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The second film in the MCU introduces us to everyone’s favourite angry green monster, The Hulk, played by Edward Norton.
This 2008 film looked to give The Hulk a fresh start on screen after the less than successful 2003, directed by Ang Lee with Eric Bana in the lead role. With Marvel studios reacquiring the characters film rights, this fresh start approach changed the character’s origin story but also didn’t focus on an origin too much.
Instead of the famous story of Dr Bruce Banner getting caught up in the explosion of a Gamma Bomb, Marvel decided to create a specific MCU version of how Banner became the Hulk. Shown through flashbacks during the opening credits, this MCU style origin shows Banner being experimented on.
The flashbacks through the credits are a brilliant idea as it shows the audience what happened but it doesn’t clog the beginning of the film and slow it down with a story we already know. We later find out the experiment was to try and replicate the WWII super soldier serum using a gamma based substance. After this fails, Banner subsequently turns into The Hulk whenever his heart rate goes past 200.
The Incredible Hulk is an often forgotten film in the MCU, perhaps due to the recasting of Bruce Banner or simply the strength of the other films, but it’s definitely one of the more underrated films in the universe.
Its strength comes from the story, the performance of the cast and the much improved CGI from the previous Hulk film.
The story isn’t complicated and goes straight to the point; that Bruce is hiding from the U.S. Military who want to use the Hulk’s power as a weapon and who develop a Hulk like weapon for themselves. The lack of origin story here lets this story be told in a swift yet very effective manner, throwing us straight into the action and the chase for Banner.
You see throughout the film too that Dr Banner is desperately trying to rid himself of the power whilst being caught up in a past romance as well as his internal conflict of being the Hulk and what responsibility that brings. These extra subplots not only enhance the films quality, they’re also necessary to the story.
What a lot of Superhero films had not done by that point is really focus on the character rather than just having a film of good guy versus villain and action for two hours. Whilst the ongoing battle of good versus evil and action are essential, it’s important to delve into what it actually means to be a superhero. The effects this can have on a person, both mentally and physically, how it affects their loved ones and the consequences of their actions.
A lot of credit can be given to Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins for introducing another side of the hero and Marvel have definitely carried this into their films in the MCU and it is now an essential part of any superhero film.
Ed Norton gives a stellar lead performance as Dr Bruce Banner, capturing the half awkward half frustrated monster role perfectly. Liv Tyler also adds to the more emotional elements of the film with her performance as Betty Ross, Banner’s love interest and daughter of General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, played by William Hurt, who gives another solid portrayal of one of Marvel’s more interesting characters. Tim Roth rounds off the stellar cast as Emil Blonsky who becomes the films main foe, Abomination.
The post credit scene for The Incredible Hulk really sets up the MCU and Marvels plan. We know from the post credit scene in Iron Man that The Avengers were already being talked up, as more subtly mentioned by S.H.I.E.L.D Director Nick Fury but in this films credit scene we see the first real link be put together in the MCU.
After Iron Man’s success, seeing Robert Downey Jr AKA Tony Stark appear at the end to discuss this same ‘team’ to General Ross really put the wheels in motion and got fans excited. It was a clever idea by Marvel and nicely set up future films and the anticipation levels that come now with each post credit scene.
Some of the geekier spots and easter eggs in the film include;
Various mentions and cameos of weaponry and documents of Stark Industries, fully establishing The Incredible Hulk into this universe.
A letter from Nick Fury, establishing the seriousness of the Hulk situation.
As always, a Stan Lee cameo. This one comes in the form of Stan drinking the juice that contains Banner’s affected blood.
The references to the Super Soldier serum which is a direct link to Captain America, a film that wouldn’t be released for another three years. The tubes Emil Blonsky uses are identical to those used on Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger.
Lou Ferrigno cameo. It wouldn’t be a Hulk film without the definitive Hulk now would it. Star of the hit original TV series, Ferrigno plays a security guard who is bribed by Banner with pizza.
Samuel Sterns. Sterns in the film is the scientist who helps Banner when they think they have found a cure. He’s gravely injured when that experiment goes wrong and is shown on the floor with a pulsating head. This is a direct reference to Sterns’ alter ego in the comics, The Leader, a villain of the Hulk.
At the start of the film, Banner is watching TV and Bill Bixby is on screen. Bixby is famous for portraying Bruce Banner in the original TV series before he transformed into Lou Ferrigno’s Hulk.
If you missed part 1 of our introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Iron Man, you can go back and read it here: http://bit.ly/1UkyY3f
Stay tuned for Part Three of our Introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe where we’ll be looking at Iron Man 2.