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Hulk Smash.
Not as good as Iron Man. But still enjoyable. Lot's of call outs to the television show, not any for Ang Lee.
It seems like there is a check list now for these sort of films. Stan Lee: check, reference to comic book hokiness:check, allusion to actors in TV show: check. Still enjoyable.
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit
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I confess, that all this past week, when taking a break for lunch, I've been watching the SciFi channel's "Hulk week" and reliving the 70's Bill Bixby/Lous Ferrigno show. Everytime I watch one of the old 70s shows that I remember enjoying, I'm freshly surprised at just how bad they were and wondering just how bored and starved for anything resembling entertainment I must have been back then.
But dang it, I *did* enjoy them back then. And that's probably why I really enjoyed this version of the Hulk... it was SO Bill Bixby-ish, from reliving the accident with Banner strapped to the chair in the beginning to microscope view of his cells being affected by gamma radiation, to the essential walking down the street being depressed with the sad piano theme playing underneath.
Great chase scene in the slums of whatever city in Brazil he was in. And both Tim Roth and William Hurt are fantastic two-dimensional villains.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
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After Green Lantern I figured I'd stay with the green superhero theme but switch from the DCEU to the MCU. I never saw the MCU Hulk creation film and I really like Ruffalo as Hulk. I didn't realize he didn't originate the role in the Avengers arc, and that it was Ed Norton.
He didn't work for me. Too much like imitating Bixby but falling short. Maybe I need to revisit those because I too have fond memories of that show. I did appreciate that they didn't redo the whole creation story and just flashed through it in the opening credits and then moved on with the story. Arwen is the damsel and she falls short - like weak pouty Anne Hathaway, only with that overbite and those overblown Tyler lips. It's a very disappointing effort, even with William Hurt and Eli Roth. The only redemption was the TV Bixby nod, the Ferrigno cameo, and Mr. Blue.
No sword fights. Only recommended for Lynchs, MCU fanboys that they are.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
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Ha! Eric Bana originated the role in Incredible than we have Ed and finally we have Ruffalo. I think Ruffalo does a great job. And it was smart not to use him in his standalone but sort of as a flavoring in other films.
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm
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I got about halfway through Ang’s version. I’ll finish it later today. It’s outside the MCU Avengers arc - it’s own star-alone version like the non-Holland Spider-men.
The appearance of Downey’s Stark just before the credits firmly plants this in the Avengers arc. That scene really dangles however. This film doesn’t have the same tone as the rest. It loses the humor - or perhaps it just hasn’t formed quite yet. It’s the weakest of the series. I think I’ve seen them all now. I should double check.
Wiki says Norton hated the final cut and refused to promote it so he was blackballed from the MCU. I’m glad of that. I really like Ruffalo as Banner too.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
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Hulk (2003) Ang Lee's take. I do like Ang Lee as a moviemaker. He makes some gutsy moves. Here he tries to make an art film out of a comic book movie. There's some really unique framing - multiple screens flipping across his celluloid canvas that simulate the frames of a comic. It doesn't quite work but it is interesting.
I didn't care for Bana as Bruce. I'm not sure I ever liked him. I did like Jennifer Connelly as Betsy better than Liv Tyler (those labyrinthian eyes beat those rocker-child party-in-your-mouth lips) and Sam Elliot as her general dad better than William Hurt (Sam actually got teary-eyed and William, well, he phoned it in. It's a much different story than the MCU version. Instead of the psycho-obsessive rival Roth, it's Bruce's dad by the permanent bedhead hairdo of Nick Nolte, but the result of both characters is about the same. Nolte brought in all sorts of 'sins of the father' issues and gave Hulk a different origin story that was more complex.
There's some interesting dreamscape work here. I liked that. Like I said, Ang tries to make it artsy. Unfortunately, it just comes off too talky and long winded. It was a worthy effort, but Ang fails here. At nearly 2.5 hours, this film could have trimmed a good 45-50 mins of fat and been a lean, tastier cut. I also liked the hulk poodle.
I liked this version better than the MCU version, but I didn't care for that very much. It was a bit confusing to see one and a half Hulk flicks and then finish the last half of the first one. The story lines lost their distinction.
No sword fights. Not DOOM recommended.
Needed more hulk poodle.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
