Marvel kicked it up a notch this time around with its latest movie, “The Incredible Hulk.”
This remake is one of my favorite comic-book movies, and similar to director Jon Favreau’s “Iron Man,” released earlier this year, this flick has the perfect mix of action and strong plot lines.
This movie doesn’t link directly to the 2003 released “Hulk,” but it helps to have a basic understanding of who Bruce Banner, “the Hulk,” (Edward Norton) is before you see this version.
The film opens with Banner hiding from military pursuers in Portugal. He already has the ability to transform into the Hulk and is learning to control his anger while searching for a cure for his state. Running out of options and under pressure from his military pursuers, Banner meets with a specialist named Mr. Blue, whom he believes will be able to cure him.
When Banner finally makes it back to the U.S., he runs into his old girlfriend Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) and they work together to find the cure for his greenish condition. Banner struggles to restrain his feelings for Ross in order to prevent a himself from warping into the Hulk. However, when he loses control, his feelings have complete control of his fury.
In an attempt to apprehend the Hulk, a soldier named Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) enhances himself in the same way Banner did and transforms into “the Abomination,” and naturally, a battle of good verses evil ensues between the two superheroes.
“The Incredible Hulk” has trumped its predecessor in several ways. When I saw the 2003 “Hulk,” I had to watch it twice because I lost interest halfway through. “The Incredible Hulk,” however, grabbed my attention from the start. Also, the technological advancements made over the past five years increased the quality of the special effects and helped create a stunning display of digital animation. Norton is an amazing actor and was the perfect choice for the role of Banner, fulfilling all of my expectations of the comic-book superhero.
The only complaint I have is that the movie was a little rushed. The film went from one scene to another quite rapidly, particularly toward the end. But because the movie is only two hours long, it’s understandable why cuts had to be made, for time’s sake.
I recommend people see this movie, and since it covers a large spectrum of genres including action, comedy and romance, it will appeal to almost everyone’s tastes.