(By the way, key tip for future reference: anytime there's a film with a giant radioactive poodle, you know you're in serious trouble. And it was one of the film's highlights, for crying out loud.)
Speaking of "what was with", what was with Bruce's father experimenting with gamma rays in 1966? Bruce was supposed to be four at the time, meaning he was born in '62, making him 40 or 41 in this film--which was clearly set in the present day. Yet Bana and Connelly are both in their early 30s, and both of their characters are played as if they're 30 or younger. Perhaps Ang Lee should have set the film in the late 1980s, and had Josh Lucas's stock-evil-corporate Talbot character wear a horizontally-striped shirt and give a "greed is good" speech.
Truly an awful film--and dreadfully slow pacing, to boot. Easily 30 to 45 minutes of the film could have been cut out, and nobody would have missed them. And it's surprising to see Hollywood make such a blatantly anti-military (and anti-technology) film so quickly after 9/11.
Ang Lee, who knows better, was recently quoted as saying, "I'm trying to make a delicacy out of American fast food". He should have started with better ingredients. McDonalds' food is fine for what it is: fast food. But trying to make filet mignon out of a Big Mac is a futile. And fast food at the movies can be surprisingly satisfying: last year's Spider-Man was a textbook on how to make a fun summer movie version of a comic book character. Considering how much James Lileks raved over Spider-Man last year (and rightly so), I'll be very interested in reading his take on The Hulk, the textbook example of how not to make a film of a comic book character.
In the meantime, if the next batch of Fender heavy celluloid guitar picks I buy has a lime green tint to them, I'll know where they came from: The Hulk is enjoying a tremendous opening weekend, but word-of-mouth is where summer films become blockbusters, and it's difficult for me to see this film obtaining Hulk-sized quantities of that.
(Originally appeared on EdDriscoll.com)
Article comments
1 - Joe Comeau
Your review is totally off base...the movie is Incredible...the Hulk could just sit on the toilet for 2 hours, or I could just watch Jennifer Connelly breath for 2 minutes and it would be movie of the year. Apart from that it definately was an amzingly well done film. Basically, YOU suck and the Hulk will hunt you down and kill YOU..how's that? P.S. Jennifer looked a bit anorexic? Perfect is more like it. What are you married to some fat slob?
2 - John Campea
While Joe's comments are a bit harsh (ok, extremley harsh) I have to agree with his basic point. The Hulk is a brilliant film. Take away the last 15 minutes with the fight against his father, and you have one of the best comic adaptation films ever made.
The visuals were top notch, better than anything else I've ever seen with a CG character in a live enviornent. Also, the story was much deeper and more "human" than i was expecting.
Overall I'd have to say this film far exceeded my expectations (which were pretty low). Rent it and enjoy it.
3 - Vanzee
I personally thought Hulk was three times the film Spider-Man was. I understand in today's society with movies like "2 Fast and 2 Furious," "The Matrix Reloaded," and "Jason vs. Freddy" getting top box office that the Hulk might be a little above some people's heads. Im glad I'm not one of those people.
4 - andy
I didn't see it yet. I was really looking forward to it, but man, he just looks way too fake. I will definately give it a chance now, but the CGI thing...they still don't look real. Gollum was the closest so far
5 - TDavid
I was one of those folks who was really looking forward to the Hulk. It was my favorite Marvel comic book as a kid followed closely by Iron Man and Fantastic Four.
However after seeing this film adaption, I thought of the film as just ok, giving it a C grade on my website. Hulk looked pretty cool and not as fake as the trailers made him look, but I'm from the camp that would rather of seen an actor in a body suit then full-on CGI.
Also, I was spoiled a bit by the fact that I actually liked the TV show with Bixby and Ferrigno (yes, I realize that was pretty cheesy, but it worked for me).
Why Ang Lee tried to make Masterpiece Theater out of Hulk is beyond me. He could have pared 15 minutes easily out of the beginning and given us the Hulk sooner.
Those who didn't like the TV show probably will enjoy this version more.
On a positive note, Hulk had some really cool parts like when the Hulk was fighting with those dogs. One problem was it took far too long to get to the Hulk initially and it sort of ended in the middle of nowhere (I guess Bana is signed on for 3 films, so we'll get a sequel most likely).
Better than Spiderman or X2? Not for me it wasn't, but I do believe that when this comes out on DVD it will be better because we'll get to see some of what Ang Lee reportedly "had to leave" on the cutting room floor.
Gotta love those extras!