Hulk

By Simon Woodhouse

Superhero movies can be a hit and miss affair. For every Spider-Man 2 (by far the best of the current crop), we have to suffer duds like Fantastic Four, Dare Devil, Electra and Superman Returns. Films involving costumed do-gooders seem to be very easy to get wrong, even more so than horror movie remakes. So what's the key to getting them right? Knowing and loving the subject matter has to be top of the list, and also appreciating what it is that makes superheroes watch-able. Spider-Man 2 works so well, because the scenes where there's no Spidey are just as enjoyable as the ones he's in. And the usually weighty superhero issues - dealing with the idea of being something more than everyone else, but at the same time being isolated by uniqueness, is handled in a very human way. There's also humor too, and that's vital. There's nothing worse than a superhero who takes himself too seriously. This, unfortunately, is the main problem with Hulk.

Thanks largely to the 70s TV show, Marvel Comic's Incredible Hulk is one of the most well known superheroes. He's not quite in the same league as Superman and Batman, but he's right up there. So it seemed obvious that at some point during the current superhero fad, the big green guy would be wheeled out and pepped up.

This version of the Hulk pretty much follows the comic book blueprint of his origin. Dr Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) is a clever guy, but something goes wrong during an experiment involving radiation, and his physiology is altered. The filmmakers however, have introduced a few new elements. Part of the Hulk's mutation has been passed onto him by his father, and the mix up with the radiation only makes this worse. Nano technology (a current favorite in Hollywood) also gets in on the act. Bruce absorbs some nano-mites during the disastrous experiment, and these help the Hulk to repair himself in an instant should he be hurt.

The experiment-gone-wrong is the first key scene in the film, but it doesn't happen until about a quarter of the way through. What comes before (and this might sound a bit shallow) is frankly quite boring. Bruce works with his ex-girlfriend Betty (Jennifer Connelly), but despite the actors' best efforts, there's absolutely no onscreen chemistry between Bana and his leading lady. Bruce's estranged dad (Nick Nolte) is also hanging around the lab, posing as a janitor. This does lend the film a creepy undertone, but Nolte's performance is too over the top to be taken seriously. Yet another subplot involves scientific entrepreneur Glen Talbot (Josh Lucas), whose links to the military and lust for Betty add more complications to the mix.

Key to any superhero film is the hero alter ego, the persona who gets to save the innocent bystanders, defeat the bad guy and get the girl. Hulk isn't that kind of hero. In fact, he's more of an anti-hero. When he does eventually appear, about a third of the way through the film (far too late), he doesn't perform any acts of daring-do, but instead just smashes up Bruce's lab. This might be exciting to watch, and you certainly can feel his anger, but it's a hollow extravagance with no real meaning.

As the movie progresses the plot becomes more involved, but more ridiculous too. Bruce's dad, and the slimy Glen Talbot, both provide the villainous elements. Though working toward different goals, they want to exploit the Hulk's power. Betty's dad, Major Ross (Sam Elliot), is charged with the task of dealing with the big green guy. This leads to Bruce being imprisoned by the army in an underground test facility somewhere in a Californian desert (think of Area 51). But of course he Hulks-out and escapes, and this provides the movie with its most memorable scenes. It says something for a film and its script when it's a growling, CGI giant who delivers the most emotional performance. That's what happens here. You can feel the Hulk's anger, but at the same time it's easy to sympathize with him. During the confrontation with different elements of the armed forces, it's the Hulk you feel sorry for, not the soldiers in the tanks or the pilots in the helicopter gunships.

The film climaxes with Bruce confronting his dad, in a battle that's supposed to epitomize their relationship. Banner senior has also received a dose of radiation, but it wasn't an accident. Father and son both change into their respective alter egos, and duke it out in a fight to the death. By this point in the film however, the Hulk's presence had lost some of its initial impact, and because he's the 'good guy' you know he's going to survive anyway.

Though the acting doesn't really work, and the script takes itself far too seriously, the movie does contain some wonderful cinematography. There are lots of close-ups of inanimate objects (plants mostly), and though I couldn't understand what this was supposed to be saying, it looked great. The Hulk himself is also quite impressive. He's none too realistic looking, but he does perform when it comes to smashing stuff. And it's this CGI character who provides the film with its one and only laugh - after clobbering a tank, he rips off the barrel and holds it like a club (you'll know which scene I'm talking about when you see it). If only there had been a few more moments like this, the whole movie would have been a lot more watch-able. I realize it's a serious subject matter, but superheroes aren't supposed to be all about stern looks and anger. Even Batman smiles once in a while. To get the most out of this movie, I recommend skipping through all the bits that don't contain the Hulk. What you'll then be left with is about forty-five minutes worth of the best on screen anger you've seen in a long time.