Depicting the events after the Gamma Bomb. 'The Incredible Hulk' tells the story of Dr Bruce Banner, who seeks a cure to his unique condition, which causes him to turn into a giant green monster under emotional stress. Whilst on the run from military which seeks his capture, Banner comes close to a cure. But all is lost when a new creature emerges; The Abomination. Written by
Plot Synopsis:
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Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) is a scientist working to find a way to use gamma radiation to increase healing time in soldiers. One of his co-workers is Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), whose father, General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (William Hurt), oversees the project. Upon subjecting himself to a gamma test, Banner transforms into a green-skinned, superhumanly powerful creature. He destroys the lab, injures Betty and Ross and escapes.
Several years later, he surfaces in Brazil, working at a local soft drink factory and living in a run-down favela. He trains with martial artists on how to control his gamma-irradiated anger, and communicates via encrypted e-mail with a man know as Mr. Blue about developing a cure. Ross has continued to search for him, believing that Banner is effectively the property of the United States government. Thanks to an accident at the factory where his blood drips into a bottle of soda and poisons a man in America (Stan Lee in a cameo), Ross tracks Banner to Brazil. He assembles a strike force led by a ruthless British soldier, Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) and sends them after Banner. They chase Banner through the city and into the soft drink factory. Banner is also pursued by several hooligans who dislike him. When the hooligans attack Banner, he loses control of his anger and transforms into his green alter ego just as the strike team arrives. He makes quick work of the hooligans and strike team, then leaps his way out of Brazil.
Blonsky demands that Ross tell him the truth about Banner. Ross reveals that the goal of the program was not to develop new ways of treating injuries but to create an army of invincible super soldiers. Blonsky is intrigued and, recognizing that he is at the end of his career at age 39, asks to be given the super soldier formula himself. Ross agrees and Blonsky undergoes an extremely painful procedure.
Banner returns to the United States, in particular to a college town in Virginia. Betty still teaches there. Banner sneaks into a computer laboratory and downloads vital information about the experiments and his own physiognomy. That night, Betty and her new boyfriend, Leonard Samson (Ty Burrell) see Banner in a restaurant. Betty takes Banner home, but Samson contacts Ross. Banner plans to leave the next day but Ross' forces attack him on campus. Banner transforms again, and witnesses to the battle dub him "the Hulk." During the fight, Blonsky confronts Hulk and displays superhuman reflexes, but Hulk kicks Blonsky into a tree, shattering every bone in his body. Betty is nearly killed in a helicopter assault. Hulk rescues her and takes her to safety. During a rain storm, Hulk becomes scared of the thunder and hurls rocks at it. Betty calms him down. The next morning, she checks them into a motel and buys him new clothes. They decide to go to New York and meet Mr. Blue. On the way, Betty suggests that some of Banner's personality remains when he is in Hulk form, but Banner angrily rejects this notion. He wants to be rid of the Hulk, not find a way to control it.
Ross is pleasantly surprised to see Blonsky has completely healed from his grievous injuries. However, he doesn't notice the bony spines beginning to protrude from Blonsky's back.
Mr. Blue is really Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), a professor at a college in New York City. He reveals to Banner that he has a procedure that might suppress the Hulk reaction but may not be potent enough to cure him. However, he wants to continue to study Banner so they can find a way to use his blood to cure countless diseases. Banner refuses to allow that, but agrees to undergo Sterns' suppression procedure. It seems to work. However, Ross has tracked Banner to Sterns' office. This time, Banner is successfully captured. Betty tells Ross that she no longer considers him her father. Blonsky confronts Sterns and asks to be exposed to Banner's irradiated blood. Sterns warns him that the result could be "an abomination" but Blonsky insists. The result: Blonsky turns into an enormous, scaly Abomination. He leaps from Sterns' laboratory. In the chaos, some of Banner's blood drips into an open wound on his forehead. His head begins to mutate.
Insane with power, Blonsky goes on a rampage in Harlem. In the helicopter taking them to custody, Banner, Betty and Ross see television footage of the destruction. Banner believes he can now control the Hulk. He leaps from the helicopter and transforms into the Hulk just before he hits the ground. He and Abomination wage a fierce battle. Abomination knocks the helicopter with Ross and Betty in it from the sky. Just as Abomination is about to kill them, Hulk stops him and nearly strangles Abomination to death with heavy chains. Betty's horrified reaction keeps Hulk from actually killing Abomination, however. Instead, he leaps away, eventually winding up in British Columbia. Weeks of meditation help Banner finally gain control of his alter ego.
Ross sits in a bar, smoking his trademark cigars and drinking himself into a stupor. Billionaire industrialist Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) enters and suggests that a team he is putting together just might help Ross solve his Hulk problem.
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Nytwolf from Nashville, TN USA
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For those that know only of the original comic book Hulk, the TV series Hulk, or the regrettable Ang Lee Hulk, you should know that this new version is a mixture of origins.
Without spoiling it, one of the larger ingredients in this new Hulk comes from a Marvel series that is an alternate universe. There are many differences in the Ultimates Universe. In this version, Banner did not get his gamma radiation from exposure during an experimental bomb explosion. I won't spoil it, but you can go to www.marvel.com and look under "Ultimates" if you wish to get the gist of it.
I can truly say that this version captures a little of everything, so that no matter what your knowledge is of the Hulk character, there's tie-ins to everything.
Personally, I felt this reboot was well thought out. It allows for any future connectivity by not limiting it to one version of the Hulk. This will allow future Marvel movie-makers the ability to pick and choose aspects from the multitude of alternate universes, re-tellings, and time spans to combine whatever they please.
