Review: "Hulk" (2008)

Most people who saw the first Hulk film back in 2003, directed by Ang
Lee, found it unnecessarily cerebral.  That Hulk was a re-imagined,
introspective Hulk.  And while the film was ambitious, it felt too
ambiguous.  This one, thankfully, is more of what modern-day audiences
seem to like.  We have the conflicted main character with a Dr.
Jeckyll/Mr. Hyde complex.  There are lives that become shattered.
Trouble follows our hero.  He is caught between the ideals of
self-preservation and self-sacrifice.  What's a man to do?

Part of why I really enjoyed the film is because I remembered watching
the original television show, and this presentation is an ode to that
original series.  Nostalgia sets in when you see Lou Ferrigno, who was
the original Hulk, in a small part; when there is an image of the late
Bill Bixby (who played the original protagonist on the tv series); and
when a musical passage features the familiar-to-you-if-you've-seen-it
TV theme.  The film, at first, starts off terrifically as our tragic
hero struggles under the weight of his affliction.

Not familiar with Hulk lore or the television show?  Wikipedia
explains it this way: Dr. Robert Bruce Banner (played here by Ed
Norton), genius/scientist, is accidentally exposed to a blast of gamma
rays.  This causes his cells to alter.  And, when he gets angry, he
transforms into a creature of limitless physical strength, which grows
stronger when he is experiencing feelings of rage or pain.

As it is told here, Banner's condition was onset by some secretive
military program in search of a super-soldier.  Realizing his
incredible predicament, he flees and tries to find a cure.  General
Ross (William Hurt), the egotistical General of the project, wants to
find Dr. Banner, capture him, and perhaps dissect him so that they can
learn how to mimic the transformation process.

The opening 40 minutes is a great mixture of suspense, romance and
poetry.  It's a bonus to have serious actors like Ed Norton take on
the lead role of Dr. Bruce Banner and Liv Tyler take on the role of
his old girlfriend.  They aren't the typical pairing you'd find in a
blockbuster-in-the-making film.  Yet, these two turn in great
performances.  Norton perfectly embodies the man-with-a-hidden-power
("Primal Fear", "The Illusionist", "Fight Club").   And Liv Tyler
brings undeniable grace and beauty to her role.

However, my exuberance only lasted for about the first 40 minutes of
the film.  The first act was more human, more engaging.  Then, the CGI
took over, and all the goodwill and the good feelings that the film
had developed begins to erode.  The film is primarily a series of
chase sequences as the military pursues Banner from a Brazilian
shantytown to its final confrontation point in NYC.  As the film moves
closer to its conclusion, there are more and more special effects.
And, while there is a certain Marvel Universe storyline that must be
upheld, I got bored by the time special-effects Hulk engaged in the
climactic battle with special-effects uber-human Abomination (Tim
Roth).  Although the strength of the first third of the film provided
enough momentum to merit a positive review, the experience as a whole
felt uneven.  It's too bad that a film can start off so well, but then
just sort of putters across the finish line.  Act I Grade: B+; Act II
Grade: B; Act III Grade: C

Overrall Grade: B-

S:      0 out of 3
L:      1 out of 3
V:      2 out of 3