An Incredible Movie Night

Caught the ending of the newer Hulk movie on FX last weekend, so I decided to have myself and Incredible Hulk movie night. I'm not the biggest fan in the world of the Ang Lee Hulk film, but there's enough there that I like to warrant another view. The Louis Leterrier version I thought was much, much better. He seemed to have  a better grasp on the characters and what makes the Hulk awesome. This time I also get to start a little early, as I have one other Hulk movie which is not only fun for the whole family, but also probably my favorite Hulk movie of all time, the animated Hulk Vs. dvd that Marvel did. Yep kids, this has the makings of one incredible movie night.

First up, as stated, the Hulk Vs. dvd. This one has two animated shorts, about 45 mins each featuring the Hulk vs other Marvel characters. First up is Hulk vs. Wolverine, which is just as fun as every single time these two characters go up against each other in the comics. This is Wolverine hunting the Hulk in the woods up in Canada. The fight is eventually joined by other Weapon X alums like Deadpool, Omega Red, Lady Deathstrike, and of course Sabretooth. It's hyper violent, and so much fun to watch. This is also an absolutely perfect Deadpool, and not the mockery that appeared in the X-Men Origins Wolverine movie. The other short film here is Hulk vs Thor, which is a perfectly good Hulk vs Thor movie, but pales in comparison to the Wolverine one. Probably worth noting that I don't particularly care for Thor all that much so that likely detracts a bit from it  for me.

After Vs. I'll go ahead and give the Ang Lee Hulk a watch. I honestly just think I didn't really get what Ang was going for. This Hulk movie is just a little too Japanese-ish for my taste. I still get thoroughly confused by the ending, I honestly have no idea what is really happening, or if that is supposed to be Absorbing Man or what the hell it is. The shots moving from panel to panel in some sort of "moving comic book" thing REALLY annoys me too. I have friends who liked that, but oh my God I don't, and that's probably my biggest gripe with this one.Still there are things I like, I like the sequence when Hulk bursts out of the house and is taken on by the army, I like the tank and jet sequences, and I even like when he fights the gamma irradiated dogs. Eric Bana does an ok job as Banner, but that is done goddamn weird dude, just something about him, dunno what it is. Jennifer Connelly is pretty forgettable as Betty, and Nick Nolte is horrible as whatever the hell he is. The real standout in this one is Sam Elliot as General Ross, absolutely perfect casting there.

Finally going to round out the night with Louis Leterrier's The Incredible Hulk. Again, lots of people bitched about this one too, and maybe I'm being a bit forgiving being that I was so disappointed in the previous movie, but this is way more in line with that I want to see in a Hulk film. Big action, big characters, and a knock-down, drag-out at the end between Hulk and Abomination. It has it's problems, but overall I don't think any comic book movie has been perfect. I like Edward Norton as Bruce, didn't even mind Liv Tyler as Betty, but i do think Sam Eliot was a better Thunderbolt Ross than William Hurt was here. I also had no problem with Tim Roth as Emil/Abomination. The real star of this one is the fight at the end anyway, and I'm sorry but it is absolutely awesome. Worth sitting through the rest just to get to it in my opinion.




I'm going to be chock full of gamma radiation after this one! I've even got the animated movie for Planet Hulk, which is the greatest Hulk story I've ever read, but I have never bothered to watch it. I generally don't care for the Marvel animated flicks, they're nowhere near as good as the DC ones. Still, I suppose at some point I should watch it being that I paid for it. Feel free to leave a comment below, just don't make me angry. You won't like me when I'm angry. Seriously, just ask my kids.