Unpopular Opinion: The Hulk
Jun. 2, 2011
Written by:Felix Vasquez Jr.
THE UNPOPULAR OPINION is an ongoing column featuring different takes on films that either the writer HATED, but that the majority of film fans LOVED, or that the writer LOVED, but that most others LOATHED. We're hoping this column will promote constructive and geek fueled discussion. Enjoy!
In early 2003 folks who went to the theaters were given their very first glimpse at the new HULK movie. It was a short trailer and one that didn't give away the appearance of the hulk to an all consuming mass of movie goers looking for a sneak peek. But in mid 2003, Marvel Entertainment and Universal, in a hasty move, decided to release an unfinished sneak peak at the Ang Lee helmed HULK and surely enough a look at the barely special effects matched with some hasty editing managed to sully what was once a steam train of hype and anticipation for fans everywhere.
The annoying ballyhoo surrounding the controversial trailer inevitably effected what is one of the most misunderstood and entertaining comic book films of all time, an intelligent psychological breakdown of Bruce Banner whose entire life as Bruce and the Hulk hinges on his id and the monster that looms in him after a childhood involving murder, repressed rage, and abuse all culminated by years of chemical experimentation. Ang Lee's HULK suffers for not being the typical comic book representation, especially in a world that was so forgiving to THE INCREDIBLE HULK.
It's an experimental adult look at a typically child-like cartoon hero whose entire purpose is summed up through two words: Hulk Smash. With Ang Lee's ability to depict the action genre through atmospheric tones that are much more subversive it was only a given he would take what was always a juvenile and facile bit of pop culture entertainment and turn it on its head as an examination of familial discord that contributes to the beginning of the hulk and with a few imbued corrosions within his genetic material marks the definition of the hulk not only as a monster of science in a Mary Shelly twist, but also something Cronenbergian whose dark facilities become his ultimate powers when combating the likes of genetically fueled monsters from his father's own lack of sanctity of the home and the animals surrounding it, hence the mutated poodles.
HULK is too unfairly judged and argued against from comic book fans who wanted to see a green monster smash furniture and war tanks and didn't really want to get to know him. And when they're not arguing against the deep complexity of the film wanting for a more superficial blockbuster film, they're just used to trotting out the same old clichés like mutant super poodles, and the absurdity of a director who took to the motion capture personally to put on film what he viewed as the incredible hulk he felt no one else could muster up for audiences.
It is a masterpiece of modern superhero cinema and one that sadly fell through the cracks primarily for its use of Freudian storytelling and the implementation of the Asian style of storytelling that Lee was so used to while combining the pop culture surrealism audiences were so used to, keeping them in their comfort zone with wonky editing and transitions that kept HULK a living and breathing comic book from minute one. And the gimmick is quite effective in sucking audiences in bringing them closer to the action as lovers of the medium should have appreciated much of what Lee went for. This effect becomes so much more amazing when concerning key fates of principle characters including Bruce's own confrontation with gamma rays and Josh Lucas's snarling mustache twirling villain Talbot.
As for the performances Eric Bana is without a doubt the quintessential Bruce Banner who possesses a lanky humility and crushed sensibility needed for this role that puts him in to the eyes and ears of the movie going audience whose own temperament is less a result of hypersensitivity and more repressed rage from a life that's succeeded in neutering his own sense of manhood, thanks to a faulty role model. When he does become the hulk, it's a collective amalgamation of his unconscious desires and emotions coming to play and less Edward Norton's hammy depiction where he turned the Hulk in to more of an anti-hero for the purposes of the blooming AVENGERS movie.
Nick Nolte is also mad as Banner's dad, a Frankenstein monster in his own right who has embraced his rage and insanity and becomes the Absorbing man, while Jennifer Connelly is in her usual brilliance as Betty Ross, the vivacious and dreamy love in Bruce's life. She went further under-appreciated when replaced by Liv Tyler in a role essentially watered down in "The Incredible Hulk" who went from a supporting character to a reactionary prop clear and simple. It's a shame audiences can't embrace what was clearly a film intended for the audience Lee assumed he was pandering to: An arbiter of science fiction that would grow to love what the incredible hulk was as both a monster and a product of trauma and pain.
