The Incredible Hulk

Jun 15 2008 Sunday Sun

DIRECTOR: Louis Leterrier. CAST: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, William Hurt, Tim Roth, Tim Blake Nelson, Ty Burrell. RUNNING TIME: 112mins.

FIVE years after we sighed with disappointment at Ang Lee’s movie about the green giant, director Louis Leterrier has repeated the same mistakes.

In this lacklustre rewrite of the opening chapter of the Marvel Comics superhero story, the eponymous behemoth still looks like a giant plastic action figure.

Even with all the technological advances since the 2003 film, Leterrier can’t make The Hulk interact seamlessly with live action elements or his co-stars.

And, as if one unconvincing, digital monstrosity wasn’t bad enough, the revamp introduces arch-foe Abomination . . . setting the scene for an effects-heavy climactic showdown in New York City.

Leterrier condenses Banner’s back-story — exposure to gamma radiation and subsequent physical transformation — into the opening credits then begins promisingly in the favelas of Brazil where the scientist, Ed Norton, is hiding from General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, played by Hurt, and the military.

Unfortunately, US forces track down Banner, sparking a thrilling chase strongly reminiscent of the Moroccan rooftop pursuit in The Bourne Ultimatum.

Banner escapes from the melee by killing all of Ross’s men except for Emil Blonsky — Tim Roth — who yearns to possess the same ferocity and strength as Hulk.

So the military inject low levels of gamma into him . . . the catalyst for his metamorphosis into Abomination. Meanwhile, Banner tracks down his sweetheart Dr Elizabeth Ross — Liv Tyler — in the hope of finding a cure for his monstrous condition.

Like its troubled hero, The Incredible Hulk is always looking over its shoulder at the past.

The late Bill Bixby — who played Banner in the cult ‘70s TV series — appears in a snippet from the sitcom The Courtship Of Eddie’s Father on a television screen, and Lou Ferrigno cameos as a university security guard.

Even Norton — a fine actor — cannot compete with the digital trickery.

Every time he tries to tap into Banner’s loneliness and despair he’s forced to step aside to make way for his lolloping alter ego, with whom we have no emotional connection.

Tyler breathlessly delivers her lines as the Fay Wray-esque love interest, while Roth somehow keeps a straight face as he spits out excruciating one-liners.

“How are you feeling man?” asks a soldier. “Like a monster!” snarls Blonsky.

At least Ang Lee’s film had the good sense to drop Incredible from the title.

2.5 Popcorns