Far better than it gets credit for

Rating: 7/10 (7 October 2018)

At the time this film was released, audiences still had a sour taste in their mouths from Ang Lee's ill-fated 2003 Hulk movie. I remember seeing this one in a small theatre to hardly anyone there in attendance. That aside, what The Incredible Hulk does well and what no other Hulk film has managed quite as successfully since is to truly show the duality between the Bruce Banner and Hulk personalities.
There is a real sense of urgency throughout this entire film, even long before its main villain pops up -- a rarity in MCU movies, where much of the drama is centered around the rise of the film's supervillain. How the movie does this is through its clever use of exposition in the movie's ingenious opening sequence along with the fugitive storyline that has been at the core of many classic Hulk comic books.
Director Louis Leterrier shoots some gorgeous sequences throughout this film: from the lush evergreens of Brazil to Culver University and onwards, the film always feels open and brings something visually interesting to the screen. The best sequence, however, goes to our first on-screen introduction to the Green Goliath within a bottle factory. Shot like a horror film, Hulk is painted as the monstrous force of nature that he is. I still remember smiling widely throughout that whole sequence the first time I saw it, and it still has that effect on me now.
Where the film falters is sometimes in the CGI, especially in the final act and confrontation between Hulk and the Abomination. Some moments script-wise are also predictable. Where it succeeds is in its sharp wit instead of by a need for slapstick like later MCU flicks.
The cast are all top-notch, with Edward Norton's Banner convincing throughout. Tim Roth's Blonsky/Abomination is a highlight and poses a real threat to Hulk and others, bringing Hulk to his knees on a number of occasions. This is a solid superhero movie.