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The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Director: Louis Leterrier

Time Out rating

Average user rating

34 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

The first thing to say about director Louis Leterrier’s blockbuster monster-movie is that it’s more a stripped-down rerun of Ang Lee’s 2003 outing than a sequel to it. And all the better for it, too. If Leterrier has done a rethink, it is only to simplify and to streamline.

It’s not praising with faint damns to say that this shorter, leaner, less psychologically fixated action adventure, on the whole, makes for a more satisfactory adaptation of the spirit of Stan Lee’s Marvel character than Ang Lee’s earlier attempt to nail the green giant.

In so doing, the director, together with scriptwriter Zak Penn, wisely takes much for granted. The set-up – how Bruce Banner (a suitably unprepossessing Edward Norton) has been turned into an angry green creature in military experiments with gamma rays, injured his scientist lover Betty (Liv Tyler) and is on the run from ex-colleague General Ross (William Hurt) who considers his body US Army property – are cleverly glossed by the time the pre-credit sequence is over.

Likewise, the filmmakers assume their audience will have a base knowledge of the Marvel universe and don’t overplay the crucial subtexts (about the abuse of science, et al). This allows, satisfyingly, a basic three-act adventure to get directly underway – with an exciting extended chase through a Brazilian favela, where Banner/The Hulk is pursued by new villain Blonsky (Tim Roth), an English-educated Russian soldier attached to Ross’s team with abominable, stop-at-nothing ambitions to be a ‘super-soldier’.

There are some longueurs in the middle section – and a feeling of sparing resources for the final high-octane half-hour of Manhattan-set mayhem – but Leterrier takes enough leisure to deliver some neat touches. He covers all the important, if low-key, emotional bases and, finally, and most importantly, kicks kid-pleasing ass in the climactic action sequences.

Author: Wally Hammond 2008-06-09 17:47:14

Time Out London Issue 1973 June 10-18, 2008

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User reviews of this film

L X said...

Posted on May 29 2009 14:00 It was quite good film.
Compared to the old one, its God, because that one was just AWFUL D:
i liked it but the fight at the end was abit too boyish for me : P still its more a guys film which is cute...kind of.

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monica said...

Posted on Jul 15 2008 16:18 Liked this MUCH better than the last one. I wondered why they were making another one, but since the last one sucked as bad as it did, I gathered that maybe they wanted to redeem themselves. I thought it was funny and loved seeing Lou in it. the choice of the "new" Hulk was interesting, but he did a very good job. loved it!

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paul said...

Posted on Jul 12 2008 22:28 ok i suppose but think previous actor who played banner suited role much better as did the other betty.hulk looked much better but dont they know the madder he gets the stronger he gets he is also virtually indestructable come on he strangles abomination with a chain he would break a chain easily just wished people would do there homework on the hulk before they make a film .they can make spiderman ,batman,and iron man true to the comics but one of the best marvel comic heroes and they cant get him right

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Madison said...

Posted on Jun 29 2008 20:13 Whilst a huge improvement on the previous Hulk film, this film is a little ridiculous. But I liked it. The Brazilian chase sequences were energetic and dynamic and worthy of any Bourne film. Never quite bought Liv Tyler as a scientist but I could her character and norton's had a history. Tim Roth hams it up fantistically and there are a handful if laugh out loud lines. I think the Anger Management message is on the whole a positive one. The unexpected Coda at the ending was a nice touch which fans of this genre Im sure will appreciate - dont walk out the cinema too soon or you'll miss it.

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HULK HOGAn said...

Posted on Jun 29 2008 19:11 IS THIS ABOUT HULK HOGAN?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

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pooh said...

Posted on Jun 29 2008 12:22 after reading the reviews im going to take the plunge and see it anyway im bring my neighbours dog with me lol hoping to score high!! watch this space!

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Casey said...

Posted on Jun 28 2008 16:27 Much better than the first Hulk, in the First hulk, he didnt look mean he looked more like a babey but in the new one his muscles are more ripped and it shows that he truelly is angry. In parts you have to listen closely but its a damn film to get any film you gota listen closely, the fights are great, there is no mercy. Definately a dont try this at home movie but still really good film for kids.

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spongebobsquarepants said...

Posted on Jun 22 2008 12:58 Im gonna watch this film today. There is a lot of mixed reviews so i dont know wether to watch it or not. Anyway, EACH TO HIS OWN. (For the dumb people that means everyone has their own opinion)

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Martin Kehlre said...

Posted on Jun 21 2008 17:19 So can I take my son or not - dear reviewer apart from the bla bla bla this vital bit of information would have been nice what is the age - rating ?

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sophieeeeeeeee'<3 said...

Posted on Jun 21 2008 13:22 cool[H]!

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JO said...

Posted on Jun 21 2008 12:14 Great film, thoroughly enjoyed it. Well cast.

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temi said...

Posted on Jun 20 2008 09:24 He got from Brasil (the extreme end of South America) to Guatemala (central America) to Chiapas and then to the America with NO money (no he didnt have money in his pocket and his trousers tore when he became the the Hulk.?? WTF??
He never had sex with the Girlfriend despite being together all those years and having this immense love story?
The whole thing was just so flawed........
Not to mention Mr Blue agreeing to pump the other dude(Tim Roth with a confused accent) with Hulk's DNA despite the fact he could have easily killed him on the operating table!!!!!!
arrrghhh! (shaking my fist) to the friend who dragged me to watch this yesterday. you know who you are!

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Jojo said...

Posted on Jun 18 2008 13:53 Great fun, take your kids, they will love it.
Edward Norton makes for a great Hulk, and it is so much more true to the Tv series even having some of the original Hulk music thrown in here and there (hoorah)!!

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Mike said...

Posted on Jun 16 2008 19:32 I was hoping for some extra development in the hulk character, something new, something a bit deeper I guess. As an action movie it was decent though, with lots of smashing and explosions. I watched IronMan just after it and enjoyed Ironman a lot more though. There seemed to be a lot more humour and suspense in IronMan, as well as more gizmos and other such items that made it interesting. But back on topic, I would give Hulk an average to 4 star rating.

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TONYFINGERS said...

Posted on Jun 16 2008 13:15 Oz - only someone on drugs would respond to someone who calls himself stretchypants. You are, as they say in England, A MUG! and you can eep your fake moral highground as well.

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