SOUND OFF
Sound Off: The Incredible Hulk - What Did You Think?
by Alex Billington
June 13, 2008
Now that you've seen it, what did you think? Marvel launches its second big smash hit this summer with the return of Hulk. After only five years since Ang Lee's Hulk hit theaters, The Incredible Hulk arrives with a fresh new action-packed take on the tragic superhero. Is this finally the Hulk movie that fans have always wanted? Is there too much action and not enough story? Who is a better Bruce Banner: Edward Norton or Eric Bana? There are so many questions, but now it's time to answer them. Given this is the latest event movie to arrive, I think it's time we look at just how good (or bad) this new Hulk really was. Sound off below, leave your thoughts, and let us know what you thought of The Incredible Hulk.
To fuel the fire, I really loved this movie. I had an absolute blast. I know I say that a lot, but this is a movie I feel I could watch whenever, wherever for the hell of it because it never lets down. It's action-packed and intense from the start and progresses perfectly to the final battle for one hell of a finish. Edward Norton could not have been a more perfect choice for Bruce Banner. He was absolutely stellar as both Bruce and Hulk and was what made this movie really shine. As Robert Downey Jr. is to Iron Man, Edward Norton is to Hulk, and with that I can say that I thought this really gave Iron Man a run for its money. I'm anxious to see it again and am hoping it's as exciting the second time around.
What did you think of The Incredible Hulk? How does it compare to Iron Man?
Please also vote in this poll being run between SlashFilm and Film School Rejects as well.
48 Comments
1
I would put it closely in 2nd behind Iron Man. I enjoyed it for what it was and is supposed to be. I also think it may fall into third after TDK comes to town!
Atomic Popcorn on Jun 13, 2008
2
watched it. i can say the story was weak but the action was awesome. agree with #1, i'll also place it behind iron man which had a better story in my opinion.
egghub on Jun 13, 2008
3
i have to say, it was definitely no iron man.. there were a couple of scenes that looked a little fake, or too cheesy for their own good. But, overall, most of the cg work was awesome, the action was amazing, the acting was superb, and i'll probably end up watching it again before the week is over.
brandon on Jun 13, 2008
4
I realized after I saw it that I enjoyed watching Norton more than I enjoyed watching the Hulk. Similar to my views of Batman Begins, I like the "training" side of the story more than the actual conflict. Iron Man will reign for a long while I think. (Pending TDK)
Collin on Jun 13, 2008
5
I thought the Hulk was good, where Iron Man was excellent. The Hulk lacked something. It started out pretty good, a good involving story then it seemed to get too rush. They never really develope the charcters of Betty, General Ross or blondski. They did a pretty decent job with Bruce. It needed a better flow between the Bruce and Hulk moments. The military seems to come out of nowhere and find Bruce. I did like the romance between Bruce and Betty. I thought the CGI looked pretty good, he looked real, and moved great. The fight scenes were good too, about 4 separate ones. The last fight at the end was awesome! It was totally kickass. My adrenaline and heart rate was pumping like crazy. My fists were clenched as if I was fighting the abomination. The hulk was a rampaging beast. Overall it was good movie. 7 out of a 10.
mayhemstudios on Jun 13, 2008
6
It's good, but not Iron Man good. There are too many gaps in the story where there is absolutely NO dialogue exchanged. Iron Man had the benefit of a loose and pithy Robert Downey Jr. who just made everything... more fun.
Tom Brazelton on Jun 13, 2008
7
It was a pretty awesome movie. Didn't have the cool-ness of Iron Man, but it was more of a savage beast. Agree with most when they said there was little character development in the other characters. I never fully understood Blonsky's motivations. This morning I was thinking maybe the version Norton wanted had more of that, and we'll be able to see that in the DVD. Liv Tyler didn't do it for me as Betty. Don't really know why, she just felt flat. But oh man, that last fight was insane. I was in such awe, by the time "Hulk Smash" time came, I wanted to punch Abomination myself.
Alfredo on Jun 13, 2008
8
yeah have to agree, Was gd, not as good as iron man though. I enjoyed the action scenes, and the final battle was pretty impressive. The story did lack a little, but a good watch nonetheless.
machernucha on Jun 13, 2008
9
Loved it. I think it's very hard to compare Iron Man to Hulk. Each movie has different things that makes it awesome. I do think that the Hulk is more fun to watch in action than Iron Man, but Robert Downey Jr. Is way more fun to watch as Tony Stark than Ed Norton as Bruce Banner. Not saying Norton did a bad job, FAR FROM IT. I just was more entertained by RDJ.
