Revisiting the Reviled — Ang Lee Tried to Make a More Sophisticated Superhero Film with ‘Hulk’

GameStop, Inc.

hulk-2003-2

Every week with Revisiting the Reviled, Sean looks at a film that was meant to appeal to geeks and failed, often miserably.

The cinematic ups and downs of the Hulk have been discussed numerous places before. Nobody seems to care much about either solo Hulk film, yet the character is still a fan favorite for his moments in both ensemble Avengers movies. As much as there’s not a lot of love for 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, most of the derision is placed solely on Ang Lee’s 2003 Hulk, which saw the art house director attempt to make a superhero blockbuster. Ang Lee was coming off the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The director’s previous forays into American cinema had yielded films like The Ice Storm and Ride with the Devil, not exactly films you’d associate with the director of a blockbuster about a giant green rage monster. While Lee is an undeniable cinematic talent, as evidenced by his two Oscar wins, his foray into the superhero genre with Hulk is both a triumph and failure, a work incapable of balancing the smarts with spectacle.

Placing Hulk in the context of its era, you can’t fault Ang Lee for wanting to make a more sophisticated superhero film. When Hulk was released in 2003, the genre was still going through its growing pains. The pinnacle of the burgeoning genre were films like Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man and Bryan Singer’s X-Men. Raimi’s wonderful Spider-Man 2 was a year away, Christopher Nolan was years away from his work on Batman, and the idea of a Marvel Cinematic Universe was just a fanboy fantasy. But Lee lets his ambitions get the best of him, leading to a wildly uneven film that accidentally betrays the roots of its character.

hulk-2003-4

Let me be clear, I don’t believe that any comic character is sacrosanct. If a change can be made to make a better movie, I have no problem with it. In the comics, the Hulk’s origins occur when Bruce Banner saves an innocent teen who wandered in the blast range when testing a gamma bomb. The gamma radiation leaves Banner relatively alright until he loses control and becomes a raging beast of power and destruction. Like Jekyll and Hyde, Bruce Banner turns into a monster of his own making. In this film, Bruce Banner’s father David experiments on himself and passes on his altered genetics to his newborn son. When Bruce is older and experimenting with gamma rays and an unexpected malfunction happens, Bruce shields his coworker from the harmful radiation. This unleashes the genetic alterations that he underwent in childhood. In simpler terms, the Hulk is no longer the creation of Bruce Banner, it’s the creation of his father. And the rage of Bruce Banner comes from repressed memories about his father. And the climactic fight with his father is the character overcoming his daddy issues. More importantly, it takes much of the burden of being the Hulk, knowing that you’re responsible, away from Bruce Banner. This isn’t a transformation that could happen to anyone. It’s a transformation that could only happen to him. A similar issue can be found in The Amazing Spider-Man films.

hulk-2003-3

Hulk ends up being much more complicated than necessary. After becoming the Hulk, Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) must deal with his own psychological issues while ensuring that Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly), his ex-girlfriend, is unharmed by his moments of destruction. But Bruce’s father, played by an especially gruff Nick Nolte, has found a way to alter his own genetics and become a formidable foe to his monstrous green son. That’s not all! The sleazy weapons manufacturer Glenn Talbot (Josh Lucas) wants his hands on the Hulk so he can use Banner’s DNA for weapons development, and Betty’s father General Ross (Sam Elliot) wants the Hulk destroyed. What the film ends up being is Bruce Banner/the Hulk vs. his father, his daddy issues, and the military industrial complex. The flashbacks and dream sequences diminish any urgency in the film’s narrative. During one of the Hulk’s major rampages, the green behemoth looks longingly at his childhood home before going into a flashback. This isn’t Bruce Banner, mind you, but the big green Hulk. This is also a very anti-climactic film because the final battle has the Hulk fighting a cloud, a rock formation, and a lake before unloading all his repressed guilt and daddy issues on his father at which point a bomb comes in and ends the fight.

hulk-2003-1

For all the faults of Hulk, it has to be said just what a fantastic stylist Ang Lee turns out to be here. His use of split screen to recreate comic book panels is inventive and lively. I can’t figure out why this stylish tick hasn’t been recreated in other comic book movies. Again, Lee does overdo it and the split screen panels don’t always flow so easily in quieter moments of dialogue. Even as an action director, Lee crafts some genuinely great action sequences. The only reason these moments have detractors is because the technological limitations at the time – I mean, the Hulk does look really, really goofy – but the action is striking in how well it’s composed and edited. And the soundtrack by Danny Elfman, with its obvious allusions to Bernard Herrmann’s score from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, adds an echo of unease and duality to the film’s proceedings. It is also hard to fault a film that features an unhinged Nick Nolte with Sam Elliot as his arch-nemesis.

In many regards, Ang Lee’s Hulk should be viewed by every filmmaker about to embark on a superhero film. Within the frames of the film, you can see unparalleled style that is undermined by a story that is trying to do too much. Like its titular hero, Hulk can’t control itself and winds up nothing more than a collection of emotional outbursts and physical destruction. But within its triumphs and failures lies a more interesting film than is typically credited. Where last week’s entry was the absolute nadir of Revisiting the Reviled, this week’s entry is the apex. Therein lies the ultimate legacy of Hulk, it stands triumphantly on a mountain of shit.

