The Incredible Hulk (2008) is the second modern big-screen adaptation of the 1960s Marvel Comics character.  While I didn't watch the 2003 Hulk from director Ang Lee, I was interested in watching this present version (directed by Louis Leterrier — who previously made The Transporter movies and Danny the Dog a.k.a. Unleashed) because I'd read that it focused more on action rather than drama, and also because it stars Edward Norton.  I got to see the movie on a "Hulk-size" IMAX screen too!  While it may sound clichéd, I have to say the movie was "incredible"!

Edward Norton was great in the title role of Dr Bruce Banner, who as the movie begins, is hiding out in Brazil, working as a labourer in a bottling plant.  He has managed to evade the US Army (led by Gen Ross, played by William Hurt) and has survived for several days without "incident", i.e. without transforming into the green monster known as the Hulk when angered.  He is communicating with a mysterious person known as Mr Blue, trying to find a cure for the Gamma Radiation in his system.  As painful as it may be, he has stayed out of contact with his love, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) too.  Of course, things don't stay peaceful for long — the army soon locates him and he goes on the run again.  A solider called Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) is brought in to pursue him, and when he sees the raw power that the Hulk possesses, he becomes a bit too interested in the serum that transformed Banner into what he is.

The movie has an awesome cast, and is well written too (Norton did some rewrites on the script though he is not credited).  It doesn't spend much time on exposition and instead gets right to the action.  Action sequences are all great and were set to a very nice music score by Craig Armstrong.  The CGI used to render the Hulk and the villainous Abomination is also convincing enough and the climactic fight between them was exciting.  Looks like 2008 is the year for great superhero movies — we had Iron Man, and then this, and Hellboy II: The Golden Army and The Dark Knight are up next month!

I was obviously very inspired after watching the movie, so I did a drawing based on that, with oil pastels.  Click on the above image to see the full thing, which mimics a comic book cover.  I would recommend watching the movie in the theatre, and you can also spot a quick appearance by Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark in the movie!  There were many other references to the Marvel universe in the movie as well.  A couple of other interesting observations — in one scene Bruce Banner boots up a computer only to have "Norton" Internet Security start up (whether that was an intentional reference to Edward Norton or not, I don't know), and there's also an interesting "colour" thing going on — Mr Blue and Mr Green are mentioned in the movie, and Tim Roth played Mr Orange in Reservoir Dogs!  I'd rate this movie an 8/10.