Icarus on Jun 13, 2008
10
I'm going to see it tomorrow. Did anyone see Robert Downey Jr? Also was there anything extra after the credits?
ObiWop on Jun 13, 2008
11
Right on Icarus. RDJ was a lot more improvisational, so he's more fun to watch. And his character is more interesting cinematically. Brooding can only get so you far, so Norton was very good for what the character offered.
The rocketboy on Jun 13, 2008
12
I absolutely loved it. And like Atomic Popcorn said it definently deserves to fall right behind Iron Man. This years going to mark the best year for Superhero flicks. Now all there's to wait for isd the Dark Knight.
Sean on Jun 13, 2008
13
I would say it's a good Start to the Hulk. Get rid of Liv Tyler. Loved the action and CGI. Don't bother to stay after the credits.
Tyler on Jun 13, 2008
14
Why is everyone comparing Hulk to Ironman. I'm guessing you guys don't read comic books. Stark is the suave witty ladies man. Banner is the reclusive outcast drifter. Polar opposites. I felt both movies were equally awesome at telling the story of these characters. The plot of the movie was Banner gaining control of the beast. You guys will have better movie experiences if you stop comparing movies. I can't wait for the other movies leading up to Avengers! Make Mine Marvel! P.S. Did you guys see The Leader getting his powers. Also Betty's boyfriend was supposed to be Doc Samson.
Malcolm Edgecombe on Jun 13, 2008
15
I agree with Malcolm.
Asinine on Jun 13, 2008
16
where malcom makes a good point, no one is comparing characters specifically...we're comparing the level of action, how real everything looks, the talent, etc. and i personally like to see movies be compared so i know what to expect before i go see it. that way i don't have to worry about any high expectations being ruined. and to answer shero, rob downey jr. showed up in the last minute or two with a couple of witty comments and to say he was putting together a team'
brandon on Jun 13, 2008
17
Nothing about Harvey Dent's landslide victory yet? Awwww.
Lauren on Jun 13, 2008
18
Awesome flick! Loved the story and execution of the plot. Director Louis Leterrier has proven he's to "The Hulk" what Jon Favreau is to "Iron Man". Even the subtle homage to the TV series was fitting. Norton was spot on. It was great to see Lou Ferrigno in fine form on the big screen. Stan Lee's cameo was a good one and Robert Downey Jr's was a surprise. Liv Tyler's Betty Ross was tougher than Connelly's. I think she did great. Hurt and Roth are two of the greatest, cold blooded villains to ever hit the screen. My only minor gripe was the effects. "The Hulk" appeared cartoonish in most scenes, unlike Ang Lee's version. The Abomination was a formidable villain and the a$$ kicking was great. I definitely loved this flick better than Ang Lee's version. This was the "Hulk" movie I've been wanting to see. ***Not to be compared to "Iron Man". Both Stark and Banner are two very different characters, but both flicks kicked a$$ in their own right.
Spider on Jun 13, 2008
19
It was dope! It was definately a more complete and true Hulk film than the Ang Lee version. Ed Norton and Liv Tyler both had solid performances. As great as it was, I was kind of expecting a little more from the final battle scene. But overall it was really good. Im anxious to see if they will make a directors cut version on DVD. I noticed there were a few scenes that were in the previews that didn't make it to the final version. Can't wait for Cap and The Avengers!!
Knight Rider on Jun 13, 2008
20
I just watched the Hulk and it exceeded my expectations, which were very high. I'm a huge Norton fan and he was awesome as always. I am struggling to decide whether to put Iron Man slightly ahead or slightly behind The Hulk. Even though i agree with people above me that they are two different movies and really shouldn't be compared. I agree with Icarus in that Robert Downey Jr. was more entertaining, but that is in no way a knock to Norton. Two different movies, both awesome in every way. What a great summer for superhero movies!!
Butters on Jun 13, 2008
21
"You don't want to see me... when I get hungry." - Awesome. Great Movie. My only problem with the film would be the ending. After Banner shows control over the Hulk and his eyes go green... the screen should've faded to black. THEN put the Tony Stark and General Ross scene at the end of the credits just like 'Iron Man'.
TheGuyInThePJ's on Jun 13, 2008
22
It was fun. Some of the CG turned me off. But I enjoyed it and it is in 2nd place next to Iron Man. I'm excited about TDK next.
