The Incredible Hulk

The first thing prospective viewers of “The Incredible Hulk” will be asking themselves is what the film’s relation is to Ang Lee’s disaster, 2003’s “Hulk.”

Fortunately, the first film is never mentioned, and the Hulk’s origin is explained in the three-minute opening credit sequence. The events are not the same as in the first movie, indicating that this film is an entirely new reboot for the green-skinned hero.

Screenwriter Zak Penn (“PCU,” X-Men 2,” “X-Men: The Last Stand”), no stranger to the comic book movie, penned the script with help from Edward Norton. The result is a script that is closer to the comics and original television show than the previous film.

Norton fills the title role this time, and his acting chops lend a little more depth to Dr. Bruce Banner. Banner lives his life trying to control his heart rate, because anything over 200 beats per minute will unleash his monstrous alter ego.

Playing his love interest Betty Ross, is Liv Tyler. Best known for her glassy eyed stare and quivering lower lip, she was tailor made to play the torn, wounded love interest of Banner.

The film opens to find Banner working in a soda bottling plant in a third-world country, taking anger management in order to manage his ‘incidents.’

When he is eventually tracked down, the story uses the patented “Cloverfield” method of showing glimpses of the monster, in order to build the tension (previously known as the “Jaws” method).

In addition to “Cloverfield,” the film’s opening chase scene strongly resembles one from the blockbuster, “The Bourne Ultimatum.” While there is nothing wrong with films paying tribute to one another, when the references are to smash hits that have come out less than a year ago, it tends to make one cynical.

Many elements of nostalgia from the television show are present, including the famous piano theme from the closing credits, and a brief appearance by Lou Ferrigno.

The film also makes it clear that it is part of the Marvel comics universe. There are several references to Tonty Stark, the main character from “Iron Man.”

The bread and butter of superhero movies, the fight scenes, are incredible. While the Hulk fighting his human pursuers is somewhat entertaining, it’s the fight with The Abomination at the end

Despite its cast improvement over its predecessor, the movie seems unsure of its own worth. Three of the biggest movies in the last nine months are referenced, and the result is a movie that seems unsure of itself.

The film’s strength lies in its narrative. Since the first half of the movie isn’t wasted with an origin story, a full story can develop. As successful as superhero movies become, the first half of the first movie in series can be taken up by the origin, and it strains the narrative when the stories must be juggled.

The film’s conclusion just seems to taper off into nothing, and while ground is laid for the sequel; the viewer is left unsure of the fate of several key characters.

While not quote the savior to the genre that “Iron Man” was (and maybe it’s unfair to compare the two, but Marvel chose to release them within a month of each other), the film is another step in the right direction.

It takes another step towards creating The Avengers, a superhero group that consists of the Hulk and Iron Man, as well as Captain America, Thor and others. But rather than phone in the film in anticipation of an epic Avengers film, “The Incredible Hulk” lays a good foundation for both sequels and crossovers.

Rating - $8.00