Hulk is a smash

Rating: 8/10 (1 July 2008)

OK fight fans here we go. First let me get started by declaring I am the only person I know who actually liked the Ang Lee Hulk movie. So for me this is not an essential remake. I thought that movie had a magnificent sense of pathos. But here we go the great things with modern super hero movies is just like the comics we can re-imagine them as and when the film makers see fit, and in this case it has been done well. Marvel is on a bit or a role here as they have now surpassed my expectation with both this movie and 'Iron Man' This movie seems to cleverly run on from Lee's version whilst giving you an altered history in the opening credits. We have Bruce Banner now holed up in Brazil a fugitive trying to understand his so called disease. Whilst General Ross is desperately searching for him to cultivate his research into a weapon. Where this film differs from the first is that it is action pretty much all the way and very well done it is too. Hulk seems a little smaller and therefore more accessible but the CG is good and the rainy sequence trick is used once again to help the blending in of scenes. Also where this film will work for the fan boys is in the appearance of a proper comic book villain in Abomination. Abomination's back story is handled well and Tim Roth gives a good hammy performance to match the stellar efforts from the rest of the cast. (I have heard Edward Norton is unhappy with the cinema cut and would like to see the cut he preferred, and would really hope he makes himself available for any potential sequels). There was some good homage's to the past with a TC clip of Bill Bixby, a cameo by Ferringo and the inevitable Stan Lee cameo and a real plus for me they even worked in a little bit of the old TV theme tune. A real unexpected treat.