The Incredible Hulk Review

The Incredible Hulk is an action movie, but it doesn’t rely on special effects to get the job done. The film has a good mix of fighting and shooting, plus enough blood to make it stand out in the Marvel Universe. There’s also some serious body horror – Hulk breaks every bone in a man, he gets stabbed and slashed across his chest, and he kills lots of people.

Edward Norton, who was a fine actor and the best choice for this part, makes the transformation into the green-garbed giant believable and exciting. His character is tormented by the power he holds inside him, which makes him a monster in his own right. The film borrows from the Frankenstein and King Kong myths, but eschews the noble-freak poignance of Boris Karloff’s Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde and goes for the brute, uncontrollable, irrational force of the monster.

A lot of people complain that the film doesn’t have much depth or character. That’s true, but the film isn’t trying to be a deep psychological study of a superhero. The film is a big-budget, big-screen adaptation of a comic book. It’s supposed to have broad appeal, and it succeeds in that. It’s a fun movie that takes you on an adventure.

While this Hulk isn’t as slick and polished as the first, it still does the job. The story is fast-paced and the action scenes are well executed. Louis Leterrier, who directed the Transporter series, has a solid hand on the reins of this blockbuster.

As with most Marvel films, the dialogue is a bit flat and ham-fisted, but it’s good for the most part. Some of the characters – like General Ross and Abomination – are underdeveloped. This is a problem, but one that can be fixed for future installments.

The only real disappointment is the way the movie ends. It’s a bit too quick and tidy, a problem that could have been corrected with some more time on the editing room floor. It’s not a great movie, but it’s good entertainment for fans of the MCU and fans of superhero movies in general. I’m looking forward to the next installment, She-Hulk.