'The Hulk' had better military fight scenes, an overall better Hulk design, and Jennifer Conelly. It needed less split screen and family psychodrama.
'The Incredible Hulk' had a better-told story, a more realistic-looking Hulk, and William Hurt. It needed bigger Hulk feats.
Overall, I'm inclined to watch the second more than the first. But if I had to choose, I'd rather just watch the fight scenes from the first movie than the whole second movie.
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Shinier than a speeding bullet.
I liked the first Hulk design better because the second struck me as too lean, and too muscularly defined when relaxed. But the face and skin job for the second Hulk were more realistic.
The only thing I really didn't like about the first Hulk design were the ridiculously short thighs. I think if the second Hulk had been bulkier through the waist, and all that striated muscularity showed only when he was fighting, it would've been nigh perfect.
Oh, and as far as the fight scenes go (to throw in an additional comment), I did think the second film's opening fight scene, when Blonsky and his crew meet Hulk for the first time...that was a scene worthy of the first film, because one didn't (at least I didn't) expect huge Hulk feats right away. Only later, on the college campus, was I somewhat disappointed.
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Shinier than a speeding bullet.
Gender: Male Location: Ushering your dreams to the light.
I assumed that was intentional as Hulk isn't separate from Banner but is an expression of him.
I'm all for "Hulk" as my favorite. I love the way they allowed Bruce/Hulk to revel in the power and anger and the freedom it gave him. The Norton Hulk seemed to me anything but 'Incredible' and was a major letdown.
Yeah, Absorbo-Dad wasn't the hottest but it was dealt with and was a nod to the Absorbing Man, and who's to say that later on Crusher couldn't run into remnant energies of Bruce's dad and take his rightful place.
One of the biggest complaints I've heard, story aside, is the growing larger and stronger. Which is weird because its the easiest thing to fix. These were Bruce's first handful of transformations. When a character first shows up in comics they are super-extra-more powerful but later drop down a little. Likewise in the movie they could've said his first few transformations were unstable but during his time in SAmerica they stabilized and thus no more crazy growth. Though that doesn't have to curb his increasing strength.