The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Director:

Louis Leterrier

Writers (WGA):

Zak Penn (screenplay)
Zak Penn (screen story)

Release Date:

13 June 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

On June 13, get ready to unleash the beast.

Plot:

Dr. Bruce Banner, thanks to a gamma ray experiment gone wrong, transforms into a giant green-skinned hulk whenever his pulse rate gets too high. Meanwhile, a soldier uses the same technology to become an evil version of the original.

Plot Keywords:

Hulk | Cure | Scientist | Soldier | Antidote

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Edward Norton	...	Bruce Banner
Liv Tyler	...	Betty Ross
Tim Roth	...	Emil Blonsky
William Hurt	...	Gen. 'Thunderbolt' Ross
Tim Blake Nelson	...	Samuel Sterns
Ty Burrell	...	Leonard
Christina Cabot	...	Major Kathleen Sparr
Peter Mensah	...	General Joe Greller
Lou Ferrigno	...	The Incredible Hulk / Security Guard (voice)
Paul Soles	...	Stanley
Débora Nascimento	...	Martina
Greg Bryk	...	Commando #1
Chris Owens	...	Commando #2
Al Vrkljan	...	Commando #3
Adrian Hein	...	Commando #4

Also Known As:

Hulk 2 (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence, some frightening sci-fi images, and brief suggestive content.

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Portuguese | Spanish

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Ireland:12A | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-13 | UK:12A | Singapore:PG | Australia:M | Hong Kong:IIB | Greece:K-13 | Philippines:G | Brazil:10 | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Malaysia:U | USA:PG-13 (certificate #44454) | Netherlands:12 | Canada:14A (British Columbia) | Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Spain:7 | Taiwan:PG-12 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Peru:14 | Germany:16 | Germany:12 (cut) | Denmark:11 | Sweden:11 | France:U | New Zealand:M | South Africa:10V (theatrical rating) | Austria:12 | South Africa:13V (DVD rating) | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Arlington, Virginia, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

There are references in the film to Marvel Comics' next film, The First Avenger: Captain America (2011). Firstly, there is a portrait of Steve Rogers, the original Steve Rogers, seen in the General Ross's office. Next, a label can be seen on the storage tank reading: "Dr. Reinstein." Reinstein was the doctor who developed the Super-Soldier serum that transmogrifies Rogers into the Captain. Louis Leterrier mentions he shot a scene where Banner encounters Captain in the Arctic, but it was cut out of the final cut of the film.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the opening scenes, the name plate on his desk, reads: General Ross. That's a four star rank. Ross is a Lt. General, a three star rank. The nameplate should read, Lt. Gen. Ross.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Bruce Banner: Is it ready?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Troldspejlet: (#40.3)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Over Under Around And Through

A Nutshell Review: The Incredible Hulk

The crowded streets and cluttered housing on the streets of Rio De Janeiro provided some reminiscence of Jackie Chan's Police Story, where you could be sure of a chase scene zig- zagging the streets to take advantage of the wonderful opportunities presented for an exhilarating chase. And Leterrier doesn't try not to provide action junkies plenty of action- smashing moments as we root for Bruce Banner to hulk up, unfortunately of course, to satisfy our lust for some unadulterated action where everything in the way of the Hulk, gets smashed. However those expecting action from the get go will be disappointed, as there were only a small handful of action sequences, though of course they include the classic moments that comic fans had been baying for since 4 years ago. So I guess most will be left happy as we see some nifty moves by the Hulkster, which will leave a smile on your face, despite being used in limited doses. But I note though that the story cum action, looked a little bit like Superman II with the seeking of a cure and the deliberate loss of power to be with the lady love, and the duking out between super-beings on equal footing (here being gamma-powered), with a tinge of Cloverfield like moments too.

While there will be those who will gripe about the transformation mainly done in the dark and in shadows, it does prove to be effective in building some anticipation and heigntened tension as to when he will finally appear in full glory. The mainly military attacks on the big guy again brought out some back to basics adversary with Thunderbolt Ross trying to capture the Hulk, and in fact I'd appreciate that this movie didn't divert too much away from this primary objective, although it might be more of the same from the first movie. But while the Hulk has an aura of invulnerability, somehow The Incredible Hulk provided me at least, an emotional pang when he gets hurt bad, as we remember that this is a guy who just plainly wants to be left alone. And the angrier the Hulk gets, the bigger and more powerful he becomes too.

And it's not all serious here too, with well meaning humour peppered in the right places, making numerous references to the television series and characters from the Marvel universe. You'd often wonder how his pants stay on before-during-and-after transformation, well, it gets addressed here with humour. Memorable ines such as "don't- make-me-angry-you-wouldn't-like-me-when-I'm-angry" gets punned away, even the late Bill Bixby got a cameo, together with Lou Ferrigno who reprises his security guard role, and Stan Lee who's possibly in the most unmemorable cameo appearance ever. The much touted Tony Stark appearance will bring whoops of joy from newly converted fans of Robert Downey Jr, while I suspect in line with the rumoured Avengers movie, the universe now seemed more streamlined again with the references to SHIELD, and stupid me thinking that Mr Fantastic would somewhat be featured in this too. A WWII super soldier project and serum was referenced and formed the basis for Tim Roth's Emil Blonsky turned Abomination, but Captain America? I'll leave that to you to find out.

But what I really liked about The Incredible Hulk is not the action sequences, nor the references mentioned made. It was the central love story between Bruce Banner and Betty Ross. In Lee Ang's version, we don't see much of the romance between Bana and Connelly because the story didn't really call for it, save for a rescue scene, and at an in-juncture where the Hulk was stopped in his tracks by his lady love. And that was precisely the winner for me. The Hulk, for all his power and unstoppable rage, could be brought under control by his lady love, and that was used to great effect here. Beneath the green invulnerability lies the heart of a mild-mannered man who yearns to be with the love of his life, but unfortunately cannot due to the curse that Fate had brought upon him. Both Norton and Tyler managed to bring out this chemistry of lovers torned apart, one who can only admire the other from afar, and the other finally never wanting to let go of someone who had disappeared from her life for her own protection. And this version of Betty does sport a bit of a temper and feisty too, and is not really your classic damsel in distress.

Granted that most supporting characters were rather one-dimensional, The Incredible Hulk somehow managed to straddle between its intense whack-all-destroy-all moments, and tender ones when the lovers are left alone to their own devices. As with the Marvel movies to date, the doors are left wide opened for follow ups and team-ups, and here there are no less than three avenues where the next story could develop further from, and sowed the seed for other movie franchises to be developed too. It drained a little bit from the cerebral department in order to amplify the romance, and let the action go into overdrive. HUlk Smash indeed, this time likely to make a huge dent at the box office, for fans and non-fans alike to be won over, just like how Iron Man did.