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The Hulk
Review by Mike Furches (Mike's bio)
Directed by Ang Lee
Written by James Schamus, John Turman, and Michael France
Based on the comic book by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Eric Bana ... Bruce Banner
Jennifer Connely ... Betty Ross
Sam Elliott ... Ross
Josh Lucas ... Talbot
Nick Nolte ... David Banner
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some disturbing images and brief partial nudity.
For rating reasons, go to FILMRATINGS.COM, and MPAA.ORG.
Parents, please refer to PARENTALGUIDE.ORG
Over the years since human beings had the ability to speak there have been many great philosophers. Plato, Kierkegaard, even lately you could argue that the likes of Dylan or Lewis were wonderful philosophers who had much to contribute to society. But one of the lesser known philosophers never spoke truer words when they stated: “It's not easy being green.” Yes, few could relate as well as Kermit the Frog as to what it must be like for Bruce Banner, AKA The Hulk. Unfortunately, Ang Lee may be finding out all too soon that one of the worst things you can do is to take on one of the great loved comics of all time, The Hulk, and then fail to give its fans a worthwhile movie.
To be honest the lines to get into the movie were not extremely long but they were still there. There are a lot of people waiting to get into one of the summer's most anticipated movies. While the lines were somewhat long getting in, they won't last long because while fans all over have waited for this movie for over a year, what we ended up getting was a movie that will more than likely end up being one of the summer's biggest flops.
There is little good about this movie. Sure there are attempts at giving fans something to enjoy but the attempts fall far too short. With the exception of a brief cameo of Stan Lee, (the comic's originator) and Lou Ferrigno, (the alter ego known of as the Hulk in the original television series) there is little to please the fans of this comic or for that matter the fans of any action adventure hero style of movie.
The acting is flat and forced throughout the film. Eric Bana (Bruce Banner, The Hulk) will enjoy the paycheck and that is good because he won't likely be receiving a call back for a future reprisal. Even some of the standards in Hollywood fall short. Sam Elliott, (General Ross) who normally delivers a solid performance is as stuffy as one could imagine. He delivers his lines as if he is chewing on gum. Then there is Nick Nolte, who plays the part of Banner's father. Have we seen this look before? Absolutely. It looks like a recent mug shot was taken directly on the set of the film. He is a disheveled slob who not only doesn't care about his house, he doesn't care much for his son. Unfortunately, it appears as if Nolte took the script a step further and didn't care about his role in the movie. I love these actors but can't recall being more disappointed in a series of performances in a long time.
Can you guess whether I liked this movie? It shouldn't be too hard to figure out. It had to be one of the most boring two plus hours I will spend all summer. I could go even further in my complaints. Industrial Light and Magic for example stole their paycheck because the CGI Hulk is, well, just simply, a complete failure. He looks fake and has as much dimension as a piece of paper in a notebook. While I have spoken highly of this organization in the past, they absolutely fail as miserably as one could imagine in this movie. Then there is the direction by Lee. While he makes an effort to give a screen appearance that appears like a comic book he would have done far better to study the dialog and story line of the Hulk than to spend obvious hours looking at the layout of a comic book. What he failed to understand is that the fans of the comic would have preferred a story over a movie that looks like a failed attempt to resemble a comic book.
All of this being said, there are still spiritual connections in this movie that are worth discussing. The aspect of David Banner (Nick Nolte) struggling with improving on “God's Creation” and purpose is part of a worthwhile discussion. What results is another failed attempt by humanity that results in destruction and heartbreak. Unfortunately, this resembles life all too often. Humans and science try and try to improve on God's creation even seeing themselves with the ability to create life. What we fail to recognize in that creation is the need to love. We can never accomplish the mind and thought of God, nor will our power ever be as perfect as to improve on God's creation.
It is the lack of love in David Banner's life that ultimately leads to the sad existence of his son, Bruce Banner, The Hulk. Instead of seeing his son as someone to love he sees him as an experiment who can only help him prove his scientific genius throughout life. What results is an individual who vents his anger all through his life. Once that anger is released, what results is destruction and heartbreak. While Bruce Banner has a love relationship with Betty Ross, played by Jennifer Connelly, we see that something has caused that relationship to cool off. We don't know what exactly because the characters are rarely developed through the movie. Once the Hulk is released from Banner by Gamma Rays the relationship no longer has a chance. The anger takes over and in a world where you would hope that love would survive, anger just sends love further and further away.
It is unfortunate but one of the reasons this movie might not offer much hope or is taken very seriously is that we live in a world, where individuals, much like the character David Banner, just don't care. We do a job, get a paycheck, and just don't care so much about the quality of products that we produce or the lives that we effect. Yet, Jesus called on his followers to do so much more. To live life in such a way that others observe our actions. To love and care for each other, to make sacrifices on a daily basis, to go out of the way to help our neighbor. After all what does it mean when Jesus said if we are to call ourselves his disciples that we are supposed to take up our cross and follow him daily? Unfortunately though, this movie takes the same direction that most people take, one where it seems as if no one really cares for the world or work around them. It is a world where we place ourselves over others in a place of priority others. After all it is all about “me.”
Ang Lee does seem to have some understanding that love has a powerful impact and can influence and even turn away anger. We see this in some of the relationships and scenes between Betty and The Hulk. There are a couple of scenes where The Hulk is just bashing and destroying and upon the appearance of Betty he realizes that something more exists. It just seems as if he never really understands that in such a way that it can be controlled, he tries but if it is as the movie portrays that anger and hate have more power than love. Maybe, just maybe, that is an unfortunate representation of the world as it really exists. Personally, I hope not. It would be nice to believe that the power of love that Jesus exhibited and that millions of his followers have shown actually has more power than hate. Unfortunately, we become involved in activities and lifestyles that seem to show that we, as Christians, are no different and in reality are controlled by the same things that The Hulk is.
There were three good and enjoyable things about this movie, Stan Lee, Lou Ferrigno, and one other scene I won't mention. So for that reason I'll give this one a disappointing 3 out of 10.
Copyright 2003, Mike Furches. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.
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About Mike Furches: Mike is the senior pastor of United at the Cross Community Church in Wichita, Kansas. The church, located in the inner city of Wichita has a unique ministry to former gang members, drug addicts, prostitutes and others often neglected by the church. Mike also is involved in freelance writing and speaks nationally. Check out his web page for more information: http://www.furches.org/ E-mail Mike |
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