This was well cast. When the overall product can make me forget the fact that I don't like a specific actor, and truly appreciate the total entertainment experience, it's something to smile about. I won't mention which one I don't care for, since all that will do is spark useless debate.
Story - intricate and intelligent, fast-paced, yet deeply explanatory, complex, yet easily taken in by non-geeks. Enough references to the true comic, alternate comic, and TV show, that everyone in the sneak peek seemed to be pleased. I surely was.
CGI was great. Don't know why some have to nit-pick, but you can't please everyone, I guess. Action was wonderful with plenty of it! If you've ever read one of my reviews, you'll know that I'm a true fan of overall entertainment. While I have favorites, I don't base reviews on just one actor, writer, director, production company, genre, or whatever. So, if you don't like my opinion, so be it.
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Rxblinkboy from United States
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Honestly, as soon as I heard they were making another Hulk movie I was surprised. When I heard they had cast Ed Norton, I was shocked. So going into this movie I had no idea what to expect. Coming out, I feel like an idiot because it was really masterfully done. Lettier does an amazing job, Norton was fantastic, and as far as a comic book movie goes, this one is just about on top with little nods and mentions. If you don't walk out of this film screaming HELLL YEAAAA, then you are not normal. Far better than Ang Lee's attempt at the green man and as far as this year, it's definitely Marvel's year. No better way to make up for Spiderman 3 than releasing Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk just a month apart. Thank you Marvel for cleaning the mess Spiderman 3 left and clearing your name. This film just makes me thing of one word...AVENGERS
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hoove1970 from United States
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I went into this completely blind. I wanted a pure 'experience' I saw ONE trailer prior to this screening and closed my eyes while humming. I had no idea if this was a second in the series or a re-make.
I was pleasantly surprised at the (obvious)complete makeover of our big green friend, and this was a (P.R.)change for him no doubt... this delightful romp will bring him right into the "good guy fold" so to speak, within the umbrella of the, "Avengers" Franchise that is now an inevitability.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film, Lots of time on character development, and the intricacies that make you really care for a plot and its characters. I thought the acting was very well done although I found Liv Tyler to be the 'Weak Link'. Not sure she 'sold' her part that well or maybe it was just typecasting for that "Armageddon" girl.
The CGI was top shelf. There were no seriously 'over done' moments of ,"awww Come on" uttered in the theater. In this packed theater there were many ovations for the cameo's and the ,"Bad guy gets it" scenes, and even for the thrilling last minute of the movie. So where was Samuel L. Jackson?
Please enjoy this more Comic like and more faithful version of THE HULK!
*** PARENTS*** Go see it! Please do not bring kids under 5 yrs old! it is very realistic and violent. Be a good parent.
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femaleanimefan from Ontario, Canada
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I wasn't really sure if I'd like the movie. Ang Lee's version didn't please me at all. It didn't have enough action and it had far too much dialogue. I had never really been a fan of the Hulk comics, but I did like all the movie adaptations of the Marvel Comics. While I didn't enjoy The Incredible Hulk as much as Iron Man, it's still great fun, and it will definitely make a big profit at the box office, and hopefully more money than the first did.
I also must say the cast is a lot better this time around. Edward Norton is far more convincing as Bruce Banner than Eric Bana was. Liv Tyler does a good job as Betty, Bruce's girlfriend, though I do like Jennifer Connelly a bit more. The supporting cast is also great, and they all deserve to at least be nominated for some awards. My favorite performance is tied between Norton and Tim Roth.
Now, to the special effects. Predictably, they are magnificent. With recent superhero movies, the effects are always brilliant, and they certainly adapted the Hulk character more closely to the original comics from what I've heard. The action scenes are cool and fun to watch, and fans of the comic books will be on the edge of their seat in excitement.
All in all, it's a great movie that comic fans should enjoy, and even if you don't really read them, you'll still like the movie, as I did. While it's not my favorite superhero movie, it is a whole lot better than Ang Lee's version, and a fun time at the theater.
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MovieAddict2014 from UK
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In 2003, Ang Lee's Hulk was released to commercial success – breaking box office records for a June opening and smashing its way to the top of the box office, it outperformed many analysts' expectations and was well on its way to becoming one of the biggest comic book films ever produced.
Then, of course, the negative word of mouth caught up with it – and by the following weekend it had dropped a colossal 60%. It was quickly left floundering in theaters and only turned a profit thanks to worldwide intake.
Marvel wasn't quite sure what to do – the film's huge opening indicated an inherent interest in the material, but fans obviously didn't enjoy what they were seeing.
Ang Lee's film was, to be fair, admirable in its scope and ambitions – it wasn't your typical comic book action film. But, at the end of the day, most audiences don't want two-and-a-half hour psychological explorations when they go to see a Hulk movie – they want big battle scenes and lots of bruising action, both of which the 2003 Hulk – for the most part – failed to deliver.
I count myself among the masses that disliked the 2003 film – not because I was a fan of the comics and not because I was disappointed in its treatment of the material; not even because I thought it was boring, necessarily. I simply thought in spite of its aim to be an intelligent movie, it was quite silly and pretentious – the end fight sequence was appalling, for example. It was a film containing moments of genius cornered by lots of unnecessary scenes and scenery chewing by Nick Nolte.
