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It's Not Easy Being Green

Putting Ang Lee's 2003 "Hulk" film behind them, Marvel gets a do-over with "The Incredible Hulk" — a new interpretation (not a "Hulk" sequel) of the beloved Stan Lee-created character. It's also the second film (after "Iron Man") in which Marvel has taken creative control of their own property. It's a distinction that shows. As in "Iron Man", character and story take precedence over action sequences in "The Incredible Hulk". The casting of acting heavyweight Edward Norton as Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk also shows Marvel's commitment to bringing character development front and center. It's certainly a bold move — but does it pay off?

Written by Zak Penn (the "X-Men" films) and Edward Norton (writing under a pseudonym), this version eschews the bloated angst of "Hulk" for tight, economical storytelling. In a nifty montage over the opening credits, the audience gets all the exposition they need: Strapped to a gurney in a lab, Bruce is monitored by his girlfriend, Dr. Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) and her father, General "Thunderbolt" Ross (William Hurt). Inducing an "episode", Banner Hulks out and goes on a rampage, destroying the lab and seriously injuring Betty. Believing himself to be a danger to his loved ones, a guilt-ridden Banner goes on the run, while General Ross sets out to hunt him down.

We catch up with Bruce hiding out in the favelas of Brazil. He ekes out a living as a janitor/handyman at a local bottling plant, while learning some unique anger management techniques from a capoeira master. His only communication with the outside world is via email over an encrypted internet connection with the mysterious "Mr. Blue". With help from Mr. Blue, Bruce searches for an antidote to the gamma radiation sickness that transforms him into the Hulk. Unfortunately, critical data needed to formulate an antidote is back home with Betty.

Aside from a few tense run-ins with local toughs, Bruce is able to stay under the radar in Brazil. That is, until General Ross gets wind of his whereabouts. The cigar-chomping, bristly haired general (a surprisingly spirited turn from Hurt) sends in a strike team to capture Banner. Heading the team is a Russian-born British commando named Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth). Smallish, with stooping shoulders and a sneer, Blonsky cuts an unlikely figure. But he is a warrior, through and through — and itching for a fight worthy of his considerable talents. After a chase through the narrow, winding streets of the favelas, Blonsky gets a glimpse of the real Bruce Banner — a mountain of murderous green rage. Banner manages to elude the soldiers, but Blonsky is now just as determined as Ross to hunt down the beast — even if it means he'll have to endure a little gamma radiation himself.

With General Ross hot on his heels, Bruce returns to the States. There, Bruce reunites with Dr. Betty (you can tell she's a doctor by the white coat and glasses). The film hits its first stumbling block when it's apparent that Norton and Tyler have little to no chemistry. While Norton works hard to convey in a single look his longing and inner turmoil, she merely stares at him, doe-eyed, while biting her bottom lip. Tyler is achingly pretty, but her inability to rise to Norton's intensity is painfully obvious. (One can't help thinking that Jennifer Connelly's Betty from Ang Lee's "Hulk" would have been a better match.) Armed with the data they need, Bruce and Betty go on the lam to find Mr. Blue and get the antidote before Ross can harness the Hulk to create an army of super-soldiers. There's some kissing, some crying and a whole lot of fighting until the showdown between Hulk and Abomination (a grotesquely gamma-radiated Blonsky) on the streets of Harlem.

As the CGI Hulk takes precedence in the second half, the film weakens further. The fault may inherently lie in the Hulk character. Without possessing Banner's intellect or memories, Hulk is simply a battering ram — all brute strength and not much else. (By contrast, "Iron Man" never let you forget there's a guy in the metal suit.) The film attempts to humanize Hulk with some King Kong-like, sentimental moments with Betty, but he (being computer-generated) lacks the more interesting nuances and conflicting emotions of Norton's character. Aside from a fantastic transformation scene in which Banner transforms to Hulk and back again, this Hulk gives us nothing new, visually. He might be a more human-scaled Hulk, but he's still not a living, breathing entity.

Entity or no, Hulk fans will be happy to know the film is not all repressed emotions and angst. There is also plenty of smash. French action director Louis Leterrier ("The Transporter", "Unleashed") keeps the action sequences tight and well-paced, with ample scenes of destruction and mayhem. (A scene in which when Hulk tears a police cruiser in half and wields the halves like boxing gloves is particularly satisfying.) Hulk roars, he smashes, he tears his pants — all the bits fans are hoping to see. Additionally, there are nice cameos from Stan Lee, Lou Ferrigno (who also provides the voice of Hulk) and even the late Bill Bixby.

On its own, "The Incredible Hulk" is a solidly entertaining (though somewhat forgettable) superhero tale. Taken as a companion piece with "Iron Man" (and the coming "Avengers" films), it fares a bit better, adding to the depth and breadth of Marvel's considerable pantheon of superheroes. (As with "Iron Man", there's a nice coda at the end.) With "Thor", "Captain America" and "The Avengers" in the pipeline, one hopes Marvel's streak of luck will continue — for comic book and movie fans alike.