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Movie Review: The Hulk
- By Smitty Wheeler
- Published 06/30/2008
- Movie Reviews
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Rating:
Smitty Wheeler
Smitty Wheeler has spent much of the last 23 years working with middle school, high school, and college students as a mentor, coach, and volunteer youth pastor. He also currently operates an advertising agency, business consultancy and specializes in conducting business turnarounds. Smitty is currently the Chief of Operations for Student Ministry Partners and is on the advisory board of The Journal of Student Ministries.
View all articles by Smitty WheelerPG-13, 114 min.
If you like a movie that rolls the nostalgia of the Hulk of old in with the hi-tech CGI of today’s top computer programmers, this is a flick for you. You’ll flash back when you see the “lonely man walking down the empty highway” scene that closed each Hulk episode during it’s TV run, smile at the cameo appearances by Stan Lee (the creator of all things Marvel Comics), Lou Ferrigno (the original TV version of His Hulky-ness) and even one of Bill Bixby (TV's Banner) shown on a television screen. You may even laugh out loud when Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) stops by Stanlee’s Pizza (Stan Lee’s...get it?). Then you’ll either be totally mesmerized, or sea-sick, by the whirl of non-stop special effects that take place in the 3 or 4 major fight scenes.
In fact, the opening few minutes quickly speed you through a blur of the back-story that details how Bruce was bombarded with radioactive gamma particles and transformed into the Hulk, destroyed the lab where he underwent his transformation and then escaped from General Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross (William Hurt) and the US Military.
We then fast forward to find Bruce, living in a slummy apartment in Brazil, studying Portuguese and working at a bottling factory. He is the picture of a lonely, lovesick man struggling to find ways to control his condition while secretly searching for a cure. He undergoes martial arts training to both learn how to fight and increase his pain tolerance. He also wears a wrist monitor to keep track of his pulse rate and practices breathing exercises to manage his stress level. All these things just to try and keep his alter in check.
But, what fun would that be? Bring On The Hulk!!!
While Bruce is trying to find a cure for his condition, General Ross is busy using every means available to the US Military to find Bruce. As Bruce is communication with another scientist who is trying to help him find a cure, the military zeros in on his location. Special forces are dispatched to Brazil for a quick “Snatch and Grab” where things don’t go exactly as planned. As Bruce runs to avoid capture, he finds it impossible to maintain that tranquil state he’s been working so diligently on for the past five or six months. When he’s finally cornered, he warns those around him that, “You won’t like me when I’m angry”... and he’s right. Enter the Hulk...all nine feet tall, fifteen hundred pounds of him. The resulting bodies fly, bullets bounce off him and multi-ton factory equipment is tossed around like Tonka toys.
After the failure of his Special Forces team, General Ross decides that the best way to capture Banner is to create another super-soldier. Albeit, one a little less powerful and a much more controllable. He approaches Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) a survivor of the failed Special Forces group who saw The Hulk up close and personal and has lately started to feel the years catching up with him. General Ross finds Blonsky a very willing volunteer. Unfortunately, he doesn’t find out until later that Blonsky isn’t exactly a team player. (Note to self: Always remember to do a Psyche evaluation on volunteers before giving them super powers.)
As the next scene unfolds, Banner has tracked down his long lost love, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) and is in the process of saying his good-byes to her at the University where she is a professor. It’s at that very public location that General Ross (Yes, Betty’s Father) sets his next ambush. The ensuing battle results in the Hulk single-handedly routing an Army battalion equipped with a helicopter gunship, shoulder fired rockets, Hummers carrying .50 caliber machine guns and two really cool armored personnel carriers loaded with sonic cannons (Whatever those are). When Blonsky (now juiced up on his own Gamma Radiation mixture) taunts the Hulk by asking, "Is that all you've got?" Hulk kicks him into a tree with a blow that leaves most of Blonsky's bones looking like "crushed gravel" according to the attending medical examiner.
As the movie works its way to the grand finale, Blonsky’s irradiated body heals itself and he has loaded up on all the radioactive monster juice he can transfuse. In contrast, Banner has been busy taking treatment to surprise his Hulkish abilities. When Blonsky is ultimately transformed into an even more powerful super-monster dubbed the Abomination and begins to wreak havoc on New York City, Bruce knows that the Hulk is the only creature that has a chance to stop him. So, even though he underwent a "cure" that may have eliminated The Hulk forever, he jumps out of a helicopter in hopes of triggering one more transformation. And fortunately, it works.
Teachable Moments:
- Betty Ross is willing to sacrifice all she has to help Banner, including going on the lam with him in pursuit of a cure for his condition.
- Hulk protects Betty from gunfire and flying debris, saves her from The Abomination and even.
- A scientist who, while knowing that the result could be devastating, helps increase Blonsky’s power in an effort to save his own life.
