The Incredible Hulk

The “Hulk smash” that we all want to see

It’s odd that five years after Ang Lee’s international flop The Hulk, Universal Pictures would decide to revisit and reboot the franchise. What’s even more odd is that they’re not advertising it as a reboot.

For The Incredible Hulk, Marvel Studios has teamed with Universal to release their second picture. Because their first, Iron Man, was so successful, you’re going to hear many people compare them. In reality, they are two different types of flicks.

Iron Man is an action and comedy-driven blockbuster, while The Incredible Hulk is a story-driven drama, tapping mostly into the “wanderer” feel of the television series.

Edward Norton, who co-wrote the screenplay, plays Bruce Banner — a scientist whose accident-derived curse strips him of the woman he loves (Liv Tyler as Betty Ross) and forces him to run like Harrison Ford from Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive. When another genetic scientist thinks he may be able to cure Banner from the green beast within, Banner comes out of hiding, returns to where it all happened, and searches for the needed missing pieces.

More than an action movie, The Incredible Hulk is filled with many dramatic elements. There are more scenes that dive into Banner’s dark personal life than there are of Hulk smash. Don’t misunderstand: the new Hulk smash is far superior to Lee’s.

If you’re looking for a great drama, then check it out. If you’re looking for another Iron Man because you heard that Robert Downey Jr. shows up as Tony Stark, then don’t get your hopes up too high. Though Stark does appear in The Incredible Hulk, they are two completely different types of movies.

Photo credit: Universal Pictures