So, with this in mind, the ultimate question is: does the 2008 Hulk deliver on its promise to be bigger, bolder and better? Well, in short, yes – it's still not a great film by any means, and it has its fair share of flaws (most notably the last twenty minutes which, despite a cool battle sequence, go overboard in their destruction), but at the end of the day, it's an entertaining summer blockbuster with a cast that's probably a little better than it deserves.
Edward Norton would have been my last choice as Bruce Banner – not because I think he's bad for the role, but rather because he is such an unexpected choice. Renowned for his anti-mainstream approach to film-making and his artistic credibility, his placement in a comic book franchise sequel/reboot is puzzling to say the least – it would be like Christian Bale taking on a role in a Batman or Terminator movie (oh, wait).
The thing is: Norton delivers a solid performance. I'm not sure if it's better than what Eric Bana tried to achieve (I'd say Bana's performance is a bit more complex overall), but I think that's partly due to the film's length and also because it's so action-packed. For what it's worth, Norton tries his best to inject some humanity into the character; the whole Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde aspect is more prevalent here than in the 2003 film. In that movie, Bana's Banner admitted to enjoying the transformation into the Hulk; in 2008, Norton is struggling to conceal and control it.
William Hurt replaces Sam Elliot as General Ross, the man responsible for Bruce's predicament. The movie is essentially a cat-and-mouse game, with Banner hiding away in Brazil for over a year, until Ross finally discovers his location – prompting Bruce to flee back to North America in a last-ditch effort to find a cure for his "disease." He reunites with Ross' daughter, Betty (Liv Tyler), and finds himself at odds with an overzealous combatant named Blonsky (played by Tim Roth), who eventually transforms into Abomination.
My problems with the film are most present in the latter half. The first 45 minutes is a lot of fun and is rather cleverly made – the fight scenes are engaging and Roth establishes his anti-hero villain. But suddenly halfway through the movie, Blonsky turns into an unmotivated cliche of a bad guy, and by the end of the film you lose all care and understanding for the character. Once he transforms into the Abomination and goes on a citywide rampage in search of an equal foe (in this case, the Hulk), his reasons are puzzling.
This is where the film truly falls apart, because suddenly General Ross is responsible for millions of dollars' worth of damage and civilian casualties (without spoiling any surprises, he is responsible for Blonsky's transformation), and he's flying around in an Army helicopter following the city's destruction, but nobody really seems to care. He never loses his job, even after he tears up a college campus in search of the Hulk earlier in the film. It may be pointless to criticize a comic book film for lapses in logic, but since the film strives for a sense of realism in its early scenes, the switch to excess halfway through is a bit disheartening. The 2003 Hulk had the same problems, incidentally – I'm wondering if it's a flaw of the comic book or just the character itself; perhaps it's too hard to retain realism when you've got a 12-foot giant green dude destroying everything in sight.
If I'm being too critical, it's only because I enjoyed the film and regretted these aspects. At the end of the day, it's a fun, entertaining summer blockbuster -- and that's really all it needed to be.
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springsunnywinter from United Kingdom
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By the looks of the ending of Ang Lee's Hulk (2003) it seemed that there is going to be a sequel. After 5 years we now have The Incredible Hulk which is a reboot like Batman Begins. The reboot was a better idea than a sequel because Hulk (2003) wasn't a bad movie but wasn't even great either and was better off as a one film itself. But if the first attempt at a Hulk movie left you feeling a little green, good news! This version has a whole new cast, a whole new mood, and even a whole new retelling of The Hulk's origin
When I saw the trailer of The Incredible Hulk I was like "Wow this movie looks cool" and it lived up to my expectation also the trailer did not give too much away about the plot. The film was outrageously entertaining, fun and a perfect popcorn movie. It is the same director of The Transporter 2 so it is bound to have good action. You can see every penny spent from the $130 million budget. It is roughly (not exactly) the same amount as Hulk (2003) and The Incredible Hulk looks much, much more expensive.
The story is about Bruce Banner who is trying to cure is condition that turns him into a monster but is going to use it as his weapon against the Abomination. The plot may seem simple but it is better that way because you can just concentrate on the action and the monsters.
This time the Hulk is more darker and sinister looking and is more muscular than Ang Lee's Hulk. The Abomination was the icing & cherry on the cake and I'm glad that they had a proper villain this time. His name really does match his personality and he is not wearing any underpants, so girls you might want to look away otherwise you might get a fright. Overall this movie is Incredible not an Abomination.
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DICK STEEL from Singapore
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The crowded streets and cluttered housing on the streets of Rio De Janeiro provided some reminiscence of Jackie Chan's Police Story, where you could be sure of a chase scene zig- zagging the streets to take advantage of the wonderful opportunities presented for an exhilarating chase. And Leterrier doesn't try not to provide action junkies plenty of action- smashing moments as we root for Bruce Banner to hulk up, unfortunately of course, to satisfy our lust for some unadulterated action where everything in the way of the Hulk, gets smashed. However those expecting action from the get go will be disappointed, as there were only a small handful of action sequences, though of course they include the classic moments that comic fans had been baying for since 4 years ago. So I guess most will be left happy as we see some nifty moves by the Hulkster, which will leave a smile on your face, despite being used in limited doses. But I note though that the story cum action, looked a little bit like Superman II with the seeking of a cure and the deliberate loss of power to be with the lady love, and the duking out between super-beings on equal footing (here being gamma-powered), with a tinge of Cloverfield like moments too.
