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Rating: 6/10 (30 September 2013)

"Don't make me hungry you wouldn't like me when I'm hungry" – Bruce Banner (in mispronounced Portuguese)
Summer 2008 gave birth to one of the greatest films of all time based on a comic book character named Bruce, and arguably one of the greatest films of all time, period. Unfortunately for Banner, it was Wayne who took the plaudits. Nonetheless, The Incredible Hulk is an important cog in the mechanics of Joss Whedon's Avengers Assemble, and is a throwback to the original superhero cinema venture, something which films like The Dark Knight have tried to veer away from in recent years.
Bruce Banner's back-story is hurriedly introduced before we catch up with the fugitive in a Brazilian favela, working at bottling factory. Mistakenly contaminating a luminous green drinks bottle with his radioactive blood, Banner is placed on the US government's radar, and after a brief encounter with the "big guy", veteran soldier Emil Blonsky (Roth) decides he will be the man to tame the beast, and will do whatever it takes to succeed. Compromised Banner travels back to the USA and reunites with his former lover, Betty Ross (Tyler), in search of a cure for his condition.
Folks, grab some popcorn, a few bottles of beer/ glasses of wine, dim the lights and put your feet up after a hard day's work. The Incredible Hulk is not out there to challenge your original conceptions about the superhero genre, or blow you into submission by introducing a vast array of characters and settings. What it is going to do is treat you to a quarter-pounder of carnage and relentless action, with a side-salad of romance, which serves the purpose of garnishing this meaty venture of action with a softer side, the Bruce Banner side, if you will. Don't get me wrong, there isn't much depth at all to the film, and it doesn't reach many high points, but doesn't suffer many lows either.
Edward Norton is excellent as Banner. I'm always compelled by his performances, and hold him in high regard as an actor. He works great with Liv Tyler, who also gives an above par performance. It's just a shame that there isn't much substance to the film, as I think these two could have tackled a more gourmet superhero venture. Tim Roth's Emil Blonsky challenges the Hulk physically, whilst William Hurt's General Ross is there to defeat Banner mentally, and stop his movements across the US. The antagonists of the film don't really stand out at all, and are just there to provide a little fat between the bones that are the action scenes; Hurt does have some good scenes with Liv Tyler though.
Visually, The Incredible Hulk is presented much like a comic book, everything from the over-the-top, explosion drenched action scenes, to the rainy, melodramatic romance scenes between Banner and Ross has a pseudo-animated feel to it. The score is also very strong, particularly where Banner is involved, and especially in the foreign settings of the film (The Lonely Man song even makes an appearance as a leitmotif on Bruce's travels).
The Incredible Hulk is the most basic entry of Marvel: Phase One, though it's also the only "does exactly what it says on the tin" film of the bunch. And, although it was never going to win any awards for best screenplay, actors, cinematography or what have you, it isn't a terrible film. Most importantly, it doesn't try to fool you into thinking it's any more than a standard action film with some well known faces to brighten things up. Throw in a brief appearance from Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man at the conclusion, and you can turn of the DVD player with a sense of satisfaction, without having to chew over any leftovers.
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Allan's Score: 6/10