The Incredible Hulk can not be discussed without also mentioning two other films, Iron Man and Ang Lee’s 2003 film The Hulk. After a string of successful superhero films, both financially and artisticly, The Hulk seemed as though it would continue that trend. Its high pedigree made the film all the more disappointing.
Just a mere five years later a new film, The Incredible Hulk, has arrived in theatres. This film is not another origin story, instead it picks up after The Hulk left off. However, the current director, Louis Leterrier, completely re-imagines the visual style and tone of the Hulk franchise.
The general opinion is that Leterrier’s film is far superior to the original, but The Incredible Hulk suffers from trying to play it too safe. The first two acts of the film are fantastic! Edward Norton’s turn as Bruce Banner elevates the story and turns what could otherwise be another dumb action movie into an interesting character piece. By the third act, however, the film looses its edge as it moves forward into another typical final battle. The last QG (computer generated) brawl is too long and leaves the audience detached from rest of the film.
The other movie that must be mentioned while discussing The Incredible Hulk is the recent blockbuster, Iron Man. These two films are the first independent productions from Marvel Studios. While Iron Man may be the better of the two films, both share the same sensibilities.
Both The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man are about adults in adult situations. Many of Marvel’s co-productions seem to have been about web-slinging teenagers and young runaways, shying away from tougher material. In contrast, The Incredible Hulk is really not appropriate for younger children. Leterrier makes good use of the film’s PG-13 rating, while still using some discretion by allowing much of the violence to play out in the shadows. Neither Bruce Banner nor Tony Stark are immediately likable characters, but thanks to the terrific casting of Edward Norton and Robert Downey Jr. each of the characters are transformed into protagonists an audience can believe in. It looks as though we may be seeing some great things from Marvel in the future.
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