I've never read a Hulk comic in my life.
I think I might have seen the TV show when I was very young, around 2 or so, and for some reason I remember dreaming that he threw me down the stairs. Other than that, I had little prior knowledge before I saw this movie (except that his pants were always purple and never tore off). Therefore I had few expectations, except that with Ang Lee in charge, this wouldn't be another Spider-Man.
Not that there was anything wrong with Spider-Man. I absolutely loved it. But with the rash (you might even call it a plague) of comic adaptations at the moment, do we really NEED another Spider-Man? Do we really WANT another Spider-Man? Another silly, campy popcorn blockbuster family movie?
Judging by some of the other comments I've read, and the reactions of some of the people near me when I saw this, the answer is YES. People seem to want to go to the movies and not be at all surprised. They want to see the same movie they saw last time they went. They want formula. They want predictability. They want to have the movie planned in their heads before they enter the cinema, and have it play out according to that plan. Nothing unexpected.
People seem to think a movie about a gargantuan green man who jumps around and smashes things can't--or shouldn't--be poignant, moving, or serious. But WHY NOT?! I ask you...
The movie's pacing, one of the most sniped-at aspects, is essential to helping us understand where Bruce is coming from. We need to see him grow up, we need to know his past, need to KNOW that he's been bottling his anger up inside his entire life. And of course we all know what's coming, so the tension increases as we wait for him to SNAP. If we'd seen him transform any earlier than we did, and it had just been Hulk smashing stuff up, I don't think it would have worked as well. Don't get me wrong, I love action, but I believe the setup was necessary for us to sympathise with him, and accept (or even condone) his destructive actions.
The CG was fantastic! Don't listen to the people who say he didn't look real or whatever. How can he look REAL? He's a FIVE metre tall GREEN person with a physique Lou Ferrigno could never even DREAM of. His muscles ripple. He has weight. And he can ACT! He's a THREE-DIMENSIONAL CHARACTER! You can tell what he's thinking by looking at his FACE ("I'm so annoyed right now!", "Hey, that Betty's pretty hot!", or whatever...you know...:)
All the acting was fine. I still see a little bit of Poida every time I look at Eric, but that's starting to wear off. He does a commendable job. Jen is great as always, adding weight to what could have been a lame love interest. Sam Elliot was also really good (but what the hell was going' on with that moustache?). And Nick Nolte, who I usually try to steer clear of (I dunno, he just creeps me out a bit), was excellent. Who says there was no comic relief?
The cinematography was cool, especially on Hulk's rampage, and I thought the editing (with the much-discussed wipes, split-screens and fades) worked very well. I didn't even notice the music, which they say is the sign of a good score.
DON'T take the kids. Buy the LARGE Coke. And settle in for a GREAT movie.
I just remembered something else I knew about the Hulk. From Stan Lee's little speech to Brodie in Mallrats (another deep, moving, and unfairly maligned movie gem), where he describes the Hulk as "a normal guy one minute, a rage of emotions the next". So I guess I expected that. And that's exactly what I got. Oh no, I AM a mindless, insipid movie zombie. That makes me so ANGRY!
I think I might have seen the TV show when I was very young, around 2 or so, and for some reason I remember dreaming that he threw me down the stairs. Other than that, I had little prior knowledge before I saw this movie (except that his pants were always purple and never tore off). Therefore I had few expectations, except that with Ang Lee in charge, this wouldn't be another Spider-Man.
Not that there was anything wrong with Spider-Man. I absolutely loved it. But with the rash (you might even call it a plague) of comic adaptations at the moment, do we really NEED another Spider-Man? Do we really WANT another Spider-Man? Another silly, campy popcorn blockbuster family movie?
Judging by some of the other comments I've read, and the reactions of some of the people near me when I saw this, the answer is YES. People seem to want to go to the movies and not be at all surprised. They want to see the same movie they saw last time they went. They want formula. They want predictability. They want to have the movie planned in their heads before they enter the cinema, and have it play out according to that plan. Nothing unexpected.
People seem to think a movie about a gargantuan green man who jumps around and smashes things can't--or shouldn't--be poignant, moving, or serious. But WHY NOT?! I ask you...
The movie's pacing, one of the most sniped-at aspects, is essential to helping us understand where Bruce is coming from. We need to see him grow up, we need to know his past, need to KNOW that he's been bottling his anger up inside his entire life. And of course we all know what's coming, so the tension increases as we wait for him to SNAP. If we'd seen him transform any earlier than we did, and it had just been Hulk smashing stuff up, I don't think it would have worked as well. Don't get me wrong, I love action, but I believe the setup was necessary for us to sympathise with him, and accept (or even condone) his destructive actions.
The CG was fantastic! Don't listen to the people who say he didn't look real or whatever. How can he look REAL? He's a FIVE metre tall GREEN person with a physique Lou Ferrigno could never even DREAM of. His muscles ripple. He has weight. And he can ACT! He's a THREE-DIMENSIONAL CHARACTER! You can tell what he's thinking by looking at his FACE ("I'm so annoyed right now!", "Hey, that Betty's pretty hot!", or whatever...you know...:)
All the acting was fine. I still see a little bit of Poida every time I look at Eric, but that's starting to wear off. He does a commendable job. Jen is great as always, adding weight to what could have been a lame love interest. Sam Elliot was also really good (but what the hell was going' on with that moustache?). And Nick Nolte, who I usually try to steer clear of (I dunno, he just creeps me out a bit), was excellent. Who says there was no comic relief?
The cinematography was cool, especially on Hulk's rampage, and I thought the editing (with the much-discussed wipes, split-screens and fades) worked very well. I didn't even notice the music, which they say is the sign of a good score.
DON'T take the kids. Buy the LARGE Coke. And settle in for a GREAT movie.
I just remembered something else I knew about the Hulk. From Stan Lee's little speech to Brodie in Mallrats (another deep, moving, and unfairly maligned movie gem), where he describes the Hulk as "a normal guy one minute, a rage of emotions the next". So I guess I expected that. And that's exactly what I got. Oh no, I AM a mindless, insipid movie zombie. That makes me so ANGRY!