The Incredible Hulk
The non-review
- Release Date: 13 June 2008
- Running Time: 112 min.
- Budget: 150 million USD
- Box office: 264,8 million USD
I thought every Marvel Studios movie was on Disney+, but not The Incredible Hulk, unless in the US where is available frome the 16th June, but I live in Italy and here is still unavailable. I didn’t want to rent or buy it digital nor I want to use an illegal streaming service, so I thought I had to pause my rewatch project untill it came available.
But, since we’re moving, storing all my DVDs my wife noticed that I have it! So last week, once home, she told me she stored away all DVDs except one, when I ask she showed me what I was looking for! What a lucky nerd am I?
I remember the movie as a not-so-good-movie in the range of shitty movies, but I changed my mind. Offcourse it isn’t the best MCU movie ever, but it isn’t as shitty as I remember. Maybe I mismatched with the Eric Bana ones which I didn’t see in years.
Anyway, The Hulk = Rage, irrational and destructive rage.
I think the main Hulk’s fault during the various MCU movies is that we lost that primordial rage, they “addomesticated” him, I totally forgot what a beast he is in Edward Norton’s version. And this is the strenght of this movie. Well, there’s a lack of narrative here and there, but seeing Bruce Banner incapable in some way to control the beast, is what comics aficionados wants.
The keystone of this Bruce Banner is the perfect balance between this rage and the smooth way he moves and lives, trying to be stealth and not to be a threat for the people he loves, in these things Norton is great. But, the pivot point is the lovely Betty Ross — well played by Liv Tyler, like Pepper Potts with Tony Stark, she know which is the right button to push to handle his boy.
There’s some stuff I don’t understand, or it’s better say that they don’t explain at all, like Emil Blonsky character, he pops out of nowhere and it’s hired as an expensive mercenary to lead Bruce Banner manhunt. To semplify things down: General Ross tells him that he looks aged and out of shape and he take it personally, thinking it’s better to take a shot of an unknown serum to run faster and change Ross’s mind. He has nothing against Bruce Banner, he just see the big green fella and think it would be cool to became a beast himself. Why? That’s make no sense!
Another thing that’s make no sense is how Banner reach the U.S. We know he was in Rio de Janeiro when the first transformation take place in the drink factory, because in one previously scene we see the iconic Pão de Açúcar. After the manhunt Banner wakes up in a forest and finds out he is in Guatemala, Mexico. Wait what? It’s more than 6.000 km (+4.000 miles for my american friends), in one night. Eleven fuckin hours by plane.
Ok ok, let’s assume our big fella can easily run at civil plane speed, once in Guatemala he need to reach Willowdale, Virginia — where the Culver University is. Once in Willowdale they show he doesn’t have an incident for 17 days, the distance between Guatemala City and Willowdale is 2.760 miles, what this mean? It taked 17 days to cover a total of more than 7.000 miles or he transformed to shorten the trip? He looks exactly the same, short beard, no long hairs, he is wanted, he is still without any money and documents. Just how? What happened? That’s make no sense!
If you step over this weird stuff, the movie is really entertaining and I enjoyed it. Oh no need to say that what we all wait for the entire movie is the line “HULK SMASH!!!” which happens at nearly the end of the movie during the final battle, and that’s make sense.
REFERENCES
In this movie there aren’t much clear reference to future MCU like other movies, but there are some you can notice clearly, except some reference to Stark Industries placed here and there, here what I found:
Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D
During opening credits there’s a classified document talking about Bruce Banner manhunt addressed to Nick Fury, and on a PC used by Banner to make some research there was S.H.I.E.L.D. logo.
Super Soldiers Serum
During the movie we hear frequently a reference to a serum Bruce Banner worked on to create Super Soldiers, the fact is Hulk was accidentally created attempting to replicate what Abraham Erskine (played by Stanley Tucci in Captain America: The first Avenger) did with Steve Rogers.
Tony Stark and The Avengers intitative
In the pre-credit scene, shown right after the end of the movie, Tony Stark talk to a drunk General Ross telling that he’s planning to put a team togheter.
In future MCU movies there are a lot of reference to The Incredible Hulk, I’ll talk about them in future, but you can see a really good list here.
and I don’t know if it’s just me, but could this frame be a reference to Daredevil’s enemy Bullseye — which was played by Colin Farrell?
STAN LEE AND OTHERS CAMEOS
In The Incredible Hulk, Stan Lee played a man who was fond of Pingo Doce, unfortunately for him.
Believe it or not, Lou Ferrigno — who played The Hulk in the 70’s, makes a cameo as the officer at the university entrance.
That’s it! I liked it, but also think is a missed opportunity to give this amazing character the spot he deserve.
Not the worst but not the best.