While there will be those who will gripe about the transformation mainly done in the dark and in shadows, it does prove to be effective in building some anticipation and heigntened tension as to when he will finally appear in full glory. The mainly military attacks on the big guy again brought out some back to basics adversary with Thunderbolt Ross trying to capture the Hulk, and in fact I'd appreciate that this movie didn't divert too much away from this primary objective, although it might be more of the same from the first movie. But while the Hulk has an aura of invulnerability, somehow The Incredible Hulk provided me at least, an emotional pang when he gets hurt bad, as we remember that this is a guy who just plainly wants to be left alone. And the angrier the Hulk gets, the bigger and more powerful he becomes too.
And it's not all serious here too, with well meaning humour peppered in the right places, making numerous references to the television series and characters from the Marvel universe. You'd often wonder how his pants stay on before-during-and-after transformation, well, it gets addressed here with humour. Memorable ines such as "don't- make-me-angry-you-wouldn't-like-me-when-I'm-angry" gets punned away, even the late Bill Bixby got a cameo, together with Lou Ferrigno who reprises his security guard role, and Stan Lee who's possibly in the most unmemorable cameo appearance ever. The much touted Tony Stark appearance will bring whoops of joy from newly converted fans of Robert Downey Jr, while I suspect in line with the rumoured Avengers movie, the universe now seemed more streamlined again with the references to SHIELD, and stupid me thinking that Mr Fantastic would somewhat be featured in this too. A WWII super soldier project and serum was referenced and formed the basis for Tim Roth's Emil Blonsky turned Abomination, but Captain America? I'll leave that to you to find out.
But what I really liked about The Incredible Hulk is not the action sequences, nor the references mentioned made. It was the central love story between Bruce Banner and Betty Ross. In Lee Ang's version, we don't see much of the romance between Bana and Connelly because the story didn't really call for it, save for a rescue scene, and at an in-juncture where the Hulk was stopped in his tracks by his lady love. And that was precisely the winner for me. The Hulk, for all his power and unstoppable rage, could be brought under control by his lady love, and that was used to great effect here. Beneath the green invulnerability lies the heart of a mild-mannered man who yearns to be with the love of his life, but unfortunately cannot due to the curse that Fate had brought upon him. Both Norton and Tyler managed to bring out this chemistry of lovers torned apart, one who can only admire the other from afar, and the other finally never wanting to let go of someone who had disappeared from her life for her own protection. And this version of Betty does sport a bit of a temper and feisty too, and is not really your classic damsel in distress.
Granted that most supporting characters were rather one-dimensional, The Incredible Hulk somehow managed to straddle between its intense whack-all-destroy-all moments, and tender ones when the lovers are left alone to their own devices. As with the Marvel movies to date, the doors are left wide opened for follow ups and team-ups, and here there are no less than three avenues where the next story could develop further from, and sowed the seed for other movie franchises to be developed too. It drained a little bit from the cerebral department in order to amplify the romance, and let the action go into overdrive. HUlk Smash indeed, this time likely to make a huge dent at the box office, for fans and non-fans alike to be won over, just like how Iron Man did.
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ramasscreen.com from United States
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Take a deep breath when you enter the cinema to see this one because it's just downright breathtaking. THE INCREDIBLE HULK is an amazing summer blockbuster movie. This reboot has made Ang Lee's Hulk back in 2003 seem like it never existed. Edward Norton's version portrays what Hulk is supposed to be… on the big screen. Do not bootleg this one, do not wait til it hit DVD, Go watch it in the theaters because I guarantee you it is worth every penny. This movie is spectacular and superb in every way. It's a rock 'em smash 'em, jaw dropping thrill ride.
Let's just start with the acting, what a perfect cast ensemble. Edward Norton is a better Bruce Banner than Eric Bana because Edward looks more convincing as a skinny nerd scientist. He embodies the pain and the struggle that his character has to go through. Always running, always hiding, always trying to come up with ways to get rid of the monster in him. William Hurt and Tim Roth have no problem being the bad guys, having played so many other bad guys in many other movies in the past. Tim Blake Nelson giving us hints that he'll become the next arch nemesis The Leader is pretty cool. Liv Tyler is so damn cute. That girl can melt your heart.
Now to the best part. The category that makes this movie a winner is its awesome CGI visual effects. Bravo to the brains behind this brilliant technological accomplishment. When Hulk breaks a cop car into half and uses each part as boxing globes, that's just plain badass! The images are so much better and more believable,.. the timing could not have been more right to revamp this character. The storyline helps us understand the characters and their development as they progress but it wastes no time at all on any boring moment.
Magnificent stuntwork as well, especially the chase scene in the small town in Brazil. The whole jumping from one roof to another at high speed with bodies bumping into walls or falling down from a considerable height. I have much respect for the stunt people who broke their bones daily for this movie.
The story has three main long action packed sequences and the last fight scene is just phenomenal. They weren't kidding when they said that it would last for 26 minutes. Hulk punches Abomination, Abomination, kicks Hulk, Hulk strangles Abomination, Abomination slams Hulk onto a couple of buildings.. Your inner kid will be happy.
All the elements of this movie have but one purpose only… to entertain your senses to the fullest extent. Your sight and hearing will be treated with the utmost incredible experience of your lifetime. You will find yourself cheering at how great this movie is.
The cameo by Stan Lee and Lou Ferrigno, who plays Hulk in the old TV series are memorable. The plot also has some punch lines here and there that are silly funny but effective. I'm glad Lou Ferrigno got to voice the Hulk because I can't think of anyone else more perfect for the job. The movie even includes the main theme song from the old TV series starring the late Bill Bixby. What a heartfelt nostalgic tribute.
