ANG LEE'S HULK

The Incredible Hulk, one of Marvels best known characters! As a small kid, I never got into the Hulk like most of my friends were. I bought the action figures but never really played with them, I was more into the Batman action figures. The films and TV shows (Even today), I just pass on them. The only thing I really watched of The Hulk was the show starring Bill Bixby but I only saw a few episodes but still I find them good and worth reviewing in the future. I guess the reason why I wasn't into the Hulk was because I wasn't a Superhero fan to begin with as a kid. After seeing "The Avengers" however, I think it's time to really look at them and find out if I was really missing out on good heroes as a kid. However, I don't think reviewing Ang Lee's version of The Hulk is a good start, since it's not popular, never received a sequel and is barley remembered. However, is the film a good start for newcomers to see The Hulk and is probably a forgotten underrated Gem? Let's find out, here is my review on Ang Lee's version of...

 

Bruce Banner(Eric Bana) is a scientist who barley remembers his tragic past that took place in his childhood. During an accident in the lab, Bruce becomes a giant green monster called The Hulk that only happens whenever he gets angry. His Father (Nick Nolte) is now out of a mental hospital for causing an explosion at the lab and for accidentally killing his wife when he was actually going to try to kill his son and his plan now is to take his sons power. Meanwhile, Bruce has a love interest named Betty(Jennifer Connelly) however, her Father (Sam Elliot) is a military general and plans take out Bruce before he causes more chaos as The Hulk.Instead of being a superhero type of story, it's actually a tragedy that's dark and depressing, it basically your typical Jeykll and Hyde story. It's one of the many reasons why comic book fans didn't like the film, personally I like the route that Ang Lee is taking this story. There are also many complaints that the films origins aren't too true to the comics origins, personally that doesn't bother me either because when it comes to comic book heroes it's likely that the origins will be changed around not just in films but also in comics as well. To me, as long as you have the accident in the lab that's pretty accurate enough. While liking the premise and style, I do find the story very confusing and a little to boring.


Eric Bana as our main character Bruce Banner. While liking his angry moments and trying to keep his anger inside of him, I find him and his character very boring and the only part of him that interests me is the other half of him and when you're main character's real self isn't interesting and you're more attached to his alter ego that becomes a huge problem. Characters like Bruce Wayne, Peter Parker or even Dr.Jekyll come off as interesting because we can sympathies with them, we can feel their emotions and also find some very likable qualities in them while also getting a kick out of their alter ego whether their ego is doing our character good or bad. With Bruce Banner (In this film) sure he has his angry moments, sure he has a few painful moments, sure he has struggling moments but his character doesn't have anything interesting about him. He's not a big loser, he's not someone who's trying to go through extreme measures to achieve something, he's just a scientist with a tragic past that he barley remembers and doesn't have much of a personality except when he's angry which doesn't happen until after the accident nor was his temper developed in the film before the accident. I only prefer Ang Lee's version of Bruce Banner angry because when he's not I want to fall asleep.

 It's not just our main character Bruce who's boring and bland, it's also the supporting characters as well. Jennifer Connelly as Bruce's love interest is more boring than our main character. At least Eric Bana has some good emotional scenes despite playing a character who's completely bland. Jennifer Connelly's character and performance bores me to death and is the blandest character in the film which is a shame because I loved her in "Once Upon A Time In America". Instead of the film having one villain we have three and all three are not great, memorable or well performed. Sam Elliot as Betty's Father who's trying to take out The Hulk, he doesn't interest me and nor did I find him a threat, I just saw him more as an annoying asshole who's asking to get crushed. John Lucas as Major Glenn Talbot who wants a sample from The Hulk, forgettable too and is another asshole who's waiting to get his ass handed to him by The Hulk. Nick Nolte as Bruce's Father, well he does get maybe a good scene or two (especially in the confrontation between him and his son) but for the most part he's just a bore. He does get a power to absorb things, however, we only see that part of him for only a few minutes kind of like Venom in "Spider-Man 3" and also like Venom in "Spider-Man 3" I don't think will be hearing from him again, that is if Ang Lee ever does do a follow up to this film.

 

While having boring characters and a confusing storyline, the effects in this movie are fairly decent. I love that the film treats itself like a live action comic book coming to life by having comic book edits, montages and transition scenes. They're all done well and give the film a good atmosphere. Speaking of atmosphere, so does the score to this film by Danny Elfman. The CGI is ok. It's not great or all that realistic, but its fairly decent. As for the action scenes their very promising for comic book fans and yes they are all actioned packed. The Hulk fighting against an army lead by Betty's Father, The Fight against the Hulk taking out a pack of Mutated Dogs that are around his size, and the fight between him and his Father with absorbing powers are for the most part well done action scenes. Oh and be on the look out for a cameo of both Stan Lee(Writer of Marvel Comics) and Lou Ferrigno(Who played the Hulk on the Bill Bixby show) together.

For newcomers who haven't seen or read The Hulk comics or haven't watched any films or shows with The Hulk as our main hero, you might want to pass on this film. I can understand why the film wasn't a big hit because it's confusing, boring, forgettable and only relies on the special effects and action to save the film. Everything I mentioned in that last paragraph is pretty much what makes the film almost worth watching, but it's still overall a very boring Superhero film and boring isn't what a Superhero or action hero film for that matter should ever be.

RATING 1/5