The Incredible Hulk (2008)

More incredible than Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull but not as good as Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk is a decent popcorn flick.

If you watch a crappy download version of this film on your home computer then you’re a loser. It deserves to be viewed on the big screen! Millions of dollars were spent on making the CGI look fantastic yet some people would prefer to watch a shaky camcorder version with terrible audio.

I seem to be in the minority when it comes to people that enjoyed Ang Lee’s version of Hulk (2003). Louis Leterrier’s update of the angry green man will appeal to the masses for its simplicity and action.

On another level you might enjoy the film knowing that it was shot in and around Toronto. I found it amazing how director Leterrier made different locations around University of Toronto blend seamlessly with Morningside Park in Scarborough. Downtown Yonge Street in Toronto combined with downtown Hamilton looks like a believable version of Harlem (even if Sam the Record Man and the Zanzibar Tavern are featured prominently in the background).

The aerial shot of a neighbourhood in Rio at the beginning of the film is incredible as noted by Roger Ebert in his review:

This is the “City of God” neighborhood, and as nearly as I could tell, we are looking at the real thing, not CGI. The director lets the shot run on longer than any reasonable requirement of the plot; my bet is, he was as astonished as I was, and let it run because it is so damned amazing.

Equally amazing is the work that Rhythm & Hues Studios did in creating a CGI version of the Hulk. I think it is getting harder for special effects studios to impress audiences these days. The scenes with Abomination and Hulk are very well done and I found very little to complain about.

There are a few good laughs for the fanboys in the audience, including cameos by Stan Lee and Lou Ferrigno. I was surprised to learn that the speaking parts for Hulk were performed by Ferrigno who is hearing impaired.

The next time you visit the movie theatre, take a look around the lobby to see if they have a life-size Hulk on display. It will give you some perspective on how large the CGI character is compared to the human actors. Tim Roth looks like a child compared to the massive Hulk model I saw. ½

Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.

Posted in Movie Reviews at 11:29 PM