Back to Familiar Ground

Rating: 7/10 (31 October 2008)

As many know, Ang Lee and Eric Bana tried to do a Hulk movie in 2003. It didn't work. Brooding and arty with limited action. So this time around they went for a "reboot" - new director and cast and approach. For other movies, the word 'reboot' means an update from what we've seen before. For 'The Incredible Hulk', reboot simply means getting back to the basics - more action and a brisk and easy to follow story. In other words, this aims to be be meat and potatoes and that is what it is.
This movie offers up much that is good and solid but not spectacular. The plot is simply designed to enable what we want to see. Nearly all the cast do fine. I wouldn't mind seeing them reprise their parts in any future movies. However, I'm not 100 percent sold on Edward Norton as Bruce Banner / The Hulk. He's a fine actor and there's nothing wrong with his acting here. It's just his approach to the character. Bruce here is quite solemn and repressed. He seems to be thinking deeply about his predicament, but not really in a battle to control his rage. Therefore, it never really feels like a smooth transition whenever he transforms into the Hulk. His chemistry with Liv Tyler's Betty Ross is pretty good though.
On the action front, the film is very good. It gives us what we want to see. A whole lotta Hulk Smash! The finale is definitely kickass and The Hulk versus The Abomination delivers. The film ends fairly abruptly after that. Now that we've had two movies in close succession basically introducing The Hulk and the major characters, now is the time to move on and start pushing this series into high gear.