The teaser at the end when Tony Stark meets Gen. Thunderbolt Ross, that part is a show stopper. Director Louise Leterrier and his crew deserves a standing ovation for successfully making an excellent superhero movie which some people thought was going to be as bad as the first Hulk movie. Well, Louise has proved them wrong. Summer 2008 may quite possibly be the best summer movie season ever.
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YoSafBridge from United States
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Three cheers for Marvel for finally realizing that no one knows their material better then themselves. May they never sell another beloved superhero to a lesser being again.
For the second time this summer Marvel has given us a superhero movie that just plain rocks. With the exact right amount of humour, character development and great action sequences, the Incredible Hulk is up there with Iron Man as one of my favourite films to be released so far in the summer movie season. While I didn't like it quite as much as Iron Man (Robert Downey WAS Tony Stark. Whereas something still doesn't sit right about Edward Norton as Bruce...) it was nevertheless a great, faithful adaptation of the comic books. Plus the cameo appearances by both Stan Lee and Robert Downey Jr where terrific! Possibly my favourite Stan Lee cameo yet.
There isn't really much else to say besides, go see it for yourselves. If you're a fan of the comics, or just of fun popcorn films you'll definitely enjoy this one.
8/10
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schristian-6 from United States
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I attended a sneak preview of The Incredible Hulk last night. Incredible? No, but Very Good. And it washes the bad taste left in my mouth from Indiana Jones and the Big Letdown. The story is good, the acting is awesome. Ed Norton is the perfect person to play the tormented Bruce Banner. He is more believable in the roll than Eric Bana. Liv Tyler is very good as Betty Ross (formally played by the tasty Jennifer Connelly) William Hurt as General Ross is impressive and makes for a worthy adversary to Bruce Banner. If I had to come up with a negative, it would be Tim Roth. While I really like him, and he always plays great villains, I feel he's just miss cast here. He seems tiny next to General Ross. Instead of coming off like the English bad ass special op he's supposed to be, he comes off more like a jerk with Napoleon Syndrome. Someone more physically imposing like Vinnie Jones (Bullet tooth from Snatch), or Daniel Craig (the new Bond) would have been more convincing for the part. But I'm just picking here. The movie is a joy. Great action. No long boring, dragging development stuff that the first Hulk had in spades. There are some very nice cameos as well. Some were a surprise, some were not. I didn't see Nick Fury anywhere except in a brief headline in a montage. However I did not remain through the credits, so there might have been a scene at the end like Iron Man that I don't know about. I give it ***1/2 out of ****. I also predict it to make 80+million this weekend when it opens to the public and should "Hulk Smash" the competition. The movie received an ovation from the audience at the end which sums it up. A worthy movie made for the fans and everyone else.
Louis Letterier wanted Mark Ruffalo for the role of Bruce Banner, but Marvel insisted on Edward Norton. Ironically, Ruffalo would go on to replace Norton as Banner in The Avengers (2012).
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Although cut from the theatrical run, Captain America can be seen in the alternate beginning on the DVD and Blu-Ray. When the last piece of ice breaks up toward the screen, hit the pause button. There, frozen in the ice, lays Cap with his shield.
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Betty Ross buys Bruce some purple pants. In the comics, the Hulk is almost always seen wearing purple pants.
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Edward Norton was cast as Bruce Banner on the recommendation of Lou Ferrigno, who had starred in The Incredible Hulk (1978) as the Hulk. Ferrigno stated that Edward Norton reminded him of the late Bill Bixby, who acted beside him as David Banner (a version of the same character Norton plays). Norton, who a big fan of the series, had also portrayed a similar character in Fight Club (1999).
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Paul Soles who portrays "Stanley", the owner of the pizza shop, provided the voice for Dr. Bruce Banner in the 1960s Hulk (1966) animated series. The character's name may also be another tribute to Hulk co-creator Stan Lee.
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In a deleted scene Blonsky describes the Hulk to General Greller: "8 foot, 1500 pounds easy... and green. Or gray, sir. Greenish gray.. It was very dark, I couldn't tell." This is a reference to the Hulk being gray in his first comic appearance. Problems with the gray coloring in the first issue led to his skin color being changed to green.
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Liv Tyler accepted her role without reading the script.
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Edward Norton, who had previously rewritten films he starred in, wrote a draft of the script which Louis Leterrier and Marvel Studios found satisfactory in establishing the film as a reboot of Hulk (2003). As Norton explained, "I don't think that in great literature/films explaining the story's roots means it comes in the beginning. Audiences know the story, so we're dealing with it artfully." Norton's rewrite added the character of Doc Samson and mentioned references to other Marvel Comics characters. He also wanted to put in "revelations about what set the whole thing in motion" that would be explained in future installments.
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It took the VFX artists over a year to construct a shot where Dr. Banner's gamma-irradiated blood falls through three factory stories into a bottle.
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When Bruce Banner emails Mr. Blue with his data while Betty purchases the used truck, the email is tracked through the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D) database.
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After the Hulk appears at Culver University, two students are interviewed in the news, named Jack McGee and Jim Wilson. Jack McGee was a tabloid reporter who attempted to track down the Hulk in The Incredible Hulk (1978), and in the comics Jim Wilson was a young orphan who befriended the Hulk.
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Stylistically, the filmmakers chose a darker shade of green from Hulk (2003), and decided to not make him as large. His size does not increase as he becomes further enraged, staying at a consistent height.
