“We’re going to have to watch that temper of yours.” —David Banner
Today’s quick review: Hulk. Bruce Banner (Eric Bana), a scientist on the verge of a medical breakthrough, has his life turn into a nightmare when he is exposed to his own treatment, turning him into a green-skinned monster known as the Hulk. Hunted by General Ross (Sam Elliott), Bruce seeks help from Betty (Jennifer Connelly), his friend and Ross’ daughter. Meanwhile, Bruce’s abusive father David (Nick Nolte) hatches his own plan for his son.
Hulk is a superhero action movie directed by Ang Lee. Eric Bana stars as Bruce Banner, a troubled scientist who becomes an indestructible monster when angered. The movie offers an extensive look at Bruce’s origins, tracing his transformation into the Hulk back to his father’s questionable experiments on him as a child. Hulk is a heavily stylized movie with effective drama, but it may be too slow and story-focused for some viewers’ tastes.
Hulk’s strengths lie with its story and, subjectively, with its stylization. The movie does a good job of fleshing out Bruce’s background, making his transformation into something more meaningful than a random accident. The personal angle works well, putting an emphasis on Bruce’s character and his repressed trauma. The movie also juggles its plot threads well, tying together Bruce’s childhood, his present-day research, and his transformation.
The movie’s stylization is a mixed bag. Hulk uses a wide range of visual effects to tell its story, including split screen, comic book panels, and a very active camera. On the one hand, these effects give the movie a distinct style and are the result of a clear vision. On the other hand, they can be distracting. Watching Hulk is not as simple as letting the action unfold; the audience has to adjust to the movie’s particular rhythm.
Hulk also lacks the simple, popcorn appeal that other superhero movies have. The movie takes a long time to get its pieces in place, and the story is darker and more intricate than the standard for the genre. The action is large-scale and destructive when it finally kicks off, but the first half of the movie is a slow boil. Hulk gambles that the audience will be engrossed by its story, a gamble that does not necessarily pay off.
Hulk is a movie with a clear artistic vision, but one that will not appeal to everyone. Fans who are interested in a stylized, story-driven take on the character will find Hulk to be an interesting experiment, albeit one whose particular style may not fit their tastes. Fans who are looking for fun, uncomplicated action will find that the movie misses the mark.
For a less stylized, more action-oriented adaptation of the same source material, try The Incredible Hulk. For a similarly stylized sci-fi action movie with more of a cartoonish bent, try Speed Racer. For an unconventional take on the superhero genre that touches on similar conflicts, try Push. For a more comedic superhero movie about a science experiment gone wrong, try Fantastic Four.
[5.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286716/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for a decent story with overly stylized presentation.