The Incredible Hulk

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While the Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen plenty of critical and commercial success in the last 15 years, one film stands out like a sore thumb: The Incredible Hulk. This 2003 incarnation of the super hero suffers from some questionable casting and dull writing, but still manages to provide some action. Fortunately, the cast and crew make up for it with their performances, especially Liv Tyler as Betty Ross and Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk.

The story follows scientist Bruce Banner, who has been mutated by the same gamma radiation that killed his father. He seeks a cure, cutting himself off from his love, Betty Ross, and hiding from his nemesis, Gen. Thaddeus Ross. While at work, a drop of his blood falls into a bottle of gamma serum. A consumer ingests the serum, becoming the mighty Abomination. Ross sends a team, led by Emil Blonsky, to capture Banner. Blonsky is injected with more of the gamma serum, causing him to transform into an even larger monster.

Despite being able to move faster, jump higher, and heal quickly, the Abomination is still more powerful than the Hulk. After a battle throughout Harlem, the Hulk convinces Ross to let him go. Ross then orders Sterns to inject Blonsky with Banner’s blood, so he will become the Hulk. The experiment mutates Blonsky into the Abomination, which is even bigger than the Hulk. The Hulk defeats the Abomination after a long fight.

While this story isn’t as good as the more recent MCU films, it still provides plenty of Hulk action and a compelling character arc for Banner. The story is similar to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, as Banner is driven by self-loathing and guilt. He ultimately realizes that his powers would be far more destructive in the hands of a less responsible host, so he chooses to become the Hulk in order to fight the Abomination at the movie’s climax.

While the MCU has gotten better and better over the years, the Incredible Hulk is still worth watching for some fantastic acting and thrilling action. The film also has some great supporting players, including William Hurt as General Thaddeus Ross. He’s not your typical villain, as he truly believes that he’s doing what’s in the best interests of the country. The scene where the Hulk lifts a car is especially impressive, as Lou Ferrigno was actually lifting the actual car on camera. The steel cable that was supposed to help him lift it broke during the shot, so the crew had to improvise. The result is a memorable scene that showcases Ferrigno’s strength and acting talent.