TGWTG User Blogs

******SPOILERS******

I've decided not to write a full on review with summaries explaining plot and characters.  You can get those ANYWHERE in abundance.  So I've decided to just make some notes where appropriate on the movie I just watched today. 

To start with...Wow. Wowie Wow Wow!! I am speechless after the movie except to say, "THAT WAS F***ING AWESOME!!!!" (I literally said this out loud when the credits came up, there are witnesses).

Blew Ang Lee's Hulk completely away and has made it only a distant disappointing memory for this little gal.  Seriously, why bother hiring directors who are completely unfamiliar with the source material?  That would be like a nun being chosen to direct the Sex in the City movie. 

The references to the television show were SO clever and well-placed. 

1) the flashback of his origin with the flashing red light that says "ANGER" and is pulled back to reveal "DANGER".

2) the clip of the late great Bill Bixby in The Courtship of Eddie's Father while Bruce is channel surfing.

3) the song "The Lonely Man" as Bruce walks through the streets of Guatemala. 

4) Culver University campus reporter Jack McGee talking about the Hulk sighting.

5) And Lou Friggin' Ferrigno in an amusing cameo, that got a HUGE laugh in the theater, thank god (these days I'm always in doubt of audiences knowing these things).

Another huge laugh in the theater was Stan Lee's cameo (he is THE MAN, literally).
Setting up Samuel Sterns as "The Leader" was great and his performance in this movie is making me look forward to seeing him in the sequel in a larger role.

I was very happy that the movie had only two adversaries for The Hulk, and having those two linked together. If they'd tried to squeeze The Leader in there, the movie quality would've suffered for it, IMO.  The only movie where more than 2 villains has worked successfully is probably the 1966 Batman but in that case, like this one, the villains were all linked and working together instead of having their own separate agendas. 

The final battle on the streets of Harlem floored me. The CGI didn't bother me that much. Yeah, I could tell it was CGI but I didn't care because I was so into the movie itself and the confrontation was exciting. And when I heard the words, "HULK SMASH!", I couldn't stop smiling and literally applauded wildly (again, I have witnesses).  The part where The Hulk splits the police car in two and uses them for boxing gloves is one of the coolest scenes in the film (I was literally bouncing in my chair and getting into it like I was watching Ali Vs. Frazier in "The Thrilla in Manila"). 

The ending was a little weak (he didn't kill The Abomination soooo what were they gonna do with him?). I think it should've ended like the tv show, with Bruce Banner on the run again, hitchhiking across the country. And I'm quite disappointed that the scene in The Arctic at the beginning was cut out (but this will be on the DVD in the deleted scenes so I can forgive).  The ending with him meditating and opening his eyes to reveal The Hulk's eyes and smiling was acceptable. 

As for this one being better than Iron Man...the jury is still out. I enjoyed both immensely. The first year in a long long long while that I've gone to the theater and the movie-going experience was a bitchin' good time. :-D