I was quite the skeptic when I first discovered that Marvel had plans to release another version of the Hulk in theaters. After such a mediocre production of the character by Ang Lee in 2003, I couldn’t help but think that this film would be another summer blockbuster flop.

However, after screening the film, it was easy to see that Marvel definitely stepped it up this summer and made sure that their films would compete with DC’s upcoming feature film of the year, The Dark Knight.

Overall, I thought The Incredible Hulk was a huge success. I still believe that Iron Man was a notch better, but the Hulk provided many of the elements its 2003 predecessor was lacking in storyline and action. What I liked about this version was that it provided a much better background to who Bruce Banner was, what haunted him, and what he ultimately wanted to achieve. Edward Norton (Bruce Banner) was on top of his game in this film, and Liv Tyler (Betty Ross) proved once again that she still has what it takes to rank right up there with the world’s top actresses.

The CGI however was what really set this film apart from Ang Lee’s version. The Hulk looked far more sinister and angry, yet if you looked closely at his face and body language, you could sense the pain his human side was going through each time he took on the transformation. It was incredible to see the amount of detail and realism the creators put into making the Hulk seem as lifelike as possible.

This is one of those films that must be watched in theaters to get the full experience. I was hoping to catch it in the IMAX before leaving for Guam next week but unfortunately there were no plans to produce a IMAX version. Still, the film is worth the price of admission! Go see it!

Synopsis:

The Incredible Hulk” kicks off an all-new, explosive and action-packed epic of one of the most popular superheroes of all time. In this new beginning, scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) desperately hunts for a cure to the gamma radiation that poisoned his cells and unleashes the unbridled force of rage within him: The Hulk.

Living in the shadows–cut off from a life he knew and the woman he loves, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler)–Banner struggles to avoid the obsessive pursuit of his nemesis, General Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt), and the military machinery that seeks to capture him and brutally exploit his power.

As all three grapple with the secrets that led to The Hulk’s creation, they are confronted with a monstrous new adversary known as The Abomination (Tim Roth), whose destructive strength exceeds even The Hulk’s own. And on June 13, 2008, one scientist must make an agonizing final choice: accept a peaceful life as Bruce Banner or find heroism in the creature he holds inside–The Incredible Hulk. Source: Coming Soon