Fantastic!

Rating: 10/10 (13 June 2008)

Finally! I think this is the film I've unknowingly been waiting for this year. I don't think I can fault any part of it. I was sceptical at first - I often am with sequels where EVERY SINGLE cast member has been changed - but this was refreshingly good for a sequel, and I think it worked better than the original.
The opening is especially good to look at - covering parts of the story in the interim period since the first story (with some overlap I suspect). The story begins in a favela in Brazil, and the imagery of that 'suburb' was amazing to me - it seriously looks like a small, highly compact town made of lego or different coloured boxes. A brilliant choice of location. Norton and Tyler have great chemistry, I think, and Hurt steps into Sam Elliot's steps brilliantly as General Ross. Tim Roth is brilliantly psychotic, increasing as the film progresses, and for once, the 'showdown' at the end of the film isn't a disappointing series of flashing images. It actually touches on many points that were not quite clear in the first film: although he is to bullets, Hulk is not completely invulnerable. And even the use of the line "Hulk Smash!" doesn't seem inappropriate.
Beyond the film, it is clear that something big is in the making at Marvel: the cameo from Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark (tie-in to Iron Man) is very intriguing, and a little research will show films of The Avengers team (Wolverine in 2009, Thor in 2010, and Captain America and The Avengers in 2011). I'm drooling just thinking about it!