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According to Tim Roth, Edward Norton rewrote scenes every day; Norton and Liv Tyler also spent hours discussing their characters' lives (especially before the Hulk appeared).
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David Duchovny was an early consideration to play Bruce Banner before Edward Norton.
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In Germany the film was cut for a more commercial "Not under 12" rating. However, these cuts were done so clumsily that not only movie buffs but also average movie goers noticed them which resulted in lots of complaints to theater owners. To apologize for this some cinemas gave away free movie tickets to the complaining customers. Additionally many cinemas, including some of Germany's largest cinema chains, included warning messages on their websites to raise awareness of the issue.
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Sam Elliott wanted to reprise his role as General Ross from Hulk (2003), but it was taken by William Hurt.
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The VFXperts based the Hulk and Abomination's movements on linebackers.
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There are moments foreshadowing Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). First, there is a portrait of Steve Rogers, the original Captain America, in General Ross's office. Next, a label can be seen on the storage tank reading: "Dr. Reinstein," the doctor who developed the Super-Soldier serum that made Rogers into the Captain. Louis Leterrier shot a scene where Banner encounters Captain in the Arctic, but it was cut out of the main film. It is on the special features options of some DVD editions, however.
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The Hulk's look was based on comic book artist Dale Keown's drawings, where "the Hulk, being beyond perfect, has zero grams of fat, is all chiselled, and is defined by his muscle and strength so he's like a tank."
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Near the beginning of the movie when Banner is flipping channels on the TV, one of the shows he stops on is The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969) which starred Bill Bixby - Bixby is seen on the screen for several seconds. Bixby played Dr. Banner in The Incredible Hulk (1978) TV series from 1977 until 1982.
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Louis Leterrier insisted Tim Roth, of whom he is a big fan, be cast as the film's main antagonist, even though Marvel Studios and Edward Norton were initially unsure of Roth as a supervillain. Leterrier later said "it's great watching a normal Cockney boy become a superhero!"
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Although director Louis Leterrier liked Hulk (2003), he concurred with Marvel Studios that to continue the franchise it would be better to deviate from Ang Lee's cerebral style from the first film and focus on a more action-filled tone. He also believed that in keeping with "Hulk"'s poetic feel, the VFX were mostly "a fluorescent-green guy who was simply flying around; he had no weight and was too smooth-looking," so he wished to make the film's VFX grittier and darker "and perhaps even a little scarier!"
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Ray Stevenson was considered for the role of Emil Blonsky. He would later play Volstagg in the Thor films.
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An earlier draft made The Abomination a composite character with Glenn Talbot, a different character from the comics.
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This is the only Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One film that Nick Fury does not appear in. However his name appears in the opening credit montage at the 2:46 mark (on a SHIELD page with the text Nick Fury, Shield Command, Code RED, New York NY 060564).
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Is the only one of the four films released in the summer of 2008, based on a comic book, that wasn't nominated for any Academy Awards. (The others being The Dark Knight (2008), Iron Man (2008) and Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008).)
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The Hulk, as portrayed in this film, was created through a blend of motion capture and key frame animation (by Rhythm & Hues). Hulk (2003)'s VFX were carried out by Industrial Light & Magic, with its director Ang Lee providing motion-capture.
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Bruce Banner's sidekick Rick Jones was present in early drafts, but ended up being removed once Edward Norton rewrote the script.
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Composer Craig Armstrong collaborated with Louis Leterrier to create the film's score. Marvel Studios were so pleased with the score they decided to release it as a two-disc soundtrack.
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In the comics, the Abomination possesses pointed ears. Louis Leterrier wanted this characteristic to appear in the film, but reasoned that the Hulk would bite them off (a la Mike Tyson on Evander Holyfield), which was considered too intense for a PG-13 film.
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William Hurt based his performance as General Ross to Captain Ahab, the obsessive captain who endlessly chased Moby Dick.
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The Military Base mentioned in the film "Fort Johnson" is named after Kenneth Johnson; the writer, director, and producer of the original The Incredible Hulk (1978) television series.
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Visual effects supervisor Kurt Williams created special computer programs that controlled the inflation of muscles and saturation of skin color for the transformations (since Williams reasoned that skin color was influenced by emotions, like blushing for instance).
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Louis Leterrier directed four units with a broken foot.
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The only film in the first phase Marvel Cinematic Universe not to be distributed by Paramount, as Universal has had the rights to "The Incredible Hulk" since the TV series, The Incredible Hulk (1978).
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Edward Norton rewrote the script substantially and in certain posters, he was credited under the pseudonym of 'Edward Harrison'. Norton's writing credit was later denied by the WGA, and Zak Penn is the only writer credited.
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Norton wrote a part specifically for Michael Kenneth Williams because he is a big fan of Williams' work on The Wire (2002).
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According to screenwriter Zak Penn, this film was more similar to comic book writer Bruce Jones's Hulk concepts and The Incredible Hulk (1978).
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Louis Leterrier had been interested in directing Iron Man (2008), but when Jon Favreau took that project Avi Arad offered him a sequel to Hulk (2003).
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Tim Roth signed on the film because he was a fan of The Incredible Hulk (1978), as well as to please his comic-book-fan sons. On set, he constantly asked whether this would "be a cool shot" for his kids to see him in. He thoroughly enjoyed playing Blonsky, but found it difficult since to portray Blonsky's over-the-hill state he could not work out; but he hired a personal trainer to assist him in motion-capturing the Abomination's movements.
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Edward Norton and Tim Roth filmed their Hulk-Abomination fracases on a stage, using motion capture and 37 digital cameras. Roth enjoyed using the motion capture technique because it reminded him of fringe theatre.
