Ang Lee vs Louis Leterrier

Rating: 7/10 (24 November 2008)

Comparisons are inevitable with Ang Lee's much-panned 2003 attempt at the story of the big green monster. So for the record, I think they come out about even, but for different reasons.
Lee's Hulk/Bruce Banner combo, as portrayed by Eric Bana, ended up more cartoonish, but ironically more complex. Leterrier's combo starring Ed Norton, on the other hand, is not only better rendered, but Norton just looks as if he was born to play Bruce Banner in 2008. He effortlessly modernises the character, infusing him with new age attributes like hoodies, back-packs and Brazilian martial arts, while retaining the quintessential intensity that transforms into rage just as Banner transforms into the Hulk.
I favoured Jennifer Connelly over Liv Tyler for the Betty Ross character, but William Hurt does make a great Thunderbolt Ross.
I can't really remember the villain in Ang Lee's version - something about "daddy issues", so Tim Roth's excellent descent into Abomination is a bona fide Marvel villain.
Stan Lee must be very happy (if not very wealthy) for two reasons: 1)because the Incredible Hulk, as immortalised in this movie, continues to be one of the most adored stalwarts of the Marvel universe, and 2) because even though "The Dark Knight" recently beat down "Spiderman" as king of the box office, there is no doubt that it's the Marvel universe and not the D.C. one, that's filling out very nicely at a theatre near you.