In Defense Of…”The Incredible Hulk”

Edward Norton’s lone portrayal of Bruce Banner is an underrated entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe anthology

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has completely changed Hollywood. From the proliferation of comic book heroes to the notion that every major movie studio now needs its own universe in which its characters can interact through multiple films, Marvel has laid the path that all others are following, praying that they will find the same success. The films within the MCU have combined for a box office total of an estimated $14.8 billion worldwide, including five films raking in more than a billion each. In short, “Marvel has made consistent hits, which is supposedly impossible in a creative business.” [1] But, to hear some tell it, Marvel’s record is not perfect and there are a few black marks on the studio’s résumé.

Actually, one of those marks is green.

The Incredible Hulk, the second film to come out of the MCU, arrived on the heels of Iron Man in the summer of 2008 and was expected to be another monster success. Only, it was not to be. Although the film debuted atop the box…