Fisherman on Jun 13, 2008
23
Loved it too! Second home run for Marvel, in a row. I had so much fun watching this movie. Fantastic action. Ed Norton (who happens to be my favorite actor) was perfect. He never disappoints me. And I thought he and Liv Tyler has great chemistry. Last, the sound for this film has to be about the best I've heard in a theater. My rating, 8.5/10
Rob on Jun 13, 2008
24
ummm I need to hear from my fellow peeps who thought this was better then Iron Man. This movie rocked big time. Without going into specifics I just thought this movie overall was more exciting, I even liked the story including the blonsky turning into abomination (I didnt think his character needed much more explaining, he was just a mad man hell bent on finding a good fight) also... Hulk last battle beats Iron Man last battle
rblitz7 on Jun 13, 2008
25
This movie was SWEET. It simply had everything that a fan could want from a hulk movie, and is definitely what we wanted to see 5 years ago. The Hulk vs Abomination fight was outstanding. And I'm happy that despite the large focus on action, they still found time to focus on human drama (which I thought was pulled off quite well). In terms of box office, the opening weekend will be quite sizable. The theater I was in got pretty filled up by the time the trailers started. And when it ended, I could hear some cheers and applause, so people definitely liked it a lot. I think it's safe to say it might have some legs.
Andrew on Jun 13, 2008
26
I thought "The Incredible Hulk" was absolutely awesome. I'd have to go out on a limb here and put it slightly ahead of "Iron Man". I liked seeing a darker movie from Marvel. They tried to do that with the third "Spiderman" but that was horrible and a failure. This time it was just right. The action was awesome. Another gripe I had with "Iron Man" was that I saw all the action scenes in the movie before I even got to the cinema. I was expecting a lot more, but sadly I had already seen it all. I loved every moment of it, don't get me wrong but there was no real surprise. "The Incredible Hulk" on the other hand had more to offer then what we saw on the net or trailers. I thought that both Norton and RDJ gave solid performances and stayed true to the characters. I liked Liv Tyler's performance a bit better then Gwyneth's but they were both good. The transformation of the Hulk from Ang Lee's version was what I enjoyed the most. It reminded me of the transformation of Batman from "Batman and Robin" to "Batman Begins". I truly do hope that this movie does well and I hope everyone goes to watch it with an open mind and just enjoy Hulk smashing up the big screen.
TKaihea on Jun 13, 2008
27
I got the Hulk slightly ahead of Ironman too. RDJ's character was funny, Norton was more serious. Iron mans movie concentrated more on the begining of Ironman, when the Hulk started perfect. Most of the way he became Hulk was mixed into the opening credits which was very nice. Hulk had more action which is really what we wanted to see anyway after Ang Lee bored us to death for the first hour. The Hulks last fight scene killed Ironmans. To me, the story was very very good and follows the original tv script very well. CGI was terrific. Overall I rated the Hulk an Incredible 9 out of 10
Tirrell on Jun 13, 2008
28
Best way to compare iron man and hulk is to pit them against each other. I really hope hulk becomes the villain in the avengers movie. Don't get me wrong, I love the hulk, but with marvel revolutionizing fanboy movies with all these crossovers, I think getting the hulk as a villain would be the next step. If this worked, perhaps warner would think about batman vs. superman....I'm starting to ramble...sorry!!!
damuh_yuzah on Jun 13, 2008
29
I absolutely loved this movie. and i like the fact that Marvel is taking control of its titles. One thing i noticed was that when Abomination was wrecking havoc on New York, it seriously looked like a scene from Cloverfield. But other than that i would put Iron man at #1 and i'm still leaving slot #2 and possibly #1 open for The Dark Knight, with The Incredible Hulk at a solid #3
Twanzel on Jun 14, 2008
30
Second best movie of the summer so far. Iron Man being #1 and Kung Fu Panda #3. Indy a strong #4 and everything else has sucked...although I'm still torn about Speed Racer - I so wanted to like it and watching it I thought I liked it but I couldn't bring myself to watch any of it again. I expect Dark Night and Wall-E to knock these all down a couple notches. I was thinking the same thing as post 31 - very reminiscent of Cloverfield. Still so many movies I'm looking forward to: Get Smart, Tropic Thunder, Pineapple Express, X-Files...
Soup on Jun 14, 2008
31
no disrespect to Soup, but indy sucked big time!!!! iron man #1, hulk a solid #2.....expecting dark knight to overtake iron man in my list (hopefully) "christian bale would kick robert downey's ass!!!" that line still makes me laugh!!!!
damuh_yuzah on Jun 14, 2008
32
It was great! Not quite as good as Iron Man but still a fantastic film. Great special effects, acting, and story. I love this movie!!!!
