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Rating: Long live Lou Ferrigno!
There's no better statement to start any Hulk review. I'm an avid fan of the TV series, as a child I used to play Ferrigno by ripping my school smock shirts.. then, after the childhood Hulk mania subsided, these two films dedicated to the green giant returned to the cinema, and the effect was that I was brought back to the series. I bought the box set of the first season and eagerly await my salary to buy the complete seasons, I want to see a green man on screen without special effects, and they succeeded in the 70s, TV series with very modest special effects but characterized by socially themed plots, excellent actor performances, and even a hint of tension, the pace was slow and the protagonists wore bell-bottom pants, it was a different time but... seeing Lou Ferrigno grumble is a sensation that not even the most sophisticated computer can give you. But... aside from this very personal nostalgic vein, I have to say I didn't mind the two modern adaptations of the comic, two entirely different works that as a fan I had the chance to examine and critique..
The first version from 2004 is said to have been a false start, but more than a misstep I would say the cause was choosing the wrong director. Ang Lee is a poet! An Eastern director who accustoms his audience to psychological plots, emotional dramas, poetry, but here we talk about a scientist who exposes himself to gamma rays and becomes a green monster that smashes everything, the inner conflict is there, it was also in the comic, but it's a background, The unfortunate choice in "Hulk" (2004) was putting elements of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" into a comic book, Shakespearean components in a Hulk movie? Hulk flying and making graceful leaps like the tiger and the dragon with poetic music? It's all visually beautiful, the direction works, but the concept is wrong. And then, speaking of special effects... Hulk looked like a one and a half meter tall Play-Doh toy! The giant proportions were only realistic when he hugged the girl in the rain scene. I don't like the Play-Doh figure created by Ang Lee! So ultimately good direction in a film not suited for that type of direction.
The redemption came this year with a film that takes its name directly from the comic and the TV series, "The Incredible Hulk" where everything seems to be set right, starting with the protagonists, really spot on, the thin and melancholic Edward Norton in the role of Bruce Banner proves to be at the level of the legendary TV series protagonist Bill Bixby, always good in acting, here we see him dealing with an inner struggle to try to control his anger, great idea showing a timer on the screen displaying crisis-free days, and the wristwatch showing heartbeats. The villain Tim Roth unfortunately does not deliver a performance like Nick Nolte's from the previous film but, Tarantino's protégé, is always monstrously good! The insertion of the Abomination character is simply thrilling, thinking of Hulk facing an opponent of the same size... excites! Much better than seeing him smash the usual tanks.
Very dynamic direction and editing, especially in the beginning, where in the opening titles a quick but effective montage shows Banner's story with scenes inspired by the TV series, unlike Lee's film, the director Louis Leterrier remains more faithful to the TV series than to the comic, the little song from the TV series credits is cited for a few seconds and, as usual, the appearance of Lou Ferrigno satisfies those like me, a much more valued cameo, Ferrigno, a guard allowing Banner to enter the bookstore, had more room to act and... to show that his physique is still Hulk-worthy!! (he takes steroids, there are no explanations).
The real reason people go to see this film, however, is only one, these darn computer graphics effects. Well... despite being a fan of the TV series... I have to admit that I enjoyed it like a child and was fully satisfied with this new digital version of the green monster, much less hunched and ridiculous than the previous one, here a terrific job was done! Hulk really seems enormous, tall, straight with shoulders (Lee's Hulk looked like a green ball), with muscle detail that leaves you speechless, in close-up scenes you can see all the veins in the body, movements highlight the entire nervous system, muscles seem real, it's human anatomy recreated by computer, animation is 95% realistic, in short... it's HULK!!! Finally a "REAL" green giant that doesn't look like it's out of a PlayStation game.
The plot might leave one a bit puzzled because the film has several stories divided into three parts, introductory story, story of self-conflict, action and adventure story, perhaps some parts are a bit boring in the middle of the film, but Norton's skill heals everything.
The film's climax sees the titanic battle between two impressive monsters, Hulk versus Abomination, a fight that lasts long and captivates, what a beating! Simply pure entertainment. With people in the theater astonished by the colossal special effects.
Furthermore, the real gem pops up a moment before the credits, just when you least expect it... here comes IRON MAN!! And he tells the sergeant that they're putting together a team... you know what that means? That Iron Man, who's now a hit in theaters, and our green favorite will be together in the next film, and as they say, there will also be Captain America and other heroes together... will it be a perfect mess? Well... in the meantime, I'll go put on the TV series DVD.
Ultimately the film is well made and offers a lot of "comic-style" entertainment and given that the purpose of the film is to entertain, without too many pretensions (unlike the previous one) it deserves a good score.
Waiting for Lou Ferrigno to repaint himself green in the next chapter... even for 30 seconds!
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