Perhaps because it doesn’t star Mark Ruffalo, but many seem to forget that The Incredible Hulk is MCU canon and a wholly underrated film.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is easily one of the most critically and financially successful franchises of all time, and continues to retain a high level of quality after 15 years. While not every film within the series is a generation-defining hit like Avengers: Endgame or Black Panther, the MCU films have generally been well-received by both long-term comic book readers and casual movie fans. However, the MCU’s second installment, 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, seems to stick out like a sore thumb when compared to the rest of the franchise. Although The Incredible Hulk made a respectable $265 million worldwide, it didn’t attract the same enthusiasm as Iron Man, which was released the same summer.
The film tends to be forgotten, as Edward Norton was replaced in the role of Bruce Banner by Mark Ruffalo in The Avengers. Outside of later appearances by Tim Roth’s Abomination and William Hurt’s Thunderbolt Ross, the rest of the MCU has rarely acknowledged the events of the film. However, that does not mean that the film lacks any merit, as it certainly improves on the 2003 Hulk film from Ang Lee in every single way imaginable. The Incredible Hulk is a slightly darker, more character-driven superhero story that examines how Banner must be at war with his worst impulses. While The Incredible Hulk may not be a perfect film within the context of the MCU, it is worth revisiting as a compelling standalone project.
Minimal Exposition and Constant Tension
The 2003 Hulk film suffered from an overlong beginning that unfortunately felt too much like melodrama. While the stylized comic book framing that Lee used was an interesting way to frame the narrative, the lack of action made little use of the device. The Incredible Hulk chose to bypass the exposition by summing up Bruce Banner’s backstory within an opening montage that efficiently and effectively reframed his origins within the MCU. This allowed the film to begin with an exciting chase in the streets of Brazil, where Banner must avoid U.S. military agents that want to weaponize the Hulk.
There is a constant sense of tension throughout the film because Banner is desperately trying to stop himself from transforming into the Hulk. He must keep his heart rate down, which becomes increasingly difficult when his life is constantly being put in danger. There’s an interesting dynamic to the action sequences, as Banner is only slowly learning to control the personality of the Hulk. During an excellent battle at Culver University, the Hulk succeeds in escaping with Betty Ross, but leaves behind much more collateral damage than he intended.
A Great Supporting Cast
As is per usual in the MCU, The Incredible Hulk did not skimp on getting great actors to populate the supporting cast. While sadly it’s taken a while for some of these cast members to make their return to the franchise, Marvel always knew that they had perfect casting on their hands with the late great William Hurt as U.S. General Thaddeus Ross. Ross isn’t a standard villain, as he truly thinks of himself as a patriot doing what is in the country’s best interest. By weaponizing the Hulk, Ross believes that he can finally perfect the “super soldier” program and equip the military with a new weapon that will be successful in protecting the country. There are obvious flaws in his logic, but Ross is also blinded by ego. Hurt does a great job at exploring how despite Ross’ personal animosity towards Banner, he still has genuine love for his daughter Betty.
Liv Tyler’s performance as Betty is also strong; not all of the romances within the MCU have worked, but Tyler does a great job at acting alongside the CGI Hulk when Betty tries to calm Banner down and get him to remember who he really is. There’s also some great humor between the two, particularly when Banner realizes he can’t get intimate with Betty because it would raise his heart rate too much.
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While Tim Roth’s performance as Emil Blonsky, the Russian Royal Marines officer that becomes “The Abomination,” isn’t quite as nuanced as some of the other MCU villains, sometimes it’s nice to have an antagonist that just loves being a bad guy. Roth certainly seems to be having a lot of fun chewing the scenery, and impressively that visual effects used to create the CGI Abomination don’t look too dated. Tim Blake Nelson also pops up in a humorous supporting role as the enigmatic biologist Samuel Sterns, who helps communicate with Banner as he attempts to cure himself.
Edward Norton’s Depiction of Banner Is Unique
The biggest reason why The Incredible Hulk is disregarded by MCU fans is because of the recasting that occurred before The Avengers. Filming was incredibly contentious, as Norton was constantly making his own additions to the script in order to take the film in a darker direction, remove elements of the original comics, and tone down the references to S.H.I.E.L.D. and the rest of the MCU. Norton had been inspired by Christopher Nolan and his approach to Batman Begins, which differed drastically from the tone of the MCU.
While Ruffalo’s performance ended up being much different, Norton certainly had an interesting take on the character. Banner is a reluctant hero who sees himself as a monster who has been cursed; the story has a lot in common with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, as Banner is driven by self-loathing and guilt. Norton does a great job at showing Banner’s arc, as he realizes his powers would be even more destructive in the hands of a less responsible host. It’s very emotional to see him finally choose to become the Hulk in order to battle the Abomination in the film’s climax, as he knows this will prevent him from having a future with Betty.
Perhaps Norton’s neurotic, more serious performance would not have worked within the team dynamic of The Avengers, as it would be hard to see him trading quips with Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth. Ultimately, recasting the role with Ruffalo ended up working in the favor of the MCU. However, that doesn’t make either Norton’s performance or The Incredible Hulk itself unsuccessful. When viewed outside of the context of the MCU, it’s a thrilling superhero adventure in its own right.