Anytime Costumes

One Response

Leave a Reply

FanboyNation
Animation/Anime Interviews Animation/Anime News Animation/Anime Reviews Film/TV Interviews Film/TV News Film/TV Review
Roz Makes Her Return to ‘Night Court’ in ‘Pension Tension’ Exclusive Clip

Roz Makes Her Return to ‘Night Court‘ in ‘Pension Tension‘ with...

The Ninaber Bros. and Kristen Kaster Talk DREAD’S ‘A Knight’s War’ – Interview

‘A Knight’s War‘ from DREAD takes us on a mystical journey...

We Test Our EQ By Revisiting the ‘New Zoo Revue’ with Doug and Emily Momary – Interview

We revisit the classic 1970s series, ‘The New Zoo Revue‘ with...

Event News Event Reviews
In Love with ‘Shakespeare in Love’ at the Maverick Theater – Review

Fall in love with ‘Shakespeare in Love‘, the Maverick Theater has...

‘Tick, Tick…BOOM!’ Explodes on stage at the Chance Theater – Review

‘Tick, Tick… Boom!‘ has dynamite performances with a lackluster book that...

‘The Marvelous Wonderettes’ is Wonderous at The Phantom Projects – Review

Off-Broadway comes to North Orange County with ‘The Marvelous Wonderettes‘ at...

Automotives Football MMA, Kick Boxing & Boxing Professional Wrestling
Goldie Collins uses her ‘Animal Instinct’ in the WOW Tag Team Division – Interview

Goldie Collins and her Animal Instinct tag team partner, Katarina Jinx...

Top Tier Talk About the Season Premiere of WOW – Women Of Wrestling – Interview

Top Tier Talk About the WOW Season Premiere and being named...

WOW and Pluto TV Tag Team with a New Channel – SDCC News

WOW – Women Of Wrestling has a new tag team partner...

Adult Continuity Comics on the Can Cultural Junk Drawer Future Comic Rock Stars Is That Racist? Revisiting the Reviled THAT'S NOT ROTTEN! The B-Reel The Cantina Scene This Week in Crowdfunding What the HELL Did I just...?
Fantoy Comics Presents – Valentine month special featuring Luna Love good pt 2

I'm an Alpha. As my female I expect you to cook,...

Fantoy Comics Presents – Valentine’s day special 2025 pt 1

Ok you got me, I don't surf.

Fantoy Comics Presents – A REPRINT!

Oop!

Music Interviews Music News Music Reviews
John Dawson Talks His Cody Rhodes Inspired Song ‘Under All the Lights’ – Interview

Canadian Singer/Songwriter John Dawson Talks About His Cody and Brandi Rhodes...

Composer Youssef Guezoum Nominated for Two HMMA Awards – Interview

Moroccan born composer, Youssef Guezoum takes his adopted country by storm...

Isabella Summers Talks Composing for the Animated Feature ‘Hitpig!’ – Interview

‘Hitpig!‘ Composer, Isabella Summers Talks About Composing for the Indie Animated...

Enabled Gaming Gaming News Gaming Reviews
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Gameplay Trailer

The first Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League gameplay trailer was revealed during...

Wonder Woman Game
Wonder Woman Game Announced By DC and WB Games

Wonder Woman game will feature the iconic hero in a 3rd...

MultiVersus
MultiVersus brings Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny, and More

MultiVersus is bringing Shaggy, Harley Quinn, Jake, Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny,...

Comic Creator Interviews Comic/Graphic Novel News Comic/Graphic Novel Reviews Manga News Manga Reviews Novel/Novella Author Interviews Novel/Novella News Novel/Novella Reviews
Michael Hirsh Made Gen X Citizens Via his ‘Animation Nation’ – Interview

Legendary Animator, Michael Hirsh goes from Immigrant to Emperor in his...

Billy Eddy Talks His new Book ‘Our New World of Adult Bullies’ – Interview

Lawyer, Mediator and Personality Expert Bill Eddy Provides a Six-Step Strategy...

Gary Morgenstein Talks ‘A Dugout to Peace’ the Final Installment of his Trilogy

Gary Morgenstein Talks About ‘A Dugout to Peace‘ the final installment...

Apparel/Personal Maintenance News Apparel/Personal Maintenance Reviews Entertainment Product News Entertainment Product Reviews Food/Beverage Reviews Hardware News Hardware Reviews Mystery Box News Mystery Box Reviews
Relive ‘Batman Forever’ with the Spin Master Exclusives at Target – Toys

Celebrate 30 years of ‘Batman Forever‘ with this DC Comics Retro...

The Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan Unveils Halo Collar 4 – Interview

Cesar Millan Unveils Halo Collar 4: A Game-Changer for the Safety...

Artista Cigars Unveils Name Change For Two Cigar Lines – News

Artista Cigars Unveils Packaging Redesign and Name Change for Puro Ambar...

Gaming Uncensored Toon-In-Talk
Episode 38: Hamid Rahmanian

Join Whitney Grace as she speaks with artist Hamid Rahmanian, who...

No Preview
Toon-In Talk Episode 37: Niki Smith

Whitney Grace interviews graphic novel writer and artist Niki Smith about...

Toon-In Talk Episode 36: Rob Paulsen

Rob Paulsen takes some time from his busy voice acting schedule...