It’s been only five years since Ang Lee took the Marvel Comics character to the big screen for the first time, but Universal Pictures wanted more green, so they’ve tried again with Louis Leterrier (The Transporter) as the director and a script by X-Men’s Zak Penn, with an uncredited assist by star Edward Norton. At least artistically, they’ve succeeded. Lee’s Hulk was an “origin story,” but this one takes care of that part with an opening-credits montage. We then find fugitive scientist Bruce Banner (Norton) on the run in Brazil, where he does menial labor, practices relaxation techniques to prevent himself from turning into his angrier, greener, meaner giant self and pines for fellow scientist Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), who’s back in the USA.
Leterrier and Penn keep us waiting for over half an hour waiting for that first transformation, but it’s worth it. Whereas Lee’s Hulk was big, bouncy and cartoonish, the one here is merely bulky and fearsome, aided in no small way by the sound effects. Comparing this to spring ’08’s other great action fantasy, the alter-ego battle probably goes to Robert Downey’s Tony Stark, who has a better backstory and a wry sense of humor. But in the superhero scenes, Hulk easily vanquishes Iron Man. (I leave aside the question of whether the destructive Hulk, who get is, precisely, a superhero.) The climactic battle, in fact is similar in both movies, but Leterrier really knows how to stage an action sequence. The story also was reminiscent of the original King Kong, with Tyler in the Fay Wray part, the only one who understands the beast (except for Banner) himself, and William Hurt as a general leading those who want only to bring him down. The finale is different of course—the King Kong producers weren't concerning themselves with preserving the possibility of sequels. So instead of the Empire State building, Hulk unlooses his rage in Harlem. His foe (Tim Roth) is Hurt’s man on the ground, a borderline-crazy soldier who volunteers to capture Banner and becomes transformed in his zeal. This is mainstream filmmaking at its best.
IMDB link
viewed 6/14/08 at Moorestown; reviewed 6/15–23/08
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