Rating of
3/4
New "Hulk" almost smashes expectations
kcvidkid - wrote on 06/17/08
I've never been a huge fan of "The Incredible Hulk" comics except for a period a few years ago when the storyline echoed the old television series and focused on the fugitive aspects of his alter-ego, Bruce Banner. While a complete remake of that series would probably not satisfy audiences today, merely weaving a little of its drama into the obligatory action sequences does revitalize the franchise and help us forget Ang Lee's cerebral version of only a couple years ago.
Casting acting heavyweight Edward Norton as Banner, while not quite as inspired as Robert Downey Jr. in "Iron Man", seems a smart decision when he's in solitary, scientist-on-the-run mode; however, his scenes with others (particularly Liv Tyler) are... odd. They sometimes give the movie what little humor it has, but I'm afraid it's unintentional.
The action scenes without a doubt give fans of "Hulk Smash" what they've been longing for. But the biggest problem remains how unrealistic the CGI are. I know a 20' tall green monster is not realistic; however, surely they can do something better with his face. His hair especially has an animated look. This causes these scenes to be more effective early when his rampaging is done in darkness and shadows.
Skin Rating = 2 (out of 4). The joy of the Hulk lies in the fact that once he shrinks back to normal size, his clothes have been ripped to shreds. In this movie, that means a lot of skin on display for a surprisingly buff Edward Norton. If you imagine the class nerd having a hot body beneath his pocket protector, you'll be in Heaven here.
