3) The Incredible Hulk
Whilst you should never judge a book by its cover, there are times when a title can tell you all that you need to know about a movie. The film adaptations of Bruce Banner’s alter ego are a prime example of these rare occasions. Ang Lee’s 2003 film – simply named Hulk – is for long periods about as dull, blatant and uninspired as its title. On the other hand, Louis Letterier’s reboot has a slightly more alluring name given the presence of an adjective that hints towards an experience beyond belief, and whilst the movie itself may not exactly be “incredible,” it has more to offer audiences than its predecessor does – both in name and content.
Neither Hulk franchise provides a glorious cinematic experience or does complete justice to its source material, but the 2008 reboot just seems to have more liveliness about it than Lee’s rendition that was released five year prior. Some may prefer the original given how Lee makes such a conscious effort to capture the psychological condition of Banner, but simply put, the director just takes far too long going about it.
Even some of the action sequences feel overlong, with the big green monster thudding, clod-hopping and springing around the screen for exhausting periods of time. Letterier’s reboot – whilst by no means flawless – works for the most part given its sense of urgency and excitement. It’s this enthusiastic style of filmmaking that gives credit to what initially appeared to be an utterly pointless reboot, and allows it to even surpass its predecessor in terms of quality.
