By EWAN McDONALD
X-Men, Spiderman, Daredevil ... it was only a matter of time before the Hulk joined his Marvel Comics' superhero mates with his own movie. Yes, there was that 70s TV series starring Lou Ferrigno (who makes a cameo appearance here as a security guard), but that grunting green
giant was a more incredible Hulk than this thoughtful, talkative character known as Bruce, played by Aussie Eric Bana, who, coincidentally, made his name playing a man who also had an anger management problem, Mark "Chopper" Read, one of the most infamous Sons of the Sheepstealers.
The serious outlook and almost complete lack of fun can be put down to the choice of director: Ang Lee is better known for drama such as Sense And Sensibility and The Ice Storm and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. So why didn't he paint-by-numbers from that?
The story is basic superhero stuff. Young kid has mad scientist father (Nick Nolte), young kid has accident in lab, young kid becomes scientist and spends life trying to work out how come he is so much stronger than everyone else in town. And using his powers for the good of humanity.
And wondering why the US Army (represented by a tough-talkin' General, Sam Elliot, and an ambitious officer, Josh Lucas, who wants the Hulk for himself), is trying to track him down. Of course, there is a bemused love interest, Betty (Jennifer Connolly).
Warning for those sitting through the flick with younger viewers: the computer-animated Hulk takes 45 minutes to arrive on screen, but when he does, those viewers will be suitably impressed and terrified.
DVD features: movie (140min); 2-disc set features commentary by Ang Lee and a disc of supplements including The Making of the Hulk (25min), The Evolution of the Hulk (comic book and TV), The Incredible Ang Lee, behind-the-scenes studies of 2 key effects scenes, deleted scenes (6min), interactive Anatomy of the Hulk, Hulkification (graphic artists at work).
