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- Jun 9, 2006
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I know you'll be shocked that I went to this, being as I've *never* done a comic-to-movie review before or something, but I do have to say I didn't know what to expect going in, but I came away from this movie a LOT happier than I expected to.
You might remember back in 2003, before Marvel had much control over who did what to it's movies, they tried to do a "Hulk" movie then, and passed the director's torch to Ang Lee, who then proceeded to use it to burn the entire ****ing movie down.
I'm not, as a rule, into talking negative about folks but in this case, Ang Lee *SERIOUSLY* needs to stick to Hong Kong Phooey movies because it's all he's good for, I'm sorry.
Since this summer, With Marvel Studios taking hold and releasing its own movies it's OWN way, beginning last May with "Iron Man" which I also favorably reviewed, things are now vastly different: Marvel people are producing Marvel films, and the difference in quality since Marvel Studios took over has been staggering.
This reboot "Hulk" will indeed be a "Smash": there's *enough* new ground and *enough* nods to the 70s series to make it enjoyable all round; Edward Norton's portrayal of Bruce Banner even puts me in mind of good old Bill Bixby from the original series.
Certain nuances survive from the old series that bring a welcome touch to the new film: just as a Banner/Hulk change sequence begins to occur his eyes’ll slam open and they’ll be green, and during a short montage while he’s wandering through Brazil and Mexico I was delighted to hear the familiar piano score which played at the end of those old TV episodes when Banner walked off into the credits.
I won't go into any spoilers as to actuall effects/cool stuff that Hulk does but I'll give you a few cool things that I noticed in the film that I thought were cool:
*Lou Ferrigno had the size and they had the camera angles to make it work back in the day well enough for 70s TV, but I will say it was awesome to finally see a believeable Hulk at his quote-unquote “Actual Size”.
*Being as this was a PG-13 movie I was kind of upset to see as many people with their kids at this movie who were well under 13--it isn’t like this was just the mindless 80’s cartoon stuff, there were adult situations and those transformation sequences looked like they HURT (I mean I’d be in some serious ****in' pain too, if I suddenly grew 2 feet and gained 800 pounds for chrissakes--my skin tone at that point would be the LEAST of my worries, where'd I put my stretchy pants?)
*It was nice to see Hulk *THINK*. I mean his thought processes are still on an instinctive rather than intellectual level, but he figures out a trick or two in combat.
Hulk only says two words toward the end of the final fight scene---but they are just the right two *wink* :-D
Then we had not one....not two....but THREE cameos.
*Obviously Stan Lee appears in every Marvel movie, of course.
*for our second cameo, we had a security guard ed norton bribes with a pizza who we'll recognize, even though his face ain't green this time around *wink* :-D
* Our third cameo puts into play a strategy that no comic studio has EVER tried before with its films--tying them all together in one universe.
Robert Downey Jr( who plays Tony Stark/Iron Man in last May's movie of the same name), appears in the Hulk as Tony Stark!
Those of us who remember our comic book days were left all a-tingle as Stark approaches General Ross( the man chiefly responsible for tracking down the Hulk) and asks him "What if I told you we're getting a team together?" and then the movie cuts.( I do seem to remember that at some point in time Hulk WAS a reserve member of the Avengers.....)
An additional reference is made to a "super soldier serum developed duringg WWII" which all but cements an eventual appearance by Captain America( they're gonna have to be *VERY* careful how they handle that one).
Apparently this is all geared toward an Avengers flick sometime in the next few years, and I'm glad to see Marvel finally geting this ambitious about this.
Why?
Because frankly, I could give a damn whether anybody thinks liking comic book characters is "childish", I am GLAD to see my childhood heroes coming back bigger than ever to give this generation something else to look up to than bloody Grand Theft Auto.
You might remember back in 2003, before Marvel had much control over who did what to it's movies, they tried to do a "Hulk" movie then, and passed the director's torch to Ang Lee, who then proceeded to use it to burn the entire ****ing movie down.
I'm not, as a rule, into talking negative about folks but in this case, Ang Lee *SERIOUSLY* needs to stick to Hong Kong Phooey movies because it's all he's good for, I'm sorry.
Since this summer, With Marvel Studios taking hold and releasing its own movies it's OWN way, beginning last May with "Iron Man" which I also favorably reviewed, things are now vastly different: Marvel people are producing Marvel films, and the difference in quality since Marvel Studios took over has been staggering.
This reboot "Hulk" will indeed be a "Smash": there's *enough* new ground and *enough* nods to the 70s series to make it enjoyable all round; Edward Norton's portrayal of Bruce Banner even puts me in mind of good old Bill Bixby from the original series.
Certain nuances survive from the old series that bring a welcome touch to the new film: just as a Banner/Hulk change sequence begins to occur his eyes’ll slam open and they’ll be green, and during a short montage while he’s wandering through Brazil and Mexico I was delighted to hear the familiar piano score which played at the end of those old TV episodes when Banner walked off into the credits.
I won't go into any spoilers as to actuall effects/cool stuff that Hulk does but I'll give you a few cool things that I noticed in the film that I thought were cool:
*Lou Ferrigno had the size and they had the camera angles to make it work back in the day well enough for 70s TV, but I will say it was awesome to finally see a believeable Hulk at his quote-unquote “Actual Size”.
*Being as this was a PG-13 movie I was kind of upset to see as many people with their kids at this movie who were well under 13--it isn’t like this was just the mindless 80’s cartoon stuff, there were adult situations and those transformation sequences looked like they HURT (I mean I’d be in some serious ****in' pain too, if I suddenly grew 2 feet and gained 800 pounds for chrissakes--my skin tone at that point would be the LEAST of my worries, where'd I put my stretchy pants?)
*It was nice to see Hulk *THINK*. I mean his thought processes are still on an instinctive rather than intellectual level, but he figures out a trick or two in combat.
Hulk only says two words toward the end of the final fight scene---but they are just the right two *wink* :-D
Then we had not one....not two....but THREE cameos.
*Obviously Stan Lee appears in every Marvel movie, of course.
*for our second cameo, we had a security guard ed norton bribes with a pizza who we'll recognize, even though his face ain't green this time around *wink* :-D
* Our third cameo puts into play a strategy that no comic studio has EVER tried before with its films--tying them all together in one universe.
Robert Downey Jr( who plays Tony Stark/Iron Man in last May's movie of the same name), appears in the Hulk as Tony Stark!
Those of us who remember our comic book days were left all a-tingle as Stark approaches General Ross( the man chiefly responsible for tracking down the Hulk) and asks him "What if I told you we're getting a team together?" and then the movie cuts.( I do seem to remember that at some point in time Hulk WAS a reserve member of the Avengers.....)
An additional reference is made to a "super soldier serum developed duringg WWII" which all but cements an eventual appearance by Captain America( they're gonna have to be *VERY* careful how they handle that one).
Apparently this is all geared toward an Avengers flick sometime in the next few years, and I'm glad to see Marvel finally geting this ambitious about this.
Why?
Because frankly, I could give a damn whether anybody thinks liking comic book characters is "childish", I am GLAD to see my childhood heroes coming back bigger than ever to give this generation something else to look up to than bloody Grand Theft Auto.