THE HULK is a film that even Ang Lee himself admitted was something of a failure, but in a world where most of our superhero movies were given to us in droves suited best for the PG-13 crowds who wanted to escape domestic turmoil and enter in to a form of escapism, a reboot was only inevitable. Plus with the ability to link it to the AVENGERS universe, a reboot had to happen, it's just a shame HULK was driven in to a ground by folks who enjoyed their superhero cinema more routine and monotonous and less unique and adult. HULK is that gem that deserves more respect by a more appreciative movie going audience of the artistic sensibility.
| Source: | JoBlo.com |
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Actually I dislike it because it's flawed, not because it's not a typical superhero flick
lolno
DESERT COMBAT SEQUENCE
Glad to see mostly agreement
To go so far as to say it was actually successful in presenting an focused, clearly-communicated look at Banner's psychology is to decontextualize it from all of film. Yeah, it's impressive when compared to something as juvenile as the comics, but the Hulk himself has seen deep, more
To go so far as to say it was actually successful in presenting an focused, clearly-communicated look at Banner's psychology is to decontextualize it from all of film. Yeah, it's impressive when compared to something as juvenile as the comics, but the Hulk himself has seen deep, more complex investigations into his psyche in the old TV series. And more importantly, films like Batman Begins show us that "The Hulk"s attempt at this was mediocre at best.
Even ignoring the absurdities of some of the setpieces, like the poodles and the videogamey final boss ending that shouldn't even make sense within your own analysis, you still end up with a film that doesn't reach the goals it set out to accomplish.
At least "The Incredible Hulk" got that far, which is why audiences responded to it better. Not because it was deeper or more intelligent, but because it succeeded in conveying the (albeit simple) ideas it intended to convey.
Anyhoo, the way it was put together and shown were never the problems with this film. The underwhelming CG, bad acting by Nolte and a slow uninteresting pace are what made this film bad. And no matter what kind of spin you put on it, those mutant poodles were a stupid idea. It's decent for an afternoon when nothing else is on watch. And I actually LIKE the comicbook panel way of
Anyhoo, the way it was put together and shown were never the problems with this film. The underwhelming CG, bad acting by Nolte and a slow uninteresting pace are what made this film bad. And no matter what kind of spin you put on it, those mutant poodles were a stupid idea. It's decent for an afternoon when nothing else is on watch. And I actually LIKE the comicbook panel way of presenting it. THAT was probably the best thing about the film.
Not A Bad Movie
Neither Hulk movie has
Neither Hulk movie has satisfied me completely. There are elements of this movie I like and elements of The Incredible Hulk I liked. The biggest issue with The Incredible Hulk was that they seemed to rush the story so they could overcompensate for the lack of action in Hulk. The Incredible Hulk felt really silly by the end when Hulk was swinging on buildings. When the hell does the Hulk swing on buildings like a monkey? That's one thing The 2005 version got right. All the Hulk I know has to do is take one leap and he'll jump miles away.At this point I've given up all hope for a great Hulk movie. That's a shame because I think it has the most potential for a huge blockbuster movie if done right.
That's the thing...
one of my very favorites
Hope Hulk Hits
However, there are a few run-on sentences that made have to re-read multiple times to get what was being said, so sad -face.
More to the point though, I feel this argument is only half done. Felix spends soo much time talking the story aspects, he barely mentions the best thing about the movie- it's a bloody comic book brought to life. The transitions and such are amazing, and one of the only
However, there are a few run-on sentences that made have to re-read multiple times to get what was being said, so sad -face.
More to the point though, I feel this argument is only half done. Felix spends soo much time talking the story aspects, he barely mentions the best thing about the movie- it's a bloody comic book brought to life. The transitions and such are amazing, and one of the only times I felt like I was watching a true comic book that came to life. I am sad this wasn't more of a point.
As a Huge HULK fan....
And let's just forget Nick Nolte as the Absorbing Man. Stick him somewhere in Thor 2 instead where he can be the bald, iron-ball-throwing nut seen in the comics!
And let's just forget Nick Nolte as the Absorbing Man. Stick him somewhere in Thor 2 instead where he can be the bald, iron-ball-throwing nut seen in the comics!
I know that...
Josh Lucas' death is still one of my favorite unintentinally funny scenes in any movie. It looked so awful
Josh Lucas' death is still one of my favorite unintentinally funny scenes in any movie. It looked so awful
Not bad, but not great.
Maybe its just me...
I also feel slightly offended that you clump together anyone that approved of The Incredible Hulk as unintelligent. Like a movie or don’t like a movie at your own accord, but don’t demean someone else’s opinion to justify your own. Intelligence isn’t influenced by the movies you like… unless you like crap movies.
Hulk 2003
No scene from TIH 2008 makes it for me in that way
No scene from TIH 2008 makes it for me in that way
I liked it
The only problem I had with this version was Nolte. He over-acted and you could tell he was having some kind of personal
The only problem I had with this version was Nolte. He over-acted and you could tell he was having some kind of personal problems that made it's way into the acting. I have no problem with the gamma dogs, since it was 3 minutes of screen time that was actually necessary to the movie.
