The Incredible Hulk
2008 · Directed by Louis Leterrier
Original language: English
- science fiction
- action
- adventure
The story
Scientist Bruce Banner scours the planet for an antidote to the unbridled force of rage within him: the Hulk. But when the military masterminds who dream of exploiting his powers force him back to civilization, he finds himself coming face to face with a new, deadly foe.
What it’s like
Gritty, sun-bleached and grimy in equal measure: Brazilian favela rooftops and Rio streets glow in harsh midday heat, then the picture cools into the sickly green-tinged fluorescents and rain-slick concrete of New York and the flat grey industrial sprawl of Virginia. Handheld and restless in the action, the camera hangs back for quieter scenes, with lingering medium shots of a man alone in a cheap room or hunched over a lab bench. The score is a driving orchestral-electronic pulse that swells into thudding percussion during fights, and the sound design leans on heavy impacts, sirens and distant helicopters. The vibe is brooding and frenetic, a rainy-afternoon or late-night watch with a restless edge. Pacing is brisk, with long stretches of chase and escape broken by slower, sadder beats. Emotionally the story follows a haunted, self-punishing man trying to control his rage and tentatively reaching for connection. Intensity is moderate to high: frequent action violence with punches, crashes, gunfire and property destruction, brief blood, and some peril and menace, but no sexual content and little gore. It suits viewers who want a loud, kinetic comic-book film with a melancholic core, not something gentle.
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