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| The Hulk (2003)
 
Starring: Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Nick Nolte Director: Ang Lee Rating: PG-13 Category: Action/Drama  |
The newest superhero to hit the big screens, the Incredible Hulk, is going to disappoint more than just a few kids, mostly because the Hulk isn't really a superhero as much as he is a psychological mess. The supposed action-packed comic film many are paying eight bucks to see isn't in the same class as the ultra-successful "Spider-Man" and "X-Men" franchises, and not nearly as many movie-goers will appreciate director Ang Lee's artistic, psycho-dramatic portrayal of the big green machine.
Poor Bruce Banner (Eric Bana). After being dumped by his co-worker Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly) because he never shares his true self with her, being exposed to gamma radiation, and then transforming into a mutated, green hulk, he now can't conceal his true self. Unlike the original story, though, Banner doesn't transform into the Hulk only because of his exposure to the radiation; he's also affected by a hereditary gene passed on from his father David Banner (Nick Nolte), a mad scientist who formerly worked for the military on a revolutionary but very dangerous genetic project that he tested on himself.
I hinted at it before, but don't expect too much action in this one. First off, it takes well over an hour for the Hulk to even appear, with Lee instead developing the Banner character first. Even worse, the Hulk has a mere two action scenes where he displays his awesome strength, with his complex inner struggles serving as the main focus of the film. These aren't necessarily poor directorial choices, but it's also not exactly what we were expecting from this highly anticipated adaptation.
Many will be disappointed with Lee's take on "The Hulk," but I believe it was the best approach possible. The Hulk CGI looks just wonderful, or about as wonderful as you can expect a green, 11-foot freak with an anger-management problem to look. Also enjoyable was the use of multiple boxes to display ongoing action, giving "The Hulk" a true comic book feel as if you were flipping through the pages right there in the theater. It's all based on appearance in this comic book adaptation, and it was done right, even if it wasn't done the way many of us expected.
~Jason Zingale
jzingale@bullz-eye.com