I prefer this version of the Hulk to Norton's craptastic vision of the old tv show, mainly because the Hulk and Banner have always been shown to be one of a kind. Something that cannot be duplicated. Hence the reason the military is always chasing him and trying to contain and study him (if not outright destroy him). Instead, in Norton's vision, anyone can become the Hulk by sipping on a drop of gamma-irradiated blood. Stupid, boorish, and not even remotely thought out in advance. Because if this was the case, the movie would have been over the moment the military found all of Banner's blood in Stern's lab. Wanna fight the Abomination? Have 50 soldiers drink some of Banner's blood to become hulks and take him down. Instead we have that dumb videogame cut scene at the end where 700+ lb characters are swinging of of flimsy fire escapes and leaping from rooftops without doing much damage. Norton removed the reason why Banner was so special from his script, and the reason he did that was because he was never a fan of the Hulk. He was just another star that wanted to be in the trendy superhero movie genre.
The Hulk isn't as good as The Incredible Hulk, but I still enjoyed it for what it was because I am a HUGE fan of the Hulk and his origins. I liked the whole artsy vibe and direction that Lee did for the film. The Hulk and the new Batman movies are similar in the psychology of their films and their main characters, Hulk and Batman.
I appreciate what Lee did with his version, but I am glad Norton did what he did with his version and made the Hulk superhero movie
The Hulk isn't as good as The Incredible Hulk, but I still enjoyed it for what it was because I am a HUGE fan of the Hulk and his origins. I liked the whole artsy vibe and direction that Lee did for the film. The Hulk and the new Batman movies are similar in the psychology of their films and their main characters, Hulk and Batman.
I appreciate what Lee did with his version, but I am glad Norton did what he did with his version and made the Hulk superhero movie that all of us fans deserve.
YES!
I ADMIT ...
same old clichés like mutant super poodles
Wow...
It was o.k.
I think it would play much better if someone would create a fan-edit and do away with all the stupid split screens. Yes, I understand they were meant to emulate the panels on a comic book page. But they're distracting nonetheless.
The extreme close ups were distracting too. Do I really need to examine Sam Elliot's skin condition? Probably not.
I think it would play much better if someone would create a fan-edit and do away with all the stupid split screens. Yes, I understand they were meant to emulate the panels on a comic book page. But they're distracting nonetheless.
The extreme close ups were distracting too. Do I really need to examine Sam Elliot's skin condition? Probably not.
what I really want to see is...
p.s.- Holy run on sentence in your third paragraph dude!
p.s.- Holy run on sentence in your third paragraph dude!
Sorry, can't agree with this...
Damned right those stupid dogs were ridiculous, and a distraction. As was the acting by Nolte. He was painful to watch.
This movie was an atrocity of poor acting, poor scripting and failure to deliver on something as simple as the known origin story of
Damned right those stupid dogs were ridiculous, and a distraction. As was the acting by Nolte. He was painful to watch.
This movie was an atrocity of poor acting, poor scripting and failure to deliver on something as simple as the known origin story of a misunderstood anti-hero.
Thumbs down. Ang Lee's hulk deserves the hate.
....
Nice Article
And depressing. If it was foreign it would be my ex-girlfriend's favorite movie of all time.
The main scene when The Hulk raises hell in the desert is one of the all-time best, though, much like the airplane scene in Superman Returns. Bright spots in a couple of dull movies.
And depressing. If it was foreign it would be my ex-girlfriend's favorite movie of all time.
The main scene when The Hulk raises hell in the desert is one of the all-time best, though, much like the airplane scene in Superman Returns. Bright spots in a couple of dull movies.
great review
great review
wat
wat
Great movie!
I like to get to know the hulk sure
Best one of these I've read yet
The reboot was far from perfect, but it was nonetheless charming, fun, with good action (arugably the best Marvel-verse action finale to date.)
Its the difference between Star Trek: The Motion Picture and 'Wrath of Khan.' One movie is trying to be some morose, surrealist epic (and failing) while the other is a tightly wrapped, bubblegum action movie that knows what made the source material so much fun.
The reboot was far from perfect, but it was nonetheless charming, fun, with good action (arugably the best Marvel-verse action finale to date.)
Its the difference between Star Trek: The Motion Picture and 'Wrath of Khan.' One movie is trying to be some morose, surrealist epic (and failing) while the other is a tightly wrapped, bubblegum action movie that knows what made the source material so much fun.