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Producer Gale Anne Hurd called the film a "requel" because it's a bit of a reboot and a bit of a sequel to Hulk (2003).
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In 2003, James Schamus had written a treatment for a direct sequel to Hulk (2003) featuring the Grey Hulk with The Leader and The Abomination under consideration as the lead villain. However, Universal at that time owns the rights to making the film and by the time the rights expired at the end of 2005, Marvel's own studio bought back the rights of making the movie with Universal only distributing it.
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The film is tinted greenish as a tribute to the Hulk (who has green skin).
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Contrary to popular belief, this film does NOT contains a post-credits scene. The infamous scene of Tony Stark approaching General Ross is actually the final scene of the main movie and occurs BEFORE the credits. As it stands, this is the only Marvel Cinematic Universe film that contains neither a post-credits scene, nor a mid-credits scene.
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The film joined Toronto's Green-Screen initiative, to help cut carbon emissions and waste created during filming. Hybrid and fuel-efficient vehicles were used, with low-sulphur diesel as their energy source. For constructing the sets, the production department used a sustainably-harvested locally-sourced yellow pine, instead of the commonly-used lauan, and afterwards the wood was either recycled or given to environmental organizations. Paints with no/low volatile organic compounds were used, and paint cans were handed to waste management. A contractor was on set to remove bins. Environmentally-friendly items used on the set included cloth bags, biodegradable food containers, china and silverware food utensils, recycled paper, biodegradable soap and cleaners, rechargeable batteries and stainless steel mugs (one for each production member). Producer Gale Anne Hurd hopes the film will be a symbol of the drive to encourage less pollution from film productions.
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Edward Norton - a big Hulk fan - initially turned down the lead as he had concerns over how the film would turn out. Upon meeting Louis Leterrier and Marvel and hearing their vision, he signed on.
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William Hurt and his son are big fans of the Hulk.
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Liv Tyler takes over the role of Betty Ross from Jennifer Connelly. Tyler and Connelly appeared together as sisters in Inventing the Abbotts (1997).
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The Hercules aircraft (337) at the beginning of the movie is stationed at 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario Canada. It is a Canadian Air Force plane flown by Canadian Military pilots. It was painted to resemble the USAF planes.
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The two stars of The Incredible Hulk (1978) TV series have cameos: Bill Bixby is seen on TV in a clip from The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969), and Lou Ferrigno (who also voices the Hulk) portrays a security guard.
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Edward Norton's wife Shauna Robertson produced Knocked Up (2007) and he wished to have one of the stars of Knocked Up appear in a cameo as a computer nerd. The role was offered to Jason Segel, Jonah Hill, and Seth Rogen before Martin Starr was eventually cast.
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In the market scene in Guatemala, the "traveling", titled "Lonely Man", music from "The Incredible Hulk" television series, which played whenever David Banner was on the road traveling from one place to another, is being played in the musical score.
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In the scene in the bottling plant when Banner tries to talk to the girl and the bald-headed goon messes with him, Banner tries to say "Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry" in Portuguese, but can't remember the word for angry so he says "hungry." "Mr. McGee, don't make me angry! You wouldn't like me when I'm angry," was a famous line from "The Incredible Hulk" television series starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferigno.
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The computer Edward Norton is using when he is disguised as a delivery boy has the anti-virus program 'Norton 360' installed.
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Chapter Two of Phase One in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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The grotto scene between Betty and The Hulk was inspired by a scene in Book 5 of "Hulk Gray" by Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale.
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William Hurt was under consideration for the role of Gen. Robert E. Lee in Gettysburg (1993). Another role, that of Gen. John Buford, ended up being played by Sam Elliot, who played Gen. Ross in Hulk (2003).
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Before playing Dr. Bruce Banner in this film, Edward Norton had the lead role in The Illusionist (2006). Before playing Dr. David Banner in The Incredible Hulk (1978), Bill Bixby played the lead in The Magician (1973).
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Tim Blake Nelson's character, Samuel Sterns, gets The Hulk's blood in a wound in his head. His head starts to mutate and then he smiles. This is a foreshadowing of his role in the sequel as the main villain, The Leader.
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According to Louis Leterrier, the final scene (Banner grins as his eyes turn green) was a deliberately ambiguous shot: it was meant to show that Bruce finally learns to control the Hulk (for a Hulk sequel) or will become a menace (as the villain for the film The Avengers (2012)). Ultimately, the Hulk becomes a team player in "The Avengers" and Banner even reveals his secret of staying calm - he's always angry.
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Hulk has a total of six words, provided by Lou Ferrigno: "Leave Me Alone", "Hulk Smash", and "Betty".
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According to General Ross, the serum project that mutated Bruce Banner into the Hulk was developed during World War II. This is a teaser for Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), whose hero was created in the 1940s with the use of a special serum. Additionally, the person who takes the serum must be treated with a unique form of radiation - any accidents or deviations from the procedure can cause horrific side effects to occur, as befalls Banner and Blonsky.
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In the final scene, General Ross is drinking an "Incredible Hulk" cocktail at the bar. It is made using equal parts of Hennessy, cognac, and Hpnotiq liqueur.
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A scene where a futile Bruce Banner arrives at the Arctic to commit suicide was featured in the trailer, but was deemed too sensitive for young viewers and was removed from the film.
