Year of Release: 2003
Director: Ang Lee
Starring: Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliott, Josh Lucas, Nick Nolte, Paul Kersey, Cara Buono, Kevin Rankin, Celia Weston, Lou Ferrigno, Todd Tesen
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review:
After the critical and commercial success of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", the always fantastic Ang Lee decided to tackle something decidedly different in his career, his first comic book feature. The film is an adaptation of the Marvel comic book, and follows the story of scientist Bruce Banner, who survives an accidental experiment on his laboratory, an accident that leaves him with a serious side effect. Every time Bruce gets angry, his metabolism alters, and he becomes this immense creature, someone possessed of limitless strength, and invulnerable to nearly everything, the giant and destructive Hulk. This creature of immense power gathers the attention of the army, who is intent on destroying him, under the direction of General Ross. Only Betty Ross, Banner's love interest has a way of calming him down and keeping the Hulk in check.
Ang Lee is a tremendously talented director, who has made a career of unexpected choices and turns. Much like his initial work in Taiwan/New York, "The Wedding Banquet" and "Eat Drink Man Woman" was followed by the period piece "Sense and Sensibility", "Hul" followed his return to his roots. The director tried to give the film a humane dimension, by making Bruce Banner's issues associated to a distraught parental figure, played with abandon by Nick Nolte. This over the top aspect didn't exactly marry with the almost literal stylistic approach the director adopted in terms of transitions between scenes and set pieces. It's a film that is interesting, and visually compelling, even if the render of the creatures feels at times too artificial. In the end, the cast makes the film engaging and compelling, particularly the duo comprised of Eric Bana and Jennifer Connelly, both excellent actors who give their characters depth and range that sometimes isn't associated with comic book properties. The cinematography from Frederick Elmes (who usually works with David Lynch) is great, as is the score from Danny Elfman. An uneven film from a fantastic director.
Ang Lee is a tremendously talented director, who has made a career of unexpected choices and turns. Much like his initial work in Taiwan/New York, "The Wedding Banquet" and "Eat Drink Man Woman" was followed by the period piece "Sense and Sensibility", "Hul" followed his return to his roots. The director tried to give the film a humane dimension, by making Bruce Banner's issues associated to a distraught parental figure, played with abandon by Nick Nolte. This over the top aspect didn't exactly marry with the almost literal stylistic approach the director adopted in terms of transitions between scenes and set pieces. It's a film that is interesting, and visually compelling, even if the render of the creatures feels at times too artificial. In the end, the cast makes the film engaging and compelling, particularly the duo comprised of Eric Bana and Jennifer Connelly, both excellent actors who give their characters depth and range that sometimes isn't associated with comic book properties. The cinematography from Frederick Elmes (who usually works with David Lynch) is great, as is the score from Danny Elfman. An uneven film from a fantastic director.
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