THE INCREDIBLE HULK
3-DISC SPECIAL EDITION
Studio: Universal/Marvel Entertainment
Original Release: 2008
Length: 1 hour 53 mins
Genre: Comic Book/Action Thriller
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Color/B&W: Color
Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1 Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 French Dolby Digital 5.1 English 2.0 Mono English DVS
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French, Commentary
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Sci-Fi Action and Violence, Brief Suggestive Content)
Release Date: October 21, 2008Rating: 2 ½ ½ Starring: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth and William Hurt Screen Story and Screenplay by: Zak Penn Based on the comic book created by Stan Lee Directed by: Louis LeterrierThe Incredible Hulk serves as a completely separate adaptation of the Marvel comic book from the 2003 film by Ang Lee. Where the earlier film was a more introspective approach to the material, this one is a straight ahead action film. I will assume for purposes of argument that the reader is familiar with the comics and history of this character. The story here is an amalgam of comic book elements, and aspects taken from the late 1970’s television series. (The whole idea of Dr. Banner living anonymously on the run and searching for a cure, the visual of Banner’s ill-fated experiment and overdose – which takes place at the identically named Culver facility, the transformation triggering with Banner’s eyes changing color, the presence of a journalist named Jack McGee, etc all point back to Kenneth Johnson’s series. There’s even a brief passage of Joe Harnell’s “Lonely Man” theme on the soundtrack at one point early on.) Coupled with those elements is a fairly simple story of General “Thunderbolt” Ross (an avuncular William Hurt) recruiting ruthless soldier Emil Blonsky (the reliable Tim Roth) to undergo similar experimentation in order to catch Banner and his green alter ego. Unfortunately, this leads to a series of escalating confrontations, topped by a showdown between two giant monsters in the middle of New York City. There are certainly some very interesting moments here – particularly the first real Hulkout sequence in a darkened bottling factory. But much of the film is disjointed – at times to the point of incoherence, and the film’s conclusion doesn’t make much sense, given everything else we’ve seen. A coda featuring another major actor from a Marvel superhero film appears to presage a group film (akin to “Destroy All Monsters”) but serves no purpose within the narrative as established here. The CGI effects are more refined than the earlier film, but while there’s both a visual and aural wallop, the effect is still a vaguely hollow one. The DVD under review here is the 3-Disc Special Edition, which includes the film and some special features on the first disc, an array of special features and deleted scenes on the second disc, and a digital copy of the film on the third disc. If you’re a fan of this film, the package will be worth your time to pick up. If you’re a more casual fan of the character, or if you haven’t seen the film yet, I recommend renting this one first and deciding for yourself if it’s a keeper.VIDEO QUALITY: 3 ½ /5 ½ The Incredible Hulk is presented in an anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen transfer that shows a lot of detail and a wide range of colors, as is appropriate for a comic book adaptation. The film features some really interesting architecture (the opening act in Brazil, in particular) and showcases a variety of environments fairly well. The only issue I had here is that the CGI of the Hulk (and the Abomination) still feels a bit too much like digital animation rather than flesh and blood. This isn’t a critique of the transfer- just a note that every time these characters fill the frame, it can jar the viewer right out of the film. AUDIO QUALITY: 3 ½ /5 ½ The Incredible Hulk is presented in a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix in English, French and Spanish that can truly be said to rock the house. One sequence in particular (the Hulk’s showdown with an escalating series of Army vehicles and then a pair of sound cannons) had so much subwoofer activity in it that my neighbor’s dog began reacting to it! Almost any action by the Hulk or the Abomination is accompanied by satisfyingly full LFE. The action sequences work their way through the surrounds quite nicely. As a sound mix, I believe “aggressive” would be an understatement here. A 2.0 mix is also presented in English, but I believe that after you try the 5.1 mix, you won’t want to go back. A DVS feature is also available, providing a voiceover description of the actions onscreen. SPECIAL FEATURES: 3 ½ /5 ½ The Incredible Hulk comes with a bunch of special features spread over the first two discs, including a commentary, two different groups of deleted