"It's Not Easy Being Green...."

Rating: 1/10 (31 May 2009)

The Incredible Hulk, is a reboot, not a sequel, to Ang Lee's misunderstood masterpiece, The Hulk. For this version Louis Leterrier, took the reigns. With screen writer, hackerr, I mean Zak Penn doing the "screenplay." I am not really a Hulk fan at all. Even during my misspent youth as a comic book junkie, I was just never into the Hulk. But even for me this film was a joke, a slap in the face really. Allow me to analyze why this is.
The screenplay sucks. It is really nothing but an homage to the campy 70's series. That I have seen in reruns. And it was terrible, so is there any wonder that this film is a poor crop at best? With bad lines, like "It's like a bad acid-trip." When describing what is like to be The Hulk, gone is the eloquent description from the good Hulk film. And how about, "I can't control it, maybe I can aim it." Right before Banner jumps out of a plane. Despite the fact that he may not turn into the Hulk, and may be committing suicide.Speaking of Banner, the cast sucks in, The Incredible Hulk. Which is odd, seeing as most the actors in the film are usually quite capable.
Take Edward Norton for example, he is normally a good actor, just watch, Fight Club, and you will see what I mean. Yet in this he is terrible. Largely due to a poor script, which interestingly enough, Norton, re-wrote. I shudder to think how bad it must have been before the revision. Liv Tyler, does little as Betty Ross, largely due to this film keeping her as a flat, one dimensional character. Unlike Jennifer Connolly's version of Betty in the superior Hulk film. Tim Roth, is a great actor, and very talented especially when playing the villain. But in this tripe, he comes off as clichéd and uninspired at best. And as far as I can tell, his version of, The Abomination is a far cry from the original character.
And why did they even have Samuel Sterns character in this? For those who don't know, and I think that is probably most people who liked this "film," Sterns, eventually becomes the villain, known as The Leader. So he is only here to set up a sequel. Because we really need more bad sequels to bad films from Hollywood. Further, Bull is that the few nitwits that did not like, The Dark Knight, complain how that film sets up the sequel. Yet no one makes this complaint with this Hulk garbage. And a Hulk fan, friend of mine assures me, that the way they made him become, The Leader, is complete crap, and not like the comic series at all.
Ironically all the impatient unintelligent people who liked this crap-fest of a film. Always go on about how the better Hulk film was not good because there was not enough action. Yet there is very little in this one. There are only three, yes, three action scenes in this. And unlike The Hulk, they are poorly shot in this film, and bland and boring. Odd considering the director has experience with action films.
Worse are the "story" parts of the movie. Not only are they poorly shot, to the point where as a middle school student could do better, but they are poorly written, and stiffly acted out, By actors who must have needed the cash, because there performances lack and real emotion, or talent. On top of that, the situations are so damn lame, that I often found myself almost laughing.
I mean come on, they find Banner, because he bleeds on a soda bottle? Why would anyone think to check for the blood type? And if they did they would never link it to Banner without a sample of his blood. And then they would have to compare it directly to his. But why the bloody hell (No pun intended.-MM-) would they even consider doing this? When they have no reason to think or believe that it is Banner's? Zak Penn must know little to nothing about pathology. I would liken it to "Grey's Anatomy" but that would be an insult to fans of that show.
Let's face it, the superhero genre is so over saturated, that there is little reason to watch this film. There are so many better films in this sub-genre alone. Like: Spider-Man 2, The Dark Knight, The Hulk, and even the flawed, Watchmen. So why would any one waste their time with this celluloid trash? This incarnation of the Hulk, is barley as good as stinkers like: Daredevil, Ghost Rider, and Batman and Robin. Even if you are an action film junkie there are so many better choices. Go rent a John Woo film.(Hard-Boiled, or The Killer preferably.-MM-) Hell, watching the old Hulk show is better than this drivel.
As hard as they tried to make this like that show. They even failed to surpass even that level of campy. I saw, The Incredible Hulk, for free. Yet I still wish I could get my money back. Better yet, I wish this crap had never been made. That way at least poor old Hulk could have had at least one good film adaptation.
(1.0 out of 10. And that is being very generous, this crap deserves a 0.0. But IMDb, does not allow it.)