Our friend Hugh in Atlanta, who is also a comic book/superhero collector, has already seen the HULK Movie, and wrote such a great review that I've asked him if I could post it to the blog (to which he agreed, thankfully). Tom, Jeff and I saw it SUNDAY, June 22nd, and I thought it was really good! Tom thought it a little too violent (rightfully so). Jeff thought it was good. (PHOTO RIGHT: Rob as Superman, and Hugh as the Hulk - kidding!)
Anyway, here's Hugh's review:
The Incredible Hulk is good --- better if you know Marvel Comics and its characters but not great , Iron Man set the standard much too high.
They didn't dismiss the last movie, they quickly went thru set up scenes to go thru the origin quickly . We also see newspaper clippings to fill in information and if you know Marvel Comics you will see very familiar names.
They pick up with Banner on the run in South America.
Unlike the Ang Lee version the action comes early and quick.
Again if you know Marvel comics you get the references to the Super Solider formula and when Gen, Ross goes to the cryrogenic tank with the name Rothstein on it -- you know what you're going to get -- or rather what the subject will get. William Hurt is EXCELLENT as General Thunderbolt Ross --- so is Ed Norton as Bruce Banner... Liv Tyler is ok as Betty Ross.
The problem with the movie is still the CGI-- as advanced as it is now , Hulk still looks more animated than human which is interesting beccause the Super Soldier -gamma ray'ed villian The Abomination looks more "real" than the Hulk. Maybe its because they used the Actor's face and head for the Abomination so it seems more expressive and "real" while the Hulk looks like an advanced version of Shrek. It''s really not as bad as that sounds but they need to work on it.
Things to look for :
There are cameos with Lou Ferigno (who also does the Hulk's voice --something he NEVER did on TV)
Stan Lee of course but in probably the shortest ,simplest of any of his cameos but interesting for the questions it raises, and even a cameo by Bill Bixby in probably the kindest and "fatherly" way possible.
Also for those who know their tv, there is a sequence of Bruce on the run where the soft music in the background is the theme music from the TV show that played in the end when Banner would go off to his next adventure.
And the big cameo --- Robert Downey Junior as Tony Stark. You don't have to sit thru the credits for it (there's nothing after them --I stayed). His appearance is brief but with substance with a "cute" referenence to the Super Soldier "being on ice" Capt. America fans will understand -- no spoiler here on Tony's actual statement except to say -- we take the next step to The Avergers movie...
Also -- the last time we see the doctor who tries to help Banner and adds the final touch for the Abomination, it appears we have the set up for The Leader-- again if you know Marvel , you're one step ahead of the game. I couldn't remember the Leader's real name so I'm not sure if the character's name was a giveaway or just the last scene as a hint.
Hulk is a good movie --- not great and really needs to be seen AFTER Iron Man ... On the Hugh movie scale if you catch it at a matinee, its a 3 out of 4 with Iron Man being a four.. at full price knock Hulk down a peg.
Still to come -- Iron Man 2 is now scheduled with Thor, Captain America , Ant -Man down the road leading to The Avengers....Sign me up if the standards remain at least as good as Hulk -- but they should be able to shoot for Iron Man level in the future.
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