March 14, 2008...1:54 pm
The Incredible Hulk or Incredible Whimp?
The Incredible Hulk TV show was a tad before my time, but I watched every, single episode when it went into syndication. I read the comics, the animated shows and, like most people, was highly excited when Ang Lee’s “The Hulk” was coming out back in 2003. The film was a dud!
It was laced with spectacular special effects and interesting editing (comic book cuts, whips, pans, etc…), but the characters weren’t believable, especially Eric Bana, who was excellent in Munich! It was a gigantic nightmare that made a decent amount of money at the box office but it was nowhere near the numbers the studio was hoping for…
So what does the studio do? Make a sequel? No, that would be too easy, instead they remake a film that was only made about 5 years ago. Replacing Bana with Edward Norton - a solid choice with some serious acting chops (American History X, Primal Fear, Fight Club, The Score) as our troubled Bruce Banner.
But is Norton any better then Bana when playing the conflicted scientist/brute? No. Acting chops along aren’t enough to make the hulk a success - the character needs to have a certain look to him and neither Bana nor Norton have that! Bana is too “pretty boy looking” and Norton is too “polished” to play this role.
Its hard to think of a good late 20 or 30-something actor who could play Bruce Banner with conviction! The problem is Bruce Banner was a brilliant scientist, but just an ordinary man outside of his work - not a pretty boy or a polished gentlemen. There needs to be a nerdy portion (which Bana did show with his bike helmet scenes in his version) that shows he’s somewhat of a “whimp” or “average Joe” who morphs into something that knows no fear, remorse or pain, but is still…OUR HERO!
The new trailer for the Norton version only shows our boy in green towards the end. I have to saw I was completely dissatisfied with the trailer. Once again special effects, quick cuts, fast cinematography (Basically the Michael SFX Bay and Jerry Boom Boom Bruckheimer approach to storytelling) that entice the audience because of the production budget rather then the compelling storyline between Bruce, his nemesis, his girlfriend, her military father and his own personal demons.
I can’t imagine that living with The Hulk in your DNA is walk in the park. It must be horrible to live a normal day when you are not you, you are a hybrid - a modern day Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Check out the trailer below and decide for yourself - Please pardon the BluntMan 3000 opener in the video, the trailer will play shortly after that.
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