So last night I watched The Incredible Hulk, a movie that I was not really looking forward to watching. I mean, I figured that since I had seen the Eric Bana version (you always relate the superhero movie by the actors playing the lead role) and thouroughly enjoyed it, why watch what I felt was Marvel’s bleek attempt at salvation?

So I did what any red blooded American does when they don’t want to drop $10.50 to watch a movie in the theaters, something else. But alas, I was surprised… I really enjoyed The Incredible Hulk! In fact, I was so thrilled with the movie, that I wanted to write about the contrasts of the roles shared between the two movies, but first, the story…

2003’s Hulk delved into the early life of scientest Bruce Banner, setting the foundation of his relationship with Betty Ross, along with Banner’s animosity towards not only his father, but Betty’s father as well.  The film also showcases Banner’s struggle with the Hulk inside of him, and his race to find a cure.

2008’s Incredible Hulk pretty much picks up where Hulk left off, with Bruce Banner in refuge outside of North America. Banner works remotely with a U.S. scientist to find a cure, however when his whereabouts are discovered by General Ross, Hulk is released after nearly 5 months of supression. Banner then makes his way home where he is reuinted with Betty Ross, fails to find a cure and confronts a soldier injected with a super syrum who later becomes an Abomination.

The Incredible Hulk is a perfect example of what happens when Marvel independently produces their own movies, away from the likes of 20th Century Fox and Sony. They end up making great comic book movies. Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk are their two examples so far.

The lead role, Bruce Banner. I feel that Edward Nortan absolutely ran away with this role. Eric Bana (2003’s Hulk) is a great actor, don’t get me wrong. But in Hulk, rather than portrayed a fragile scientest with an inner struggle, Bana looked as though he was making poopy for most of the film.

Norton has had experience as a happy go lucky type of fella, as in Death To Smoochy. Norton’s talent made it believable that he was a scientest with a struggle to supress inner demons.

One thing I will give Eric Bana though, his interaction with on-screen fling Jennifer Connelly (2003’s Betty Ross) felt genuine and natural, while Norton and Liv Tyler (2008’s Betty Ross) felt awkward and forced, kinda like asking a girl out to prom, being rejected and continuously asking the same girl to the same prom.

Call me biased, by Jennifer Connelly is my friend. Not personal friend, but hottie body karate friend. And while I think Connelly’s beauty out-Hulk’s Tyler’s (see what I did there?) I also feel she was the better Betty Ross.

Tyler seemed to often times speak under her breath, talk so softly like she was a dainty, gentle flower caught in the middle of a pissing contest between her man and her father. While that might be true, the only enjoyable scene with Tyler was after the cab ride where she’s screaming her head off. A little emotion and some acting, nice job Liv!

But Jennifer, ah yes. Connelly possesed the worry, the nuture and the overall genuine love for her man in danger and worked so well with Bana on screen that I was really hoping she would reprise her role. However, with Marvel going in another direction, it’s obvious their cast would have to follow suit, and we were left with a damsel in distress.

This was probably the toughest choice for me in the movie. William Hurt is a fantastic and prolific actor. Sam Elliott is a man’s man and overall bad ass. Both actors did a superb job acting as a General in the U.S. Military. This is easily a tie.

The bad guy! Now this is a no brainer. Roth has experience as a bad guy, and can easily exemplify the type of person that you would loathe. Nolte just looks like a crack head, so the loathing is natural!

Roth portrays Emil Blonsky, a military officer past his prime, and wantsa drink of whatever The Hulk had. He gets his wish. Injected with with a syrum, presumably the stuff Captain America shot up, Blonksky is turned into a super soldier. After pinning down banner at a lab, Blonsky takes a dose of some Hulkness and becomes Abomination.

Nolte, playing David Banner (Bruce’s daddy), becomes a cat lady and tries to convince his son to help kill the military. When Banner refuses to turn into the Hulk and assist his father, David Banner bites into a wire and becomes an electrical monster.

LAME.

So in the end, The Incredible Hulk was by far the more enjoyable Hulk film. And just as Iron Man connected Tony Stark with S.H.I.E.L.D. and The Avengers, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) has a brief cameo visiting General Ross talking about putting together a team (The Avengers).

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 25th, 2008 at 10:35 am and is filed under Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.