The Incredible Hulk – The First Hulk Movie

Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe began to dominate movie theaters, the 1970s saw a rash of made-for-TV superhero movies meant to launch future television series. While some of these TV flicks, like the first incarnation of Captain America and Doctor Strange, proved to be major duds, others, such as The Incredible Hulk, have gone on to achieve cult status.

Despite its limited budget and the lack of CGI, this first Hulk film does a solid job of establishing the character. While Joss Whedon and Taika Waititi would make the Hulk a much more crowd-pleasing monster, this early iteration was able to set up the character as a dangerous and uncontrollable creature. The script was also strong, with a lot of drama and a solid back story.

Bill Bixby did a great job of portraying the scientific side of the character. He was able to convey a man who had a lot of self-reflection and self-awareness, but struggled to control the rage that would occasionally consume him. Lou Ferrigno did a good job of playing the Hulk, but it’s really Bixby who steals the show. His ability to switch from the cerebral Banner to the green-skinned Hulk with a single glance is masterful.

The story begins with Banner being injected with gamma radiation to test a theory on tapping the extraordinary strength reserve that is within all humans. However, the experiment goes awry and he becomes the Incredible Hulk. As the rage builds in him he slowly transforms into the huge green-colored beast of unchecked rage. He travels the country seeking a cure, but is constantly pursued by investigative reporter Jack McGee (Jack Colvin).

It’s worth noting that this was one of the first times in film that we saw a hero turn into a giant monster because of anger or fear. This is a major part of what makes the Hulk such a compelling character, and the movie does a great job of establishing that aspect of the character.

While the film does get a little repetitive as we see the Hulk go from one place to another, it’s still fun to watch the action unfold. And it does deliver some decent fight scenes with a nice dose of drama to keep things from getting too monotonous.

This is the first time we see the Hulk fight someone that he can match power for power. And while he doesn’t completely destroy Blonsky, he does put him to shame and manages to keep the Abomination from ever coming back again.

Overall, the movie does a pretty solid job of establishing the Hulk and his relationship with Betty Ross. It’s a little slow at times, but it has some nice tension and cool monster designs. And the acting is solid, especially by Bixby and Ferrigno. The Incredible Hulk the First is a must-see for any fan of the comic book character. The film also does a decent job of introducing the audience to the larger mythos that the characters will become a part of in the future.