The Incredible Hulk (2008) Movie Review

Synopsis:

Dr Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) attempts to search for a cure for the gamma radiation that transforms him into the Hulk. His search soon makes him a target of the US military.

Review:

Hulk has had several appearances in the past. These included portrayals by actors such as Lou Ferrigno (1996 TV show) and Eric Bana from Hulk (2003).

Each of these actors presented a unique portrayal of the character. This is despite most of them feeling dated by today’s standards.

With the bar set high with Iron Man (2008), Marvel Studios now sought to introduce audiences to The Hulk.

As a whole, Edward Norton is above average as Bruce Banner.

Despite this, The Incredible Hulk suffers from slow pacing and uninteresting side characters.

One example of this is Banner’s love interest, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler).

Throughout most of the film, her character serves little purpose. She's also let down by an average script.

As with other movies in the MCU, the antagonists here are underwhelming.

This film’s primary antagonist is Betty Ross’s father, General “Thunderbolt” Ross (William Hurt).

As a whole, Hurt’s performance is good. Despite this, his character isn't offered much substance.

Tim Roth also plays Emil Blonsky, a secondary antagonist in the movie.

Roth’s Emil Blonsky has some decent action scenes, though he isn't well-developed. He also lacks a strong motivation.

Roth’s character also has a weak motivation. Despite this, he gives an above-average performance.

With the Hulk being the main character, the action was the best way of conveying his raw strength and size.

What’s fortunate is that most of the action scenes are well done, backed by a good, tense soundtrack.

Hulk's design also captures the look from the comics well, even if the CGI hasn’t aged with grace.

Conclusion:

As a whole, The Incredible Hulk is an uneventful entry into the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe).

This movie lacks the freshness, writing, and quality character beats of Iron Man (2008).

This film’s tense soundtrack, Hulk's design, and some good action sequences are its positives. Despite those, it falls short in other areas.

Sam’s Action Reaction score:

Characters - 6/10

Story - 6/10

Action - 7/10

CGI and visuals - 6.5/10

Soundtrack - 7/10

Overall score: 6.5 out of 10