You hate to call a movie that's based on a comic book about a large green man smashing things cerebral. Yet it's probably the only term that really gets "Hulk" right — except to add that it's maybe a bit too cerebral for its target audience. And possibly for general consumption.
The story here has been so thoroughly thought out, and there are so many concepts raised, that it seems more like a sci-fi character drama than a comic-book film. Then there's an odd, conceptual conclusion, which nearly sends the whole thing out on the wrong note.
The pacing here is deliberate; many will say slow. The title character doesn't even appear until a third of the way into the movie. And then he's not really in action until the film's second half.
Still, this sci-fi/action thriller does have just enough "Wow!" moments to make it worthwhile. (Let's just say that many of those who have been carping about the CGI special effects created by Industrial Light and Magic will eat their words when the green Goliath is finally seen in action.)
The main storyline is yet another take on "science gone wrong," concentrating on the efforts of Bay area scientists to perfect "nanomeds," a type of "intelligent medicine" for healing. But the project is not going well, which has led to a series of frustrations for its leader, Bruce Banner (Eric Bana). Bruce has also been plagued by nightmares about the past — dreams that seem to indicate he was experimented on by his own father (Nick Nolte), whom he believes is dead.
Imagine Bruce's surprise when dear old dad shows up after his son has accidentally been exposed to gamma radiation, which eventually causes Bruce's long-dormant rage to bubble to the surface, helping turn him into a gigantic, green-skinned neo-human who destroys the lab. Then, as he heads off on another rampage, it becomes apparent that the only person who can calm down the beast is Bruce's fellow scientist and former love Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly), who may have another connection to his past.
As much time as he spends trying to reinforce the "Beauty and the Beast"/"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"/"Frankenstein" themes, director Ang Lee does show some reverence for the character's history (there are even cameos as security guards by co-creator of the comic-book character Stan Lee, and Lou Ferrigno, who played the Hulk in the television series).
Lee also makes effective use of split screens and other imaginative cuts to give the film a comics-book look and feel. Unfortunately, he also allows Nolte to run wild. And, oddly, Bana's aloof Bruce Banner is maybe the weakest character. Aside from the CGI title character, the film's best performance is turned in by Connelly, who nearly makes the underdeveloped romantic subplot work.
"Hulk" is rated PG-13 for violence (rampages by the title character, as well as gunplay, vehicular violence and explosive mayhem), drug content (use of tranquilizers, as well as hypodermics), brief gore, brief male nudity and glimpses of nude artwork, and scattered use of mild profanity (religiously based). Running time: 138 minutes.
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