scenes, an alternate opening, four featurettes and an enactment of a Hulk/Betty scene from a recent comic. On the first disc, we find: • Feature Commentary by Louis Leterrier and Tim Roth – This is a fairly amiable scene-specific commentary with Leterrier and Roth sitting together and discussing everything that comes to mind as they watch the film. There’s some nice material here – Leterrier openly acknowledges lifting the title sequence from the TV series – but nothing here really digs that deep. On the other hand, given that this is more of a popcorn thriller, there isn’t a lot of need for a detailed examination. • Deleted Scenes (13:27 total, Anamorphic) – A few deleted scenes are included here in anamorphic format, most adding material to the opening act in Brazil, and a pair at the end showing more material between Gen. Ross and Blonsky that explains a little more of their activities. One interesting side note has Ross acknowledging that Banner’s research was intended to defend soldiers from the effects of depleted uranium shells. When the disc is first put into the machine, a pair of non-anamorphic trailers are presented for Beethoven’s Big Break and Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, along with an anti-smoking PSA and several Marvel releases, including Iron Man and various Marvel Animation releases, followed by the Universal Blu-ray trailer. On the second disc, we find: • Alternate Opening (2:33, Anamorphic) – This is a very brief opening for the film, in which we find Banner off in the Arctic, with a Hulkout triggering an avalanche (and releasing a frozen Marvel character only visible in a few frames...). • Deleted Scenes – (29:13 total, Anamorphic) - Nearly half an hour of deleted material is presented here, almost all of which deepens the relationship between Banner and Betty Ross, and which develops the character of Betty’s psychiatrist boyfriend much more fully than is seen in the theatrical release. There’s some nice moments here, but in all honesty, nothing that would really deepen this film past being an action thriller that culminates with two Hulking creatures duking it out in downtown New York. • The Making of Incredible (29:50, Anamorphic) – This is a collection of video interviews and diaries of on-set activity during the making of the film. Most of this is standard complimentary material, but there are some good looks at the equipment used in staging the various large scale scenes, and a lot of irreverent comments from the producers and director. My only complaint about this feature is that the menu lists it as an advertisement for a car company, something I continue to find unfortunate. • Becoming the Hulk (9:21, Anamorphic) – This featurette examines the work done by Edward Norton and the CGI team to try to create a more convincing Hulk this time out. Norton and the others are interviewed amidst footage of Norton doing motion capture facial work and doing video enactments of how the Hulk is likely to move in certain scenes. • Becoming the Abomination (10:15, Anamorphic) – This is similar to the prior featurette, only following the work of Tim Roth (and a stunt double) to do the motion capture and other work to create the physicality of the Abomination. • Anatomy of a Hulk-out (27:48 total, Anamorphic) – Here are three featurettes that can be played together, each dealing with one of the major Hulk-out scenes in the film. Each intercuts film footage with on-set video and interviews, and gives a closer look at the equipment used in each case to either get impossible shots (like Tim Roth running with superhuman speed) or to set the scene for the CGI Hulk to be added in. This is very much a companion piece to “The Making of Incredible”. • From Comic Book to Screen (6:32, Anamorphic) – This feature is a bit odd. Basically, we’re presented with animated frames pulled from “Hulk: Gray” issue #5, showing a Hulk/Betty scene similar to that which is staged in the film. There is no spoken dialogue, only word balloons on the screen, but sound effects and music are provided for effect. The third disc in the set simply carries a digital copy of the film that you can download to your PC, Mac or portable device. Instructions on how to do this are included in the packaging. Subtitles are available in English, French and Spanish for the film itself, as well as for the special features. A standard chapter menu is included for quick reference. The packaging also contains a combination ad for the Hulk TV series DVDs as well as other Universal Blu-ray releases, and a coupon for EAS drinks and Norton software.IN THE END...The Incredible Hulk gets a thorough DVD release for a fairly simple film. The picture and sound are great, but the actual content of the film does not withstand repeat viewing. Fans of the film will certainly enjoy this package. More casual Hulk fans may want to rent first and evaluate it before purchasing. Kevin Koster October 31, 2008.
