Movie Review - The Incredible Hulk
Jun. 19th, 2008 11:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blairprovenceBlairSis and I went to see the Hulk last night to free the house for a meeting. We picked it mainly because Mamma Mia wasn't out yet and because Iron Man rocked like a rocking thing, so we were on a Marvel Kick.
It wasn't a terrible movie. But I wouldn't say it's good. (warning: spoilers below)
The good: The superhero actor can actually act. You know, more than three expressions, a visible inner life, body not made of plastic, etc.
William Hurt was a quality baddie, with motivations of his own.
Tim Roth is also a good actor.
Excellent cameos by Bill Bixby, via tv clip, and Lou Ferrigno, who seems to be the only one having fun in the entire movie.
The bad: The movie was so morose. I think Iron Man spoiled me for a superhero who can enjoy life and actually wanted to be a superhero (but then, I guess his superherodom was easier to deal with, as it was a choice.) But the character was such a downer all the time - Mopey about his sad bottling job, mopey about his chemistry failures, mopey about Betty getting a life, mopey, mopey, mopey.... Turning into Mr. Green sucked the fun out of his life, so he's damn well gonna suck it out of ours.
Liv Tyler was awful. Part of it is that the part was very underwritten (least convincing scientist EVARRR!), but another part of it is that she was simply NOT GOOD. It's like she read somewhere that Betty Ross should be doe-eyed and she decided to embody that characteristic completely and develop no others. It's funny - if you had asked me before I saw either movie whether or not a better female character would be an admin or a scientist, I would have said scientist, but no way - Pepper rocked. (And was believable. Except for the shoes.)
There was no chemistry between Tyler and Norton, no click, and their two (count 'em, two) moments of intentional humor fell completely flat. Betty Ross also made ridiculous choices that repeatedly necessitated her being rescued, which Pepper Potts never did. (Weird, and cool, for a superhero film.)
The Hulk knew Betty and actively refrained from hurting her (shades of King Kong and Fay Wray), which, I think ruined one of the central characteristics of Hulk canon, which was that it's UNCONTROLLABLE. If he can control himself as the Hulk, then he really is a killer of all those other nameless people. If he can't, then he's a danger to every-freaking-body. That's the CENTRAL motivation of Bruce Banner (at least it was when Bruce Bixby played him.)
Anyway, that's a thumbs down from me. But definitely see Iron Man - have I mentioned it rocks?
It wasn't a terrible movie. But I wouldn't say it's good. (warning: spoilers below)
The good: The superhero actor can actually act. You know, more than three expressions, a visible inner life, body not made of plastic, etc.
William Hurt was a quality baddie, with motivations of his own.
Tim Roth is also a good actor.
Excellent cameos by Bill Bixby, via tv clip, and Lou Ferrigno, who seems to be the only one having fun in the entire movie.
The bad: The movie was so morose. I think Iron Man spoiled me for a superhero who can enjoy life and actually wanted to be a superhero (but then, I guess his superherodom was easier to deal with, as it was a choice.) But the character was such a downer all the time - Mopey about his sad bottling job, mopey about his chemistry failures, mopey about Betty getting a life, mopey, mopey, mopey.... Turning into Mr. Green sucked the fun out of his life, so he's damn well gonna suck it out of ours.
Liv Tyler was awful. Part of it is that the part was very underwritten (least convincing scientist EVARRR!), but another part of it is that she was simply NOT GOOD. It's like she read somewhere that Betty Ross should be doe-eyed and she decided to embody that characteristic completely and develop no others. It's funny - if you had asked me before I saw either movie whether or not a better female character would be an admin or a scientist, I would have said scientist, but no way - Pepper rocked. (And was believable. Except for the shoes.)
There was no chemistry between Tyler and Norton, no click, and their two (count 'em, two) moments of intentional humor fell completely flat. Betty Ross also made ridiculous choices that repeatedly necessitated her being rescued, which Pepper Potts never did. (Weird, and cool, for a superhero film.)
The Hulk knew Betty and actively refrained from hurting her (shades of King Kong and Fay Wray), which, I think ruined one of the central characteristics of Hulk canon, which was that it's UNCONTROLLABLE. If he can control himself as the Hulk, then he really is a killer of all those other nameless people. If he can't, then he's a danger to every-freaking-body. That's the CENTRAL motivation of Bruce Banner (at least it was when Bruce Bixby played him.)
Anyway, that's a thumbs down from me. But definitely see Iron Man - have I mentioned it rocks?
