearly careful and kind about reconciing the elements of the comic book with the elements of the TV show.