Cap’n Logan’s Take 

Marvel is having a good year. First, Iron Man was a surprising powerhouse, and now a second attempt at a Hulk movie that was every bit as good in plot, action, and acting as Iron Man. I’m impressed that without an X-Men or a Spider-Man, Marvel might be having their best summer to date. I’m also happy that they’re finally establishing some continuity between their films, leaving no question that these two movies are in the same universe, with many more to follow.

I found it immediately interesting that although The Incredible Hulk is a revamp, and definately not a sequel to Hulk, it very logically follows that film in plot. In fact, I really think the only thing that prevents a viewer from seeing these movies as being in the same universe is the presence of two different Abominations. It was a lot of fun, and frankly a relief, to get past the Hulk’s origin and just tell a new story. The other movie spent far too long on the origin, while this one just shows highlights behind the opening credits. Bruce Banner gets hit with a gamma bomb because he tries his experiment on himself– that’s really all you need to know, and no reason to drag it out for an hour.

I was quite surprised by Liv Tyler’s performance. I usually don’t like her at all, but I could feel the past chemestry between her and Banner immediately. And unlike most comic book film romances, this one worked well because it was already established. The film didn’t have to take time trying to build the relationship because it was already there, and that allowed it to spend its time dealing with bigger issues, namely the General’s obsession with finding the Hulk and using him as a weapon and Banner’s preoccupation with getting rid of the Hulk.

This time, Hulk looks very realistic. He’s not bright green, he doesn’t keep changing size every time Banner changes, and there’s great attention to detail, especially in his facial expressions. It doesn’t usually look too CG and because he looks more human, he’s actually much scarier.

This movie’s Abomination, a soldier who wants what Banner has and will do anything to himself to get it, is more interesting than in the other movie, but it’s also my only real complaint. I would have appreciated more motivation for this character. Why is he so obsessed with becoming a super soldier? What in his background gets him to this point? I don’t think his explanation of wishing he had a body that was ten years younger to go with his expertise was really enough.

Look for some neat callbacks to the old Hulk television series and comics, including a reference to purple pants and Bruce Banner’s alias of David B. at the end. This is also Stan Lee’s coolest cameo to date– he actually gets to be a vital part of the plot this time!

What really makes it great is the progression. Bruce Banner is not the same man at the end that he was at the beginning. The film gets him from trying to get rid of the Hulk to learning how to control it. It isn’t just a monster movie. As it moves along, it becomes a superhero movie, and you’re left looking forward to seeing the Hulk as a real superhero when the Avengers movie is released. It’s not the most intellectual comic book film but it does have a few things to say about the dangers of playing God and how scary people can be when they ignore the quality of life. Overall, it’s a fun ride that manages to tell a story that’s more than the Hulk hitting things and being chased around a lot.

Vince’s Take

This movie is so intricately woven to be heart pounding that missing more than a second of it will surely result in instant regret. Even though I enjoyed the first movie, the difference between The Hulk and The Incredible Hulk is in the obvious word. Only one is truly incredible.

In a plot line where Bruce Banner is the major focus, the Hulk must be handled as a monster. The creative team behind this movie did just that. The first time Banner Hulks-out we don’t actually get a clear shot of the Hulk. It adds suspense and fear. In this movie, we actually feel like Banner has something to worry about. For those of you who worry about him being too much of a monstrosity, the Hulk is also treated as a tragic figure, but it is entirely possible to make him tragic while also monstrous. Some of the classic references in this film point directly to other monster-movies with tragic figures. The first time we get a clear shot of Hulkie in all of his glorious green greatness they use music reminiscent of Frankenstein, while in some scenes between the Hulk and Betty Ross there’s a distinct King Kong feel.

There are a few down falls. Unfortunately, some parts of the movie do come across a bit corny, but they’re small enough that it’s ultimately forgivable. Also, the Betty Ross character is mostly one dimensional and pretty naive for a cellular biologist. She’s a really nice person with daddy issues who cares greatly for Bruce; beyond that we don’t get much. I found myself missing Sam Elliot, but William Hurt did wonderfully as ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross. But none of that takes away from enjoyable this movie really is.

For the comic fans there are elements of Peter David’s Hulk stories lifted directly from the comics, with plenty of references to satisfy your inner geek. There are even moments when the composition of the shot resembles some of the Hulk comic covers.

I absolutely adored this movie, and highly recommend it.