Release Date: October 21, 2008Rating: 2 ½ ½ Starring: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth and William Hurt Screen Story and Screenplay by: Zak Penn Based on the comic book created by Stan Lee Directed by: Louis LeterrierThe Incredible Hulk serves as a completely separate adaptation of the Marvel comic book from the 2003 film by Ang Lee. Where the earlier film was a more introspective approach to the material, this one is a straight ahead action film. I will assume for purposes of argument that the reader is familiar with the comics and history of this character. The story here is an amalgam of comic book elements, and aspects taken from the late 1970’s television series. (The whole idea of Dr. Banner living anonymously on the run and searching for a cure, the visual of Banner’s ill-fated experiment and overdose – which takes place at the identically named Culver facility, the transformation triggering with Banner’s eyes changing color, the presence of a journalist named Jack McGee, etc all point back to Kenneth Johnson’s series. There’s even a brief passage of Joe Harnell’s “Lonely Man” theme on the soundtrack at one point early on.) Coupled with those elements is a fairly simple story of General “Thunderbolt” Ross (an avuncular William Hurt) recruiting ruthless soldier Emil Blonsky (the reliable Tim Roth) to undergo similar experimentation in order to catch Banner and his green alter ego. Unfortunately, this leads to a series of escalating confrontations, topped by a showdown between two giant monsters in the middle of New York City. There are certainly some very interesting moments here – particularly the first real Hulkout sequence in a darkened bottling factory. But much of the film is disjointed – at times to the point of incoherence, and the film’s conclusion doesn’t make much sense, given everything else we’ve seen. A coda featuring another major actor from a Marvel superhero film appears to presage a group film (akin to “Destroy All Monsters”) but serves no purpose within the narrative as established here. The CGI effects are more refined than the earlier film, but while there’s both a visual and aural wallop, the effect is still a vaguely hollow one. The DVD under review here is the 3-Disc Special Edition, which includes the film and some special features on the first disc, an array of special features and deleted scenes on the second disc, and a digital copy of the film on the third disc. If you’re a fan of this film, the package will be worth your time to pick up. If you’re a more casual fan of the character, or if you haven’t seen the film yet, I recommend renting this one first and deciding for yourself if it’s a keeper.VIDEO QUALITY: 3 ½ /5 ½ The Incredible Hulk is presented in an anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen transfer that shows a lot of detail and a wide range of colors, as is appropriate for a comic book adaptation. The film features some really interesting architecture (the opening act in Brazil, in particular) and showcases a variety of environments fairly well. The only issue I had here is that the CGI of the Hulk (and the Abomination) still feels a bit too much like digital animation rather than flesh and blood. This isn’t a critique of the transfer- just a note that every time these characters fill the frame, it can jar the viewer right out of the film. AUDIO QUALITY: 3 ½ /5 ½ The Incredible Hulk is presented in a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix in English, French and Spanish that can truly be said to rock the house. One sequence in particular (the Hulk’s showdown with an escalating series of Army vehicles and then a pair of sound cannons) had so much subwoofer activity in it that my neighbor’s dog began reacting to it! Almost any action by the Hulk or the Abomination is accompanied by satisfyingly full LFE. The action sequences work their way through the surrounds quite nicely. As a sound mix, I believe “aggressive” would be an understatement here. A 2.0 mix is also presented in English, but I believe that after you try the 5.1 mix, you won’t want to go back. A DVS feature is also available, providing a voiceover description of the actions onscreen. SPECIAL FEATURES: 3 ½ /5 ½ The Incredible Hulk comes with a bunch of special features spread over the first two discs, including a commentary, two different groups of deleted scenes, an alternate opening, four featurettes and an enactment of a Hulk/Betty scene from a recent comic. On the first disc, we find: • Feature Commentary by Louis Leterrier and Tim Roth – This is a fairly amiable scene-specific commentary with Leterrier and Roth sitting together and