Marvel Mania: MCU Phase 1- The Incredible Hulk

The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Starring: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth
Directed by: Louis Leterrier


Plot Summary: Dr. Bruce Banner is a scientist hiding out in Brazil after an experiment at Culver University goes wrong. The experiment caused high exposure to gamma radiation for Banner, and as a result, needs to keep his heart rate below 200. If he loses control, he becomes a large green monster that causes destruction wherever he goes. While in Brazil, Banner is looking for a cure for his condition, as well as finding new methods to channel his anger and keep his heart from accelerating passed 200. One mistake alerts the U.S. Government of his whereabouts, and Banner finds himself on the run, eventually heading back to the United States in a last ditch effort to rid himself of this hulking monster living inside him.


With the success of Iron Man, fans flocked to the theaters to see the next Marvel film The Incredible Hulk only one month later. With a big name actor like Edward Norton playing Bruce Banner, audiences were sure that this film would be the next big success that Marvel needed. While the film proved to be a success at the time, fans have grown to forget this one over the years. Why? Well, there are a few factors that make it stand out as a black sheep in the MCU. For starters, Norton was replaced by Mark Ruffalo because Norton didn't want to be tied down to playing a character in a franchise. Secondly, after Ruffalo nabbed the role, Kevin Feige at Marvel announced that there were no new plans to make any more Hulk movies at that time (fast forward all the way to the year 2020 and there are STILL no plans for a follow up film). So with the recasting of the main character and the cancellation of continuing the franchise, it's easy to see why many would look passed it when watching the MCU. But there are still loads of factors that make this a movie that shouldn't be so quickly overlooked.

Edward Norton stars as Dr. Bruce Banner. It's very rare to see a performance where Edward Norton isn't trying, so I can't say he does a bad job here. He's very frantic when he's on the run, but also knows he needs to be calm and so you've got this element of controlled chaos while he's playing Banner. Now the big question is whether or not he would have worked in the cast of The Avengers had he actually signed on for multiple movies. My answer is an emphatic "No." It's been said in the past that Norton can be a pain to work with, and a lot of the success when crafting a legendary team of superheroes like the Avengers is making sure the actors in the film have that chemistry in order to work together. If there is tension on the set, then it may translate out in the final product. Something tells me that there would be some friction between Norton and Robert Downey Jr. (or some of the other cast members) and in the name of making sure your cast gets along, I have no problem with the decision to recast Banner.

One problem I have with the film is that two of its major supporting characters feel completely replaceable by different actors. Liv Tyler plays Banner's love interest Betty Ross, and William Hurt plays her father Gen. Thunderbolt Ross. Tyler and Hurt do an ok job with what their performances, but I think the characters are more complex and interesting than the actual actors that are playing them. The one side character that really stood out was the main antagonist for Banner, Major Emil Blonsky, played by Tim Roth. As a fan of Quentin Tarantino movies, I really love Tim Roth, so seeing him here was awesome. And his character was really interesting too, a marine with a vast knowledge of physicality and a natural competitive urge to be the best. When he first encounters the Hulk, he becomes incensed with the idea of being better than him. He's like a guy who lives by the motto "grab the bull by the horns," but instead of a bull, it's a giant green behemoth in purple shorts.

For most comic book fans, the big highlight of the film is the final battle pitting Banner as the Hulk against Blonsky who has transformed into Abomination. There's not much else to say about it other than if you wanted to see two giant green monsters battle each other in Harlem, then this is the film for you. Also, when Banner is the Hulk, he's voiced by Lou Ferigno (which is an awesome nod to the classic Incredible Hulk television show), and if you wanted to hear him yell "Hulk Smash," believe me when I say you won't be disappointed.

I mentioned in my intro some of the technical aspects of why The Incredible Hulk is the black sheep of the MCU, but there is an actual issue I have with the film (although it's minor) that actually makes it stand out from the other movies. With most of the films in the MCU, they have a solid blend of action with comedy, but with this film it's a bit too dramatic. When I say that, I'd say this film even ranges on overdramatic. It's a movie about a man who gets angry and becomes a gigantic green monster destroying everything in its path. While that can be a dramatic (and even horrific) movie plot, it's also based on a comic book and in the same universe as a humorous superhero like Iron Man. Again, it's a minor gripe, but the film's overall tone does cause it to feel a bit off in comparison. I'd be all for a future Hulk film though, especially with Ruffalo leading the cast (but we'll get to him later...), since I believe Ruffalo would be a bit more light-hearted in his portrayal of Banner.

It's time to talk *SPOILERS* as we look at the next post credits scene...

Remember how I said Iron Man got people talking about the possibility of an Avengers film? Well, ONE MONTH LATER, The Incredible Hulk leaves us on this cliffhanger: Thunderbolt Ross is in a bar getting drunk, when the doors open to reveal TONY STARK entering the bar. He approaches Ross and informs him of a team that is being put together (Or should I say "assembling?"). It's a very simple but effective scene that assured moviegoers that Iron Man and Hulk exist in the same movie universe. Once you open that can of worms, any future announcement from Marvel about a movie will lead to speculation on how it will now be tied to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (which has been the case now ever since 2008). Not to mention the other tie in of the government using Captain America's Super Soldier Serum to create Abomination. The dots were slowly connecting towards a much bigger picture that still needed a few more essential elements...but before we get to that, we must talk about the movie fans of the MCU would like to forget ever happened...


Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The Incredible Hulk was a very good Marvel film when it first came out, but with a lack of expansion with sequels and the recasting of Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, this one has been forgotten over the years. Still, it's a well-acted and executed film, so it may be worth seeing just one time to see how Hulk would do in a standalone film. However, if you're picking MCU movies to watch to get ready for Age of Ultron, this is one you could probably skip.

The Incredible Hulk and movie images are copyrighted by Universal Pictures