After reviewing the seed that beautifully sprouted the whole MCU, we now talk about a weed that grew in the soil.
Okay, that’s a little harsh, but it’s definitely the least successful film in the franchise. Admittedly it’s in some great company. Although its 67% on the Tomatometer is FORTY percent higher than that hideous 2016 movie from DC I don’t even want to name (it featured two heroes fighting and there was something about Martha) it’s tied for worst in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As far as box office, although $263 million worldwide off of a $150 million budget is far from terrible, it’s the only MCU movie to unquestionably come up short of recouping its money while still in theaters. FYI, to make a studio back its investment after all expenses are paid off, a film needs revenue roughly 2.5 times its production budget.
Does The Incredible Hulk deserve this hate (or this lack of love) though? Yes.
It’s much better than that horrid 2003 movie Hulk but that’s faint praise. I’ll try and give better praise though.
The special effects existed to create a beautiful looking Hulk by 2008, when they hadn’t just five years earlier. In fact, not only did a bunch of people compare that earlier Hulk to Shrek, but my favorite letter to the editor when Entertainment Weekly ran a cover story on it said “Gumby!/He was once just a little green slab of clay/Gumby!/You should see what Gumby can do today”.
Even more important to making the Hulk a believable character than the visual effects was Edward Norton as his alter ego Bruce Banner. Truly one of the most talented actors of his generation, Norton has never quite taken off the way he seemed destined for in the 90s. Here he got a chance to carry a franchise though and we feel Banner’s pain with this prison he can’t escape. Plus we know what rage Norton is capable of projecting from what he did to Jared Leto in Fight Club, LOL! Liv Tyler, in her last major role before the stunning brunette seemed to step back and focus more on motherhood, provides him wonderful support as his lover Betty Ross and their scenes together really tug at your heartstrings. Also a special mention to Ty Burrell. Apparently before Modern Family made him a television icon he played the nice guy with whom Betty’s trying to move forward!
That’s basically all the compliments I can give this movie though. Okay I’ll add that the cinematography is nice, but the story is basically the government unsuccessfully pursues Hulk, it creates another superman fighter, that doesn’t help them either. Not very engaging. William Hurt and Tim Roth are gifted actors but there’s not much they can do with this dry material.
There have been differing stories of why Mark Ruffalo took over the part, but this movie almost doesn’t seem like MCU canon given Norton is playing the title role. William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross does return in multiple subsequent movies though and Robert Downey, Jr. briefly appears as Tony Stark.
On that note, continuing my game, this movie has one Academy Award winner (Hurt) and two nominees (Norton and Downey).
Up next: Sequel to the awesome movie!
Bottom line: Watch for the sake of completeness.
%
Recent Comments