Iron Man Fan on Jun 14, 2008
33
Like Bourne meets king kong
Iron Man Fan on Jun 14, 2008
34
YES this movie delivered big time. I loved it, I really liked how they did the origin in about 5 min of flashbacks, it really gave a quick and interesting opening to the story, no need to speed 45 min on this part when in my opinion they summed it up in about 5 min. I really dug Ed Norton as Bruce Banner, you know hes not like a real outgoing guy anyway so it fit perfectly. I also though Liv Tyler did a phenomenal job, she blew me away, I don't even remember Jennifer Connelys performance anymore. I have to agree that the story could have been better, but hey its the the Incredible HULK try to give it too much story and it becomes HULK, which we all didnt want. I think that they did a decent job of enough story and enough action, and with these 2 great movies in their bag, Im a little worried for how they are gonna ppull off a good Thor movie. And Its hard to fathom what the Avengers would be up against with kick ass superheros like this havign to team up to fight em.
Richard on Jun 14, 2008
35
ok this movie did rock. and i don't agree the story lacked. i would much rather see hulk smash en some brains then watch the army(who is in every move) or some lovey dovey crap.
sam on Jun 14, 2008
36
the movie was good but i wish the fight with Abomination and Hulk were alittle longer and i preferred the look of the first Hulk compared to this one.
Unit on Jun 14, 2008
37
Not the best Hulk movie they could have made, but it was decent enough. Though it was neat that I watch the movie less than two blocks away from where the climatic scene was filmed (I watched the film the the new AMC Yonge & Dundas theatre in Toronto)
Sean Kelly on Jun 14, 2008
38
to sean kelly: SHOW OFF!!!! (don't mind me, just jealous!) don't make me hungry though, you wouldn't like me when i'm hungry!!!!
damuh_yuzah on Jun 15, 2008
39
OOOH Man!!!!....this Hulk was Incredible, first the CGI Whooped Ass!! They got he Hulk right this time, He was Huge Tall and Ripped and the facial resemblance to the comic was perfect, the film was gritty, just take a look at His teeth when he growls :o) Grrr, Edward Norton, did Bruce Banner justice and the film flowed pretty good, I wanted more when the film was over!!..the cinematics was good too, the camera really flowed over the scenery and kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved it when Hulk spoke "Leave Me Alone!" "Hulk Smash!"...I wish He got to speak more, but I am sure that he will in the sequel, I believe Hulk being able to speak is essential to his character, which was missing from the TV series and Ang Lee version..THIS WAS GOOD POPCORN FUN!! :O)
loswl on Jun 15, 2008
40
Just saw it it was awsome, it kicked ironmans ass as far as im concerned. When i walked out of the theater after seeing ironman i said i cant wait to get the DVD, when i walked out of the theater i said i can't wait to go see it again tomorrow. ironman 9 out of 10, hulk 10 out of 10.
dac_fan on Jun 15, 2008
41
Just saw it it was awsome, it kicked ironmans ass as far as im concerned. When i walked out of the theater after seeing ironman i said i cant wait to get the DVD, when i walked out of the theater after seeing hulk, i said i can't wait to go see it again tomorrow. ironman 9 out of 10, hulk 10 out of 10.
dac_fan on Jun 15, 2008
42
I thought it was as good as Ironman without a doubt, sure Ironman was funnier, slicker and the storyline was slightly more coherent. Yet Hulk out did it as far as action scenes and briskness of pace with a more satisfying ending battle. Special shout out to Tim Blake Nelson, guy was quirky and interesting in the short time he was in the movie and yes he is not done with the Hulk, Oh Yes indeed. Marvel rulez
PimpSlapStick on Jun 16, 2008
43
BRILLIANT... ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!!!!! Loved it from beginning to end. Story was excellent, like the tv show before it, on the run trying to find a cure. Loved the tv show theme music, nice touch. Lou and Stan, nice cameo's. The fight scene was incredible (no pun intended), effects were bang on... all around just an amazing movie going experience! Can't wait for the Avengers!
K on Jun 16, 2008
44
People... Please stop comparing TIH & IM. They are two completely different movies. Judge them individually. Ironman is awesome for it's own reasons and the same for the HULK.
K on Jun 16, 2008
45
Hey I saw this again on Sunday and I think I might even like it more then Ironman, it gave me all teh same chills that it did the first time and thats rare for me for a movie like this. Also I knew that Banners instructor at the begening looked familiar, did anyone else catch that that was Rickson Gracie?? Awesome.
