Not "Iron Man" but good enough for now

Rating: 8/10 (14 June 2008)

There is nothing wrong with this version of the "Incredible Hulk." Everything from the actors to the production values feels right. In brief, the story gets the job done and there are enough human moments to carry the viewer through the action sequences that on occasion have a little too much action. The effects are fine, though most of them are standard issue things-blow-up-real-good stuff and sophisticated viewers will no doubt "see the wires" in some of the shots. (I must mention that the effect involving the Sound Cannons is new and very well done -- such a weapon is I believe feasible and readers of "Atlas Shrugged" will not doubt appreciate the possible reference to the "Thompson Harmonizer.")
I liked the movie in other words and I think most people will too, but leaving the theater, keeping in mind all that the movie had going for it, I had to wonder why I didn't like it as much as "Iron Man." It's hard to pin down but I think the gist of it is that Tony Stark the hero of "Iron Man" is always engaging the world, positively or negatively, and there is a pronounced character arc to his story. We get a real sense, thanks to Downey's remarkable performance, that his transformation could really happen. That it does happen in movie time, of course, means they happens way too fast for real life, but Downey makes us believe it. We like and cheer for him no matter what he does. There is never a trace of self-pity in him. Banner on the other hand is always on the run and his determined refusal to come to grips with his world distances himself from us throughout the movie. Likely his particular plight works better on television then on the large screen, especially in a movie as over the top as this one. Plenty of us can feel sympathy for Banner, I certainly can, but on the whole most of us aren't that compelled to watch a movie about it.
Another complaint I had was his relationship with Betty. Since we see nothing of what transpired before the laboratory episode between them, I had strong doubts that she would pitch aside her current relationship in an instant when Banner makes an appearance. I kept waiting for the "I love you Bruce but I'm not in love with you" scene, but it never came. Tiresome as that scene is, it is credible, and what I was seeing on the screen was not. Even Spiderman II handled that situation better, though admittedly not by much.
The final problem is this: what is really going on inside the Hulk's mind? Banner dismisses the notion but the transformation from raw, unstoppable force, to caring super-beast is strongly implied but we have no idea why, let alone how, it took place. Iron man inside his suit is still Tony Stark, but Banner inside the Hulk we are told is nothing, a zero, gone. We don't believe it, we can't believe it on the basis of what is happening on the screen, yet we are given nothing to work with to resolve the conflict.
So the film is a good beginning to the series and the way these stories interlock in future films should be quite interesting. "The Incredible Hulk" is not "Iron Man" but by the very nature of the material it was probably impossible that it would be.