The Hulk Review
by Laura Clifford (laura AT reelingreviews DOT com)June 23rd, 2003
HULK
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Bruce Banner (Eric Bana, "Black Hawk Down") believes his parents are dead and is haunted by a grim nightmare. He works in a high security lab with his ex-girlfriend Betty (Jennifer Connelly, "A Beautiful Mind") searching to crack the secret of biological regeneration. When another of Betty's former suitors, Talbot (Josh Lucas, "Sweet Home Alabama"), informs Bruce of his intent to use their research to create high-tech soldiers, Bruce gets mad, unleashing his inner "Hulk."
Director Ang Lee, who began his career with a trilogy of films about fathers ("Pushing Hands," "The Wedding Banquet," "Eat Drink Man Woman"), then moved on to a Jane Austen adaptation ("Sense and Sensibility"), the Civil War ("Ride With the Devil") and back to his native China for the martial arts extravaganza "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," returns to a story of father and son, albeit one wrapped around a Stan Lee superhero. Not since Tim Burton resuscitated the genre with "Batman" has a director so managed to put his own stamp on a superhero film and make the old seem new again.
After establishing Bruce in the present, we flashback to his past. Father David (Paul Kersey filling in for the later Nick Nolte) was trying to unravel the same biochemical mystery as his son on a desert military base run by General Ross (Todd Tessen, replaced later with Sam Elliott), who forbade him a human subject. Like all mad scientists before him, Banner uses himself as a test case and is alarmed to see mutation in his blood cells. When his beloved wife (Cara Buono, "Chutney Popcorn") tells him she's pregnant, he's both horrified and curious. Baby Banner occasionally shows greenish, splotchy veining when upset, but dad goes berserk when his secret is discovered, leaving his son with that disturbing nightmare.
Thirty years later, he's freed from lockup and poses as a janitor to make contact with his son in his place of work. Banner Sr. threatens Betty, whose dad happens to be General Ross, with his three mutant dogs. Talbot works to unleash Bruce's inner beast for profit and Ross is left to try and contain the resultant disaster while dealing with his own precarious father/daughter relationship.
The screenplay by John Turman, Michael France ("Cliffhanger") and producer James Schamus ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") initially casts Bruce's inner turmoil as an emotional handicap that explains his broken romance. When his father reappears and Bruce must address his nightmares, only the beauty can tame the beast and the filmmakers give Connelly her own "King Kong" moment. The film's first climax, where the Hulk is chased from the desert to the city, recalls "The Iron Giant" while its second is more like "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." The film's biggest failing is in this second standoff, too mythically imagined. Another problem lies with Betty's attempts to unravel Bruce's past while she knows all along that her father has the answers.
Bana is well suited to the role, bringing a studious but strong quality to the character. Nolte, looking like his drunk driving mug shot throughout, has a field day playing a megalomaniac. Sam Elliott and Jennifer Connelly are well cast as father and daughter (nice eyebrow matching!). Lucas goes for a black and white villain, evil through and through.
Technically, the film is astounding, from the amazingly natural incorporation of the CGI created Hulk to the stunt work and sound effects. One 'how did they do that?' scene shows the Hulk sliding down an immense dune, landing in a spray of sand. Cinematographer Frederick Elmes ("Ride With the Devil") uses bright whites and deep shadow to illuminate character mood with splashes of green innovatively incorporated (Betty's scarf, a toy dinosaur). The comic book world is evoked with overlays, splits, wipes and panels while the real San Francisco provides a striking backdrop for the film's climax. Danny Elfman's score has an exotic edge.
Be warned - "Hulk" is very violent and more sensitive and younger children may be disturbed by it. Still, the best superheroes have the darkest conflicts. It ain't easy being green.
A-
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