This dramatic and rousing film features the Hulk that everyone knows and loves.

Rating: 7/10 (10 July 2014)

When The Incredible Hulk came out back in 2008 I watched it in a movie theater. I remember thinking that this is the best film portrayal of the Hulk yet. It's by no means a perfect film but it gets a number of things right. It definitely has replay value. Casting Edward Norton as Bruce Banner was a curious but inspired move. Norton is a good actor. In this film his Banner is a likable and charismatic character from the beginning. This reluctant hero gets a dramatic treatment like never before in film. In addition to the well-handled romance between Banner and Betty Ross (a perfectly cast Liv Tyler) we're also shown how he relates to his work. Since this is a beginnings story Banner can't yet control the Hulk and he wants to rid himself of the green monster. This drags down the action scenes a bit because the Hulk fights against Thunderbolt Ross' (William Hurt) army units. It's not very exciting stuff because he isn't facing a supervillain. So he smashes some armored cars and brings down a chopper. Only at the end of the film do we get to see some real Hulk action when he faces Emil Blonsky. But, surprisingly, the action involving the Hulk isn't even the best aspect of this film. It's more interesting to see Norton play Banner while he's on the run from Ross. The inclusion of some good natured humor is also a plus. Hurt lent an air of respectability to the film in his role as General Ross just as Jeff Bridges did in Iron Man (2008). It's unfortunate that Norton didn't get to reprise his role as Banner in The Avengers (2012) because he made Banner a believable character. In The Avengers Banner is often used for comic relief while the Hulk is used only for action. Sure, the fight featuring the Hulk and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is exciting. But when written by Joss Whedon and played by Mark Ruffalo Banner has none of the mystery and charisma that Norton brought to the role. Norton said that his dispute with Marvel producers was about money, while Kevin Feige claimed that they didn't get along with Norton. Perhaps Norton disagreed with Whedon's comical take on the character, or perhaps Feige thought that the box office returns were below expectations and decided not to spend more time and effort on Hulk films. It's too bad because out of all the Marvel superheroes I was most excited about seeing the Hulk. The Incredible Hulk achieved what it set out to do. Norton and director Louis Leterrier (The Transporter, Now You See Me) successfully revived the character and did it in a smart way. The CGI was provided by Rhythm And Hues and not by Industrial Light & Magic, the company that created the visual effects for Ang Lee's Hulk (2003). They succeeded in making the Hulk a vivid on-screen presence. Craig Armstrong provided a memorable music score, and if you want to get it it's available on two discs. There's a significant amount of footage that wasn't included in the final cut of the film. For example, the original opening, where Banner comes to the Arctic to commit suicide was cut out. When the scene ends, in an instant the frozen body of Captain America is partially seen in the ice. Some of the flashbacks that were placed across the film were compressed to the film's start. I would have liked seeing these in the final cut though. I recommend The Incredible Hulk. It's one of my favorite Marvel Studios films.