discussing everything that comes to mind as they watch the film. There’s some nice material here – Leterrier openly acknowledges lifting the title sequence from the TV series – but nothing here really digs that deep. On the other hand, given that this is more of a popcorn thriller, there isn’t a lot of need for a detailed examination. • Deleted Scenes (13:27 total, Anamorphic) – A few deleted scenes are included here in anamorphic format, most adding material to the opening act in Brazil, and a pair at the end showing more material between Gen. Ross and Blonsky that explains a little more of their activities. One interesting side note has Ross acknowledging that Banner’s research was intended to defend soldiers from the effects of depleted uranium shells. When the disc is first put into the machine, a pair of non-anamorphic trailers are presented for Beethoven’s Big Break and Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, along with an anti-smoking PSA and several Marvel releases, including Iron Man and various Marvel Animation releases, followed by the Universal Blu-ray trailer. On the second disc, we find: • Alternate Opening (2:33, Anamorphic) – This is a very brief opening for the film, in which we find Banner off in the Arctic, with a Hulkout triggering an avalanche (and releasing a frozen Marvel character only visible in a few frames...). • Deleted Scenes – (29:13 total, Anamorphic) - Nearly half an hour of deleted material is presented here, almost all of which deepens the relationship between Banner and Betty Ross, and which develops the character of Betty’s psychiatrist boyfriend much more fully than is seen in the theatrical release. There’s some nice moments here, but in all honesty, nothing that would really deepen this film past being an action thriller that culminates with two Hulking creatures duking it out in downtown New York. • The Making of Incredible (29:50, Anamorphic) – This is a collection of video interviews and diaries of on-set activity during the making of the film. Most of this is standard complimentary material, but there are some good looks at the equipment used in staging the various large scale scenes, and a lot of irreverent comments from the producers and director. My only complaint about this feature is that the menu lists it as an advertisement for a car company, something I continue to find unfortunate. • Becoming the Hulk (9:21, Anamorphic) – This featurette examines the work done by Edward Norton and the CGI team to try to create a more convincing Hulk this time out. Norton and the others are interviewed amidst footage of Norton doing motion capture facial work and doing video enactments of how the Hulk is likely to move in certain scenes. • Becoming the Abomination (10:15, Anamorphic) – This is similar to the prior featurette, only following the work of Tim Roth (and a stunt double) to do the motion capture and other work to create the physicality of the Abomination. • Anatomy of a Hulk-out (27:48 total, Anamorphic) – Here are three featurettes that can be played together, each dealing with one of the major Hulk-out scenes in the film. Each intercuts film footage with on-set video and interviews, and gives a closer look at the equipment used in each case to either get impossible shots (like Tim Roth running with superhuman speed) or to set the scene for the CGI Hulk to be added in. This is very much a companion piece to “The Making of Incredible”. • From Comic Book to Screen (6:32, Anamorphic) – This feature is a bit odd. Basically, we’re presented with animated frames pulled from “Hulk: Gray” issue #5, showing a Hulk/Betty scene similar to that which is staged in the film. There is no spoken dialogue, only word balloons on the screen, but sound effects and music are provided for effect. The third disc in the set simply carries a digital copy of the film that you can download to your PC, Mac or portable device. Instructions on how to do this are included in the packaging. Subtitles are available in English, French and Spanish for the film itself, as well as for the special features. A standard chapter menu is included for quick reference. The packaging also contains a combination ad for the Hulk TV series DVDs as well as other Universal Blu-ray releases, and a coupon for EAS drinks and Norton software.IN THE END...The Incredible Hulk gets a thorough DVD release for a fairly simple film. The picture and sound are great, but the actual content of the film does not withstand repeat viewing. Fans of the film will certainly enjoy this package. More casual Hulk fans may want to rent first and evaluate it before purchasing. Kevin Koster October 31, 2008.