IT JUST DIDN'T WORK!
1 Eric Bana was really boring, when he talks it's like he's whispering. Except for Nolte and Elliot others looked extremely forced and bored.
2. The Hulk looked ridiculous, I mean seriously the hulk dog attack scene was poorly done.
3.The final showdown was way too dark and complicated that I was truly fed up with being reminded how awful Banners childhood was.
There was no spirit of Adventure it was like everyone hated
1 Eric Bana was really boring, when he talks it's like he's whispering. Except for Nolte and Elliot others looked extremely forced and bored.
2. The Hulk looked ridiculous, I mean seriously the hulk dog attack scene was poorly done.
3.The final showdown was way too dark and complicated that I was truly fed up with being reminded how awful Banners childhood was.
There was no spirit of Adventure it was like everyone hated Banner.
I think people’s biggest gripe with the Hulk was, the CGI Hulk that banner turned into. Hulk was release in 2003, back
I think people’s biggest gripe with the Hulk was, the CGI Hulk that banner turned into. Hulk was release in 2003, back when CGI was still fresh and it was heavily frowned upon. So when people saw the CGI Hulk, they despised the film and hated the fact they didn’t use a live person.
People still hate CGI today, but now it’s a bit more accepted. I believe that’s why The Incredible Hulk was so well received. Had The Incredible Hulk and Hulk switched it’s released dates, I truly believe The Incredible Hulk would be the one on the back burner.
It's not a terrible movie, but nor is it a terribly interesting one.
It's not a terrible movie, but nor is it a terribly interesting one.
I was ready to side with this one
1: I know this is just Joblo.com and I'm not trying to come off stuck up, but this is some of the worst writing I've seen in a long time. You let your sentences run on for paragraphs, making it really difficult to keep up with the countless abstractions you insist on using to imply the quality of the movie. Fruedian storytelling? Look, I get what you mean(I think) but there is no such
1: I know this is just Joblo.com and I'm not trying to come off stuck up, but this is some of the worst writing I've seen in a long time. You let your sentences run on for paragraphs, making it really difficult to keep up with the countless abstractions you insist on using to imply the quality of the movie. Fruedian storytelling? Look, I get what you mean(I think) but there is no such thing as "Freudian storytelling". Dealing with the psychology of a character is not automatically "freudian". As for "lanky humility" and "crushed sensibility"; you're cutting yourself way too much semantic slack for readers to deal with. This reader, anyway.
2: "HULK is too unfairly judged and argued against from comic book fans who wanted to see a green monster smash furniture and war tanks and didn't really want to get to know him." This comes off really stuck up. Yes, only people who liked it were interested in anything substantial. Of course. Comic movie fans are, I would suspect, by majority ready for depth; it just may be that the film conveys that depth in an awkward and unsuccessful way. At any rate, don't insult me by telling me I didn't like it because I wanted pretty colors and and loud noises. That's no more fair than me saying the only reason you did like it is because is because you were too dim to see the faults and too satisfied by stroking your ego to the higher pretensions.
I think you make some fair points about this movie's redeeming qualities. I also think you need to humble those insights way the hell down.
sort of agree
Nah it was crap.
I'm all for Ang Lee taking a superhero and trying a nice experimental and psychological character study, it's just that The Hulk was the wrong character to try that with.
His catchphrase is "Hulk Smash" for crying out loud. The newer movie fit the mold that pretty much anyone wanted to see from a Hulk movie, there are plenty of psychologically scarred and emotionally deep characters out their in the
I'm all for Ang Lee taking a superhero and trying a nice experimental and psychological character study, it's just that The Hulk was the wrong character to try that with.
His catchphrase is "Hulk Smash" for crying out loud. The newer movie fit the mold that pretty much anyone wanted to see from a Hulk movie, there are plenty of psychologically scarred and emotionally deep characters out their in the superhero world for Ang Lee to have tried this with. The big monosyllabic meat-headed green one that smashes tanks is not one of them.
Thoguh saying that, I, like most, did enjoy Sam Elliot and Jennifer Connelly over William Hurt and Liv Tyler. However the movie around the latter makes up for that.
Great article
if they do make a Hulk 3, they should get Connolly back to play the love interest. Either that or someone else that isn't afraid to do justice to Betty Ross.
IMO, the reboot blew this one away.
IMO, the reboot blew this one away.
One major problem....
see the thing is
In all seriousness though...
This movie had two awesome things going for it...
2) Sam Elliott's moustache
2) Sam Elliott's moustache