by Benjamin Haines » Sun Jun 15, 2008 1:00 am
I just saw it a bit ago, and it ROCKS! Great envisioning of the Hulk. Much, much better than the 2003 film (which I did like).
The trailers for this movie suck. They make it look like by-the-numbers Hulk formula and for the most part they spell out the entire plot of the movie. Avoid them as much as possible before seeing this film, and by no means should you let them stop you from seeing this film, because it is such a treat. This is very much the Hulk movie we've been waiting for.
It isn't perfect, though. The editing is its biggest fault as it is pretty jarry. Now I see why Norton was fighting Marvel on the editing process for this flick, because Marvel decided to really cut back on the drama scenes and try to simplify the story as much as possible. They didn't make it nonstop action or anything, but I thought it was very obvious when some scenes felt cut short or too fleeting. It's not nearly as bad or problematic as, say, Spider-Man 3 or Godzilla: Final Wars, but it is along those lines. There is no doubt in my mind that we'll be seeing an extended cut on DVD, with the drama and the characters more fleshed out and a more relaxed pace.
That's not to say that there's anything particularly wrong with this theatrical version, because it still rocks regardless and it is very much character-oriented. Edward Norton is fantastic as Bruce Banner, as he really sells the role and makes the plight of the Incredible Hulk something genuinely credible. He shows the same skill Robert Downey Jr. pulled off so well in Iron Man in that he's able to be interesting and carry entire scenes even when he's the only person on the screen for an extended period of time. Tim Roth nailed the part of Blonsky too; he might have stolen the show with a bit more screen time.
The "fugitive on the run" and Hulk action sequences were all handled incredibly well, hitting all the right points of intensity and adrenaline, and the big showdown with the Abomination at the end was appropriately the high point of the film's action. The CGI for the Hulk was good enough for the most part. Some shots were pretty iffy, while others were wonderful. The worst of it could thankfully only be called as bad as a video game, as nothing looked anywhere near the level of cartoony slop as the dreadful CGI from the 2003 film. All in all, suspension of disbelief really isn't a problem as far as the special effects are concerned here.
It's not as good as Iron Man, but The Incredible Hulk is a fantastic achievement in the realm of cinematic superhero efforts. Cast your doubts aside, head to your local cineplex and see this one in all of its booming, roaring glory on the big screen.
And the ending sets up the future oh so deliciously - in more ways than one, I assure you.