I know what you’re all thinking. Overrated CGI and good cast don’t always make a good movie. And you would be right (look Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), but not in the case of the Incredible Hulk. This movie is like a rollercoaster ride, just when you think “the worst” is behind, you go forward faster than before. Of course my judgment might be a little off, since the first time I saw it, was in the cinema. The effects are always bigger, brighter, better when you watch it on the big screen. But all Marvel fans, and people, who just like science-fiction movies with a fast-paced action, should enjoy it no matter the size of the screen.
So for those, who are unfamiliar with the story of Bruce Banner, here’s a quick plot description. So the said Bruce (Edward Norton; Fight Club) is a scientist, who instead of using the usual guinea pig (where’s the fun in that, right?) tests gamma radiation on himself. He believes it’s for the good of mankind, but the truth is US, particularly General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (William Hurt), wants to use it to make super soldiers (think Special Ops. on crack, just green). Obviously the experiment goes wrong. Bruce changes into Hulk, an out of control monster, destroying the lab and injuring some of the scientist, among whom is Dr. Elizabeth Ross (Liv Tyler; LOTR), General’s daughter and Bruce’s love interest (yeah, and you thought your relationship was complicated). Bruce flees out of the country and goes to Brazil. He works there, making sodas and all the time trying to find a way of curing himself. For that he gets in touch with another scientist, a man who calls himself Mr. Blue. When nothing helps, Bruce is forced to send him his blood sample (it’s still red, not green, in case you wondered). As it always happens Bruce’s hideout is soon discovered, and the US Army is on the hunt for him. He manages to escape, and then decides to go back home. Coincidentally he bumps into Elizabeth, and after a few chats, some explosions and a lot of screaming they go on the run together. They go to Mr. Blue, who turns out to be quite a peculiar (if not crazy) cellular biologist Dr. Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), and he (almost) promises to cure Bruce. The only problem is, in his excitement about gamma radiation, he synthesized Bruce’s blood and made, well, a lot (you can guess where this is going). Before they have a chance of destroying the supply, a special ops soldier Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) gets hold of it (having some injected in him before) and turns into, what is, and can only be called an Abomination. And the rest, well you have to watch the movie to see what happens next!
I hope I already convinced you to give greenie a chance. If not, then I will add that Edward Norton, being the complete opposite of what Hulk looks like, portrays Bruce superbly (but doesn’t he always?). Tyler is good, and the love between the characters is shown in a more subtle way, by their on-screen chemistry and the fact that Betty is the only one that has any effect on Hulk. She calms him down on more than a few occasions. The film has some good dialogues (even funny at times), which movies like that usually lack. Plus for CGI enthusiasts, the special effects are close to perfect, which makes the action seem more real and in the end, at least I, found myself really rooting for Hulk!
Go and enjoy it, because if you look closely and watch what’s on the computer screens at the very beginning of the movie, you will know there’s more to come from the green hero!