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Zak Penn felt that the name "Abomination" sounded too silly, so Emil Blonsky is only referred to by his proper name. However, the word is used once when Samuel Sterns warns Blonsky that the mix of Banner's mutated DNA with Blonsky's injection "could be...an abomination."
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In the comics, Emil Blonsky takes on a scaly reptilian appearance, becoming the Abomination. Louis Leterrier felt that while that was cool, it made no sense considering there was no reptile mix in his origin. So in this film Blonsky's appearance is redefined substantially to have his skin/muscles/bones exaggerated and sticking out all over his body. Leterrier describes Blonsky as "an uber-human, just like the Hulk, but a human who was injected with something in the wrong places and these places are growing differently." The VFX artists think of Blonsky as "a guy who transforms but is not used to having these new properties; for instance, he's much heavier, so when he walks down the sidewalk, he's tripping because his weight is destroying the sidewalk."
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Although the final scenes are set in Manhattan (Harlem to be exact), they were shot in Toronto, with the initial showdown between the Hulk and the Abomination being filmed on Yonge Street. Several Toronto icons are visible, most notably the "spinning disc" sign for Sam the Record Man, and the marquee of the Zanzibar Tavern.
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The Hulk's origin in this film is a combination of the Marvel Ultimates comics (experimenting on Captain America's super-soldier serum) and The Incredible Hulk (1978) (over-exposure to gamma radiation in an experiment). Even the equipment seen is a close match to that used in the TV series, right down to the light sliding over Banner's face.
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In the Bruce Jones Hulk comics, Betty Ross aided Bruce Banner as a shadowy contact under the alias "Mr. Blue." Mr. Blue appears in the film, but is revealed to be Samuel Sterns. The title Mr. Blue is also a possible reference to Tim Roth's crime film Reservoir Dogs (1992), which featured Roth as Mr. Orange, and a Mr. Blue portrayed by Edward Bunker.
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cure|scientist|hero|military|antidote|gamma rays|on the run|new york city|experiment gone wrong|destruction|soldier|monster|female soldier|harlem|police shootout|police officer crushed|police officer kicked|police officer knocked unconscious|police officer killed|police officer|killing an animal|smoking a cigar|meditation|scenic beauty|night cityscape|sikorsky ch 53 sea stallion|cityscape|electronic surveillance|male in a shower|male star appears nude|walking out of a fire|uh 60 blackhawk helicopter|walking in the rain|hitchhiking|pizza delivery|chiapas mexico|bare chested male|crashing through a window|c 130 hercules|uh 1 huey helicopter|humvee|blood sample|contamination|drop of blood|bottling factory|2000s|villain arrested|superhero|painful transformation|lens flare|opening action scene|re boot|hand to hand combat|combat|one against many|aikido|violence|showdown|action hero|tragic hero|pistol|what happened to epilogue|glowing eyes|prologue|harlem manhattan new york city|e mail|internet|invulnerability|reluctant hero|super strength|special forces|physicist|loss of humanity|drifter|anti hero|bar|camera phone|contaminated drink|fugitive hero|looking at one's self in a mirror|science goes awry|heavy rain|news report|rampage|ambiguous ending|mercenary|spit in the face|hypodermic needle|boyfriend girlfriend relationship|gatling gun|parkour|heart monitor|cave|motel|subtitled scene|grenade|grenade launcher|father daughter relationship|battle|martial arts|jumping from a rooftop|rio de janeiro brazil|exploding tank|character turns green|reference to coca cola|product placement|vomit|shower|reunion|love|hospital|battle tank|cult film|guaraná drink|green skin|one man army|waterfall|university|soft drink|sniper|serum|security guard|psychiatrist|pizza|pizza parlor|pizza boy|pentagon|mutation|mexico|martial art|internet chat|guatemala|forest|flashback|explosion|dog|chase|british|barking dog|tank|restaurant|helicopter crash|damsel in distress|transformation|tranquilizer|thrown through a window|strangulation|stabbed in the chest|shot in the shoulder|shot in the head|shot in the face|shot in the chest|shot in the back|shot in the arm|running away|rpg|punched in the face|murder of a police officer|overturning car|nosebleed|crushed by a car|knocked out with a gun butt|injection|head wound|head brace|gas grenade|gamma ray|fire|falling from a helicopter|factory|face slap|exploding helicopter|exploding car|experiment on oneself|destroyed wall|control|chaos|broken leg|broken arm|blood|arm sling|taxi|taxi driver|super villain|super soldier|rocket launcher|portugal|monster versus monster|marvel entertainment|machine gun|laboratory|helicopter|general|fugitive|falling from height|cameo|biologist|favela|brazil|radical transformation|marvel comics|based on comic book|
AKAs Titles:
Certifications:
Argentina:13 / Australia:M / Austria:12 / Brazil:10 / Canada:PG (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) / Canada:14A (British Columbia) / Canada:G (Québec) / Canada:14+ (TV rating) / Denmark:11 / Finland:K-13 / France:U / Germany:16 / Germany:12 (cut) / Greece:K-13 / Hong Kong:IIB / Iceland:12 / Ireland:12A / Malaysia:U / Netherlands:12 / New Zealand:M / Norway:11 / Peru:14 / Philippines:G / Portugal:M/12 / Singapore:PG / South Africa:13V (DVD rating) / South Africa:10V (theatrical rating) / South Korea:15 / Spain:7 / Sweden:11 / Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) / Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) / Taiwan:PG-12 / UK:12A / USA:PG-13 (certificate #44454)
Movie Details:
640x272 (25.000 Fps - 1 364 Kbps)
MOVIE