- Hulk also wipes away a tear from Betty’s cheek and resists killing his enemy at Betty's pleading—both acts that suggests at least some of Banner’s humanity is still present inside The Hulk.
-When Banner jumps from a helicopter in hopes of triggering a transformation so that he can to try and stop the Abomination. He's willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good.
- Blonsky has an obsession with becoming more and more powerful and is even willing to sacrifice his humanity in pursuit of it.
Spiritual Parallels:
The film doesn't overtly refer to any specific spirituality, although we do see Banner sitting on the floor in the lotus position several times as part of his stress management. When Bruce bribes a security guard with a pizza, the guard waves him through and says, "God bless you." You also have a scientist who witnesses Banner’s transformation into The Hulk as "godlike."
Things to be aware of
VIOLENCE: The violence level is very high in this movie with multiple battle scenes featuring a hail of gunfire and explosions. In the climactic battle, buildings are destroyed; tanks and cars are torn apart and even used as boxing gloves. Blonsky, in the form of The Abomination, also seems to delight in tossing innocent bystanders out of his way and, while most of the carnage occurs off screen, he does pick-up a car and very intentionally uses it to crush two soldiers. We also see The Abomination shoving a sharp bone spur into Hulk's chest, and The Hulk strangling The Abomination with a heavy chain.
SEX: On it’s sexual content; the movie is somewhat mild with a good portion of innuendo. Bruce and Betty end up on the run and in a hotel room where they first kiss and embrace. This leads to Bruce lying on top of Betty and grabbing her exposed thigh. Bruce then stops the embrace in fear of his pulse rate going too high and the Hulk making an appearance. "I can't get too excited," he explains to Betty, as she then complains, "But I want to."
We also see Bruce naked in a bathtub, but with the private areas obscured by his leg and steam. There are also several scenes with men wearing towels or just pants. A cabbie also speaks suggestively to Betty, just one more movie with one more sexual innuendo that’s not necessary.
PROFANITY: There are probably two-dozen occurrences of character’s using unnecessary language, including the taking of God's name in vain nearly a dozen times, as well as about 10 other vulgarities. Bruce also uses the s-word as he falls from the helicopter although we don't hear its completion.
DRUGS & ALCOHOL: As far as substance abuse goes, General Ross smokes cigars throughout the movie and slugs down numerous shots during a bar scene. When Betty asks Bruce what he’s thinking during his Hulk episodes, Bruce compares it to an induced hallucination experiment they both experienced in college. Then he says it's like having "a liter of acid" poured on his brain.
Conclusion
If you like action movies in general and Marvel Comics movies in particular, this is a movie you will probably enjoy and your students will definitely be talking about for the rest of the summer. See it in theaters now and talk about it with you older students. While most of the action sequences are typical comic book fare your younger students may be frightened by some of the characters and the intensity of the fight sequences. I’d definitely limit any participation to the High School age group.
Overall Grade: B+
In fact, the opening few minutes quickly speed you through a blur of the back-story that details how Bruce was bombarded with radioactive gamma particles and transformed into the Hulk, destroyed the lab where he underwent his transformation and then escaped from General Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross (William Hurt) and the US Military.
We then fast forward to find Bruce, living in a slummy apartment in Brazil, studying Portuguese and working at a bottling factory. He is the picture of a lonely, lovesick man struggling to find ways to control his condition while secretly searching for a cure. He undergoes martial arts training to both learn how to fight and increase his pain tolerance. He also wears a wrist monitor to keep track of his pulse rate and practices breathing exercises to manage his stress level. All these things just to try and keep his alter in check.
But, what fun would that be? Bring On The Hulk!!!
While Bruce is trying to find a cure for his condition, General Ross is busy using every means available to the US Military to find Bruce. As Bruce is communication with another scientist who is trying to help him find a cure, the military zeros in on his location. Special forces are dispatched to Brazil for a quick “Snatch and Grab” where things don’t go exactly as planned. As Bruce runs to avoid capture, he finds it impossible to maintain that tranquil state he’s been working so diligently on for the past five or six months. When he’s finally cornered, he warns those around him that, “You won’t like me when I’m angry”... and he’s right. Enter the Hulk...all nine feet tall, fifteen hundred pounds of him. The resulting bodies fly, bullets bounce off him and multi-ton factory equipment is tossed around like Tonka toys.
After the failure of his Special Forces team, General Ross decides that the best way to capture Banner is to create another super-soldier. Albeit, one a little less powerful and a much more controllable. He approaches Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) a survivor of the failed Special Forces group who saw The Hulk up close and personal and has lately started to feel the years catching up with him. General Ross finds Blonsky a very willing volunteer. Unfortunately, he doesn’t find out until later that Blonsky isn’t exactly a team player. (Note to self: Always remember to do a Psyche evaluation on volunteers before giving them super powers.)
