The Hulk - (**1/2) Green Light



The Hulk is a cross between Frankenstein and A Beautiful Mind.



In the world of Marvel comics movies The Hulk is different. What happens to the protagonist is more a curse than a super power used for good. Shit happens to him and he changes into the Hulk and he isn't trying to save humanity or catch a criminal mastermind. He's just trying to escape the villagers. Except these villagers have tanks, attack helicopters, fighter jets and nuclear bombs in stead of torches and pitch forks.



The movie stars Eric Bana as Bruce Banner, Jennifer Connelly as Betty Ross, Sam Elliott as her father General Ross and Nick Nolte as Bruce's father David Banner with his DWI look. It also stars Bruce Banner's Amazing Pants (I need some of those!)!!



The Good Stuff



I love Jennifer Connelly. Ever since she was in Dark City I have loved watching her (in a good way, not a crazy stalker kind of way). She actually plays almost the same character she did in A Beautiful Mind. She's a woman in love with a man that has deep emotional problems. Sam Elliott and Nick Nolte were good too. They both played their characters on the edge of over-the-top. Though Nick did slip over the edge during the less than touching scene, that looks like it was a stage improv between electrodes.



The CGI was good, not great but good. I have become so jaded. I guess I don't want to even know it's CGI when I see CGI. Gollum is the benchmark now.



BTW, I liked the desert base for some reason. All the abandoned houses were very creepy to me, even in the light of day.



I also want to say that it was good that it wasn't a by-the-numbers formula plot.



The Bad Stuff



I also want to say that it was bad that it wasn't a by-the-numbers formula plot.



The pacing suffered in this movie. The back story was good, but we are talking about a summer action, sci-fi, comic book movie. That means more action, naked chicks, blowing shit up, and cursing and less plot is ok! The whole sins-of-the-fathers thing was not clear enough for me. I could clearly relate to General Ross's motivation, but not David Banners.



Another thing that pissed me off was that it started 23 minutes after its posted start time. Commercials in the theater, when I already paid $18.50 for two tickets, piss me off. If I wanted commercials I would have waited until it was on Network TV! Better yet, for the same money just buy the damn movie at BestBuy For $15 I could then watch it on my killer home theater with real naked chicks and lots of cursing!!!



Green Light (barely)