Spectacular, fun, inventive and... wholly credible!

Rating: 9/10 (13 June 2008)

This is a half-sequel / half-reboot of Ang Lee's 2003 movie, ditching the well-meant but ponderous art-house stuff and keeping the "smashing things up" stuff. It's a tremendously likable movie with Ed Norton in great form, Tim Roth and William Hurt clearly having lots of fun as the bad guys, and Liv Tyler giving a very solid performance.
As with most superhero movies, of course, the action sequences are what will make or break it, and in this case they make it. As any fan of the comic will be aware, the Hulk can't help but get involved in wholesale property destruction and this movie has that in bucket-loads. The action is inventive, spectacular and absolutely thrilling.
Despite the title, the Hulk is a remarkably credible character, much more realistic and sympathetic than his 2003 counterpart and definitely the movie's strongest point. On top of that there are plenty of subtle moments to make the die-hard Marvel fans (of which I am one) more than happy.
Plot-wise, the movie mostly ignores the 2003 version (a reworked version of the origin appears in the opening credits) and focuses on Banner's search for a cure for his condition. It's this search that brings him to the attention of the US military and that's when the fun really begins...
Overall The Incredible Hulk isn't quite up there with Iron Man, but it's very close (certainly a lot closer than Spider-Man 3 which cost twice as much to make and isn't even half as good).