THE HULK (DVD)(2008)

The Incredible Hulk is a reboot for the film series rather than a continuation of the poor 2003 Hulk move. Edward Norton (Fight Club, American History X) plays the role of Bruce Banner while Liv Tyler (Lord of the Rings, Armageddon) plays Betty Ross. The film moves in the direction of traditional Hulk story lines and borrows heavily from the Bill Bixby television show, including a use of the television theme music and a cameo appearance from Lou Ferrigno.

The movie begins with Bruce Banner residing in Brazil attempting to find a cure for his condition. He is being sought by the military as an Army General wishes to use the hulk as the foundation for creating a series of super soldiers. As the plot progresses, Banner is forced to return to the United States to seek a college professor who has been assisting him in his research. A Special Forces soldier, who receives biological enhancements from the military to assist in fighting the Hulk, becomes obsessed with increasing his own power and eventually becomes a Hulk-like creature himself. This sets up a memorable battle between the two creatures. The ending of the movie leaves plenty of material for the planned sequel which is scheduled for 2011.

The movie tells an engrossing story and Norton plays Bruce Banner to perfection. While the computer generated Hulk images could still use some work, the film’s special effects are top-notch. The DVD’s special features are nothing special and consist of little more than a few deleted scenes.

The film’s only draw back is that it requires certain knowledge of the Hulk’s back story. This is a departure from movies such as X Men and Iron Man which provide the viewer with a back ground as to how the character came to be. This flaw is minor though as the faithful will love the film and those unfamiliar with the story will be able to pick up what is going on. This DVD is recommended for purchase.

Click here to buy The Hulk on Amazon. Incredible Hulk (Widescreen Edition)


Grade 8.5