The Hulk Review
by Terri Clark (TerriClark4 AT aol DOT com)August 18th, 2003
The Hulk is a Gargantuan Good Time
West Life News (6/25/03)
Review by Terri Clark
What is it with us, ladies? What makes us believe the love of a good woman can fix a bad boy? Is it our innate nature to nurture? To love even the unlovable? Or is it our desire to walk on the wild side, to tame the beast? Whatever the psychology, Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly) is in love with the baddest of all bad boys. Freud would say it began with her hardnosed General father (Sam Elliott). Betty wouldn't argue. In fact, she even admits to obsessing over "emotionally distant men," but in an effort to stop this self-destructive behavior, she recently broke up with her co-worker. Although she still loves Bruce Banner (Eric Bana), she found him too bottled up and removed to form any kind of intimate relationship with. Now they're trying to create a working relationship that isn't awkward, but when Bruce plays hero and gets zapped with
what should've been a deadly dose of gamma radiation…she sees a new side of him emerge. He's gone from rigid and repressed to mean and green. He's a twelve-foot monster who can leap three miles in a single bound, run 100 miles-per-hour and lift 5,000 pounds. Pure testy testosterone and when he throws a temper tantrum…watch out! Now the government views him as a potential weapon, a rival researcher (John Lucas) views him as hard cold cash and his own dad views him as power to be harnessed. It isn't easy being green. Fortunately Betty has her heart set on saving both the monster and the man, if only she can get him to calm down first.
Another Marvel comic is turned into a motion picture. The Hulk has been a longtime favorite since its creation by writer, Stan Lee, and artist, Jack Kirby, in 1962. The Jekyll and Hyde hero hit his highest popularity point with the television series that starred Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno in 1977-1982. (Look for Ferrigno's cameo with Stan Lee in the beginning of the film.) With the success of other comic book films like "Blade," "Daredevil" and "Spiderman," it was only natural to bring The Hulk to the silver screen. But how do you make a grumpy green giant who doesn't look cheesy and fake? You hire
the award-winning CGI artists at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and have director Ang Lee ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") guide their animation efforts. The result? Revolutionary realism. The emotional range on the Hulk's not-so-handsome mug is remarkable. Watch the look on his face when he's in San Francisco and Betty flies up in the helicopter. Not only do his eyes seem to glisten, the look of absolute longing on his face is actually moving! Add to this outstanding animation some innovative editing that includes wipes, split screens, extreme close-ups, dissolves and intercuts and you have a visually impressive film, which often resembles a comic book layout. The overall effect is as artistic as it is astounding.
Giving further muscle to this superhero film is an extraordinary cast. Connelly
is emotionally rich as the pained Betty Ross. Her delicate grace is a great balance to the Hulk's lumbering destruction. When Billy Crudup declined the role of Bruce Banner, casting turned to Australian actor Eric Bana who, despite
having a short filmography, made a strong impression because of his
astonishing
portrayal of a crazed killer in "Chopper." Bana does well moving from restrained to rage. Giving the film a comedic kick is "Sweet Home Alabama's" Josh Lucas as Glenn Talbot, who takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Finally, Nick Nolte and Sam Elliott are exceptional as the two fierce fathers with power
issues and parenting problems.
Inarguably, The Hulk is the best comic book adaptation yet. Not only is it a gargantuan good time, it's a Marvel masterpiece. So, go on, satisfy your ID and
get in touch with The Hulk. Sometimes it feels good to be mean.
MOVIE FACTS
Title: The Hulk
Grade: A-
Rating: PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some disturbing images and brief partial nudity.
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Director: Ang Lee
Screenplay: John Turman, Michael France, James Schamus
Cast: Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliott, Nick Nolte, Josh Lucas
Time: 138
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Drama
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