As the next scene unfolds, Banner has tracked down his long lost love, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) and is in the process of saying his good-byes to her at the University where she is a professor. It’s at that very public location that General Ross (Yes, Betty’s Father) sets his next ambush. The ensuing battle results in the Hulk single-handedly routing an Army battalion equipped with a helicopter gunship, shoulder fired rockets, Hummers carrying .50 caliber machine guns and two really cool armored personnel carriers loaded with sonic cannons (Whatever those are). When Blonsky (now juiced up on his own Gamma Radiation mixture) taunts the Hulk by asking, "Is that all you've got?" Hulk kicks him into a tree with a blow that leaves most of Blonsky's bones looking like "crushed gravel" according to the attending medical examiner.
As the movie works its way to the grand finale, Blonsky’s irradiated body heals itself and he has loaded up on all the radioactive monster juice he can transfuse. In contrast, Banner has been busy taking treatment to surprise his Hulkish abilities. When Blonsky is ultimately transformed into an even more powerful super-monster dubbed the Abomination and begins to wreak havoc on New York City, Bruce knows that the Hulk is the only creature that has a chance to stop him. So, even though he underwent a "cure" that may have eliminated The Hulk forever, he jumps out of a helicopter in hopes of triggering one more transformation. And fortunately, it works.
Teachable Moments:
- Betty Ross is willing to sacrifice all she has to help Banner, including going on the lam with him in pursuit of a cure for his condition.
- Hulk protects Betty from gunfire and flying debris, saves her from The Abomination and even.
- A scientist who, while knowing that the result could be devastating, helps increase Blonsky’s power in an effort to save his own life.
- Hulk also wipes away a tear from Betty’s cheek and resists killing his enemy at Betty's pleading—both acts that suggests at least some of Banner’s humanity is still present inside The Hulk.
-When Banner jumps from a helicopter in hopes of triggering a transformation so that he can to try and stop the Abomination. He's willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good.
- Blonsky has an obsession with becoming more and more powerful and is even willing to sacrifice his humanity in pursuit of it.
Spiritual Parallels:
The film doesn't overtly refer to any specific spirituality, although we do see Banner sitting on the floor in the lotus position several times as part of his stress management. When Bruce bribes a security guard with a pizza, the guard waves him through and says, "God bless you." You also have a scientist who witnesses Banner’s transformation into The Hulk as "godlike."
Things to be aware of
VIOLENCE: The violence level is very high in this movie with multiple battle scenes featuring a hail of gunfire and explosions. In the climactic battle, buildings are destroyed; tanks and cars are torn apart and even used as boxing gloves. Blonsky, in the form of The Abomination, also seems to delight in tossing innocent bystanders out of his way and, while most of the carnage occurs off screen, he does pick-up a car and very intentionally uses it to crush two soldiers. We also see The Abomination shoving a sharp bone spur into Hulk's chest, and The Hulk strangling The Abomination with a heavy chain.
SEX: On it’s sexual content; the movie is somewhat mild with a good portion of innuendo. Bruce and Betty end up on the run and in a hotel room where they first kiss and embrace. This leads to Bruce lying on top of Betty and grabbing her exposed thigh. Bruce then stops the embrace in fear of his pulse rate going too high and the Hulk making an appearance. "I can't get too excited," he explains to Betty, as she then complains, "But I want to."
We also see Bruce naked in a bathtub, but with the private areas obscured by his leg and steam. There are also several scenes with men wearing towels or just pants. A cabbie also speaks suggestively to Betty, just one more movie with one more sexual innuendo that’s not necessary.
PROFANITY: There are probably two-dozen occurrences of character’s using unnecessary language, including the taking of God's name in vain nearly a dozen times, as well as about 10 other vulgarities. Bruce also uses the s-word as he falls from the helicopter although we don't hear its completion.
DRUGS & ALCOHOL: As far as substance abuse goes, General Ross smokes cigars throughout the movie and slugs down numerous shots during a bar scene. When Betty asks Bruce what he’s thinking during his Hulk episodes, Bruce compares it to an induced hallucination experiment they both experienced in college. Then he says it's like having "a liter of acid" poured on his brain.
Conclusion
If you like action movies in general and Marvel Comics movies in particular, this is a movie you will probably enjoy and your students will definitely be talking about for the rest of the summer. See it in theaters now and talk about it with you older students. While most of the action sequences are typical comic book fare your younger students may be frightened by some of the characters and the intensity of the fight sequences. I’d definitely limit any participation to the High School age group.
Overall Grade: B+
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Comments
Comment #1 (Posted by Michael V.)
Rating:
Holy smokes, that's a review dude. Thanks for the heads-up and all the insight.
