If It's Got Edward Norton In It, It's Gotta Be Good.
Written: Jun 13 '08 (Updated Jun 13 '08)
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Product Rating:
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| Bang For The Buck |
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Pros: An all-around fun movie.
Cons: A little corny at times.
The Bottom Line: This is the perfect summer film.
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| chelledun's Full Review: The Incredible Hulk |
Edward Norton is sort of my hero, so it was a given that I’d be at The Incredible Hulk on opening night. Per usual, Mr. Norton doesn’t disappoint in this well above-average superhero movie. If you like superhero movies either a little, you’ll love seeing this lean, green, fighting machine in action.
Plot Information
Edward Norton stars as Bruce Banner, a likeable, unassuming loner who has flown the country after a science experiment gone horribly wrong. When a mysterious stranger (alias Mr. Blue) offers to help Bruce reverse the effects of the gamma rays which have altered his body, Bruce has to retrace his steps in an effort to obtain the data surrounding his exposure. In the process, he reconnects with old flame Betty (Liv Tyler) and, less willingly, with General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (William Hurt). As it turns out, the general and his men have their own plans for Banner, or at least for his blood. Expect one-on-one battles, big guns, and a couple obligatory hints at romance as Banner attempts to sort things out and return to normal life.
My Thoughts
I’ve not read any comics or seen any movies on the subject of the Hulk, so I went in as a blank slate. As one might expect, the visuals here are pretty fabulous, and reason enough to see this film. If you’ve seen the trailers, you already know that a CGI hulk-like creature smashing and bashing everything in its path is quite a sight to see. Incredible Hulk’s plot isn’t exactly novel, in that the film reminded me at various points of Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Spiderman 3. Despite this, I found myself much more wrapped up in the story than expected. This is likely because Norton is quite compelling, even in this clearly fictional environment. There are some oddly abrupt cuts here and there, but at least the film doesn’t drag. On the contrary, Incredible Hulk zips along, to the point that I actually found myself wishing this two hour film was a three hour one.
While Norton is the star of the show – and indeed, he is alone for a good portion of the film – he is helped out by a great supporting cast. I loved seeing Liv Tyler, who manages to bring a classy, intelligent vibe to the familiar role of “superhero’s girlfriend”. I’d take her over Kirsten Dunst any day. The honor for best supporting performance, though, goes to Tim Blake Nelson in his role as doofy, eccentric scientist Samuel Sterns. Maybe it’s just because Nelson’s portrayal reminds me of many of the geeky science professors I’ve encountered, but I got a kick out of him every time he was onscreen. Props also go to Tim Roth as creepy Emil Blonsky, if only for managing to look incredibly menacing.
While I really enjoyed The Incredible Hulk as a fun summer popcorn film, the movie isn’t quite perfect. I could have done without a few particularly corny attempts at comedy, and a few even cornier attempts at romance. The movie’s biggest sin, though, is its ending, which consists of a blatant setup for a new movie by means of a character many viewers won’t even recognize. I know these Marvel stories are all interconnected, but I don’t like it when I have to go home and look at the internet to understand the final minute of a film.
Overall…
The Incredible Hulk is a fun, visually impressive movie, and well ahead of the curve for its genre. I enjoyed the high level of action and talented cast, and would rank this as my favorite superhero movie since at least X-Men: The Last Stand. The bottom line? Go see my buddy Ed in action!
Recommended:
Yes
Movie Mood: Action Movie
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