Richard on Jun 16, 2008
46
My first thought as the credits started rolling were... why not call this Hulk 2? This wasn't the 'reboot' the film's makers have been hinting at. Take out the short back story shown during the opening credits, which a lot of people missed as they were still searching for seats, and there's not much that would have marked this as being anything but a continuation of the first Hulk. They took only minor steps to distance themselves from Ang Lee's artful film, and even that was completely unnecessary. I wouldn't compare Inc. Hulk to IM though. That's like comparing Spock to Data. One's loveable and humorous. One's loveable but ultimately sad. As a fan of the first film, I couldn't help but compare the two at every level. First, the actors... Ed Norton was the perfect Banner for this Hulk film, and Eric Bana was the perfect Banner for his. Jennifer Connelly vs. Liv Tyler... Liv did pretty good, but there's no competition there. JC all the way. Neither one of them are Pepper Potts though. 😛 William Hurt gave a fine performance as Gen. Ross, but gimme Sam Elliott's smoldering ferocity any day. Nick Nolte's performance was great, but the character he played was just a bit too over-the-top. And HE'S the one who created the Hulk-Poodle! Tim Roth's Emil Blonsky was great. There were lots of ways he could have gone wrong with that character, but thankfully he didn't. A much better character and performance than Josh Lucas' from Hulk I. Tim Blake Nelson had some of the best comic relief I've seen in a long time, at least since I witnessed Tony Stark's robot assistants at work. The new film also had another charming cameo from Stan the Man, and one from Lou Ferrigno as an easily-bribed security guard. It's hard to compare the storylines, because the first film was a true 'origins' story, albeit with a poorly re-imagined origin. The new Hulk film more or less bypassed the origin story, only alluding to scenes reminicent of Hulk's creation from the television version. Incredible Hulk literally hits the ground running and keeps things faster paced, and that definitely works to its advantage. I actually liked the action scenes from Lee's Hulk, especially the escape from the military base and the subsequent desert fight. That just might be my favorite action scene of either film. Leterrier's campus fight scene would rank a close second, but didn't really have much that the desert fight didn't have. The new Hulk does look 10 times better than the previous one, but I'd chalk that up to advances in technology that allow for much more realistic-looking textures and movements. This Hulk looks nearly flawless; can't wait to see how great he'll look in the sequel/Avengers. There's no point in even mentioning the infamous Hulk vs. Fake Absorbing Man fight scene. Hulk vs. Abomination seemed like it was cut short for some reason, but was very entertaining nonetheless. I didn't really like the way they failed to emphasize the way Hulk's strength increased the angrier he got. That's something I felt the first film did better. Basically, the new film has more, and better overall, action. It's a simpler, faster-paced story featuring a livelier cast. I still don't think the Hulk got a great film made about him, but this may be as good as it gets for the big guy. I doubt they'll have a movie with the depth of Spider-man 2 in store for Banner/Hulk, and I also don't think they'll be able to pull off a Jason Bourne-style chase film again. If they're going to go for the high action content again then I just hope the sequel is closer to X-men 2 than Transporter 2. One last thing, was it just me or did it seem like the dialogue in the short Tony Stark scene was written better than in any other scene in the movie? (Sorry for the length of this comment. What can I say, I like Hulk.)
kevjohn on Jun 16, 2008
47
Hulk is a good movie with good word of mouth but it's not doing that well at the box office as it should be like Iron Man did. Looks like we won't see the Hulk again until the Avenger. Which is sucky. I would have loved to see more Hulk movies.
Mayhem Studios on Jun 24, 2008
48
get real about them making hulk a bad guy that's killing hulk fame duh. I've seen both iron man and both hulk movies and i hate to say it being a hulk fan more than an iron man fan that ironman was way better.But hulk would have really killed if they had told the people out there who don't know anything about the story or now there version. A web site would have done the job.I mean my wife and kids just kept asking question after question and it drove me nuts.I had to watch it three times to get to enjoy it.The biggest question was is this movie picking up after the last movie and that was before the movie started.When the answer was no they were like what? Maybe us hard core fans have justkilled it for the new fans because all i have heard since this movie has come out that marvel should have just made a part 2 of the first one. I really don't know about that because i like the incredible hulk movie. But when your 9 year old say's that they made this hulk more of a sissy u attend to step back and look at both movies and i really hate to say it but the first hulk was more of a bad a$$ than this hulk, accept in the last part of the last battle.
ponyboy on Nov 20, 2008
New comments are no longer allowed on this post.
FEATURED POSTS
FOLLOW FS HERE
Follow Alex's main account on Twitter:
Add our posts to your Feedly › click here
Get all the news sent on Telegram
LATEST TO WATCH