‘The Incredible Hulk’ Indeed Jacked Up on CGI Roids, But Medusa’s in His Face

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:01:00 -0700

Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Technology has done double-edged service and disservice to the legendary Hulk superhero character from Stan Lee’s Marvel Comics.

In peering at the CGI-created ripped body of nothing remotely reminiscent of Edward Norton, the 2008 film iteration of “The Incredible Hulk” has a leg light years up on Lou Ferrigno’s character in the 1978 television series of the “The Incredible Hulk”. Then, Ferrigno only had the luxury of makeup. The rest was the real deal.

The unbridled force of rage known as The Hulk on the streets of New York in an all-new, explosive and action-packed epic of one of the most popular superheroes of all time in “The Incredible Hulk”.
Photo credit: Rhythm & Hues

On the other hand, Ferrigno – who treats 2008 audiences in a gasping reveal when he appears in a brief cameo in the new Louis Leterrier-directed feature film – is still the soul, spirit and most critically the face of the green-skinned behemoth.

Edward Norton stars as Dr. Bruce Banner in an all-new, explosive and action-packed epic of one of the most popular superheroes of all time in “The Incredible Hulk”.
Photo credit: Michael Gibson

Aside from Ferrigno’s brief face time, he also lurks notably in the background as Norton’s voice when the character gets royally pissed and transforms into the Hulk.

When Norton fumes past his human limit, honing in on the Hulk character’s technologically enhanced face is awkwardly unrealistic and utterly painful.

It’s like gazing into the eyes of the sea nymph Medusa whose monstrous face could threateningly turn onlookers to stone.

While Hollywood’s big-budget technology department both strikes out and smashes a homerun with its revamped and roided-up Hulk character, Tim Roth’s altered ego gets the just-right royal treatment.

When Roth becomes the Abomination to rival the Hulk, the abominable baddie is so disgustingly repulsive and out of such reality whack that his CGI renovation plays perfectly.

A monstrous new adversary known as The Abomination faces off with The Hulk in an all-new, explosive and action-packed epic of one of the most popular superheroes of all time in “The Incredible Hulk”.
Photo credit: Rhythm & Hues

Like he did in all three “Spider-Man” films, various “X-Men” films and many other Marvel film products, Marvel phenom Stan Lee (the former chairman of Marvel Comics) again can’t help but pop in for his moment of minor screen glory.

Now Liv Tyler – who hasn’t memorably emerged in a film since 1998’s “Armageddon” – can finally be classified as the new Meg Ryan with her heartfelt delivery as Edward Norton’s young love.

While you felt sorry for the forgettable bloke who she swiftly casts aside when she’s suddenly reunited with Norton, suffice it to say they’ve got game together. Her chemistry especially for Norton is a surprisingly tender balance to the film’s mammoth smashing and outrageous carnage.

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Norton himself is trademarked by his restraint. As he seeks a cure for the gamma radiation poisoning that periodically unleashes the barbarian, he works tirelessly on his Zen. He even scrutinizes the condition with a pulse-monitoring watch.

In particular, a near-sex scene between Norton and Tyler sheds comical light on the situation when his heart rate escalates and he’s forced to stop before something incredible pops up.

While 2008’s “The Incredible Hulk” delivers the heart-pounding, Hulk-smashing thrill ride audiences expect, the real story of the film is in its substory and how those trinkets will be ironed out in the future.

While Robert Downey Jr. is uncredited in the film, there’s an avenging reason to drop the nugget of a “super soldier serum,” Captain America and “getting the team together”. Indeed, this wild ride will carry on.

“The Incredible Hulk” opened everywhere on June 12, 2008.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Despite its Title, ‘The Strangers’ Actually a Familiar Repeat of Horror Film Conventions

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 29 May 2008 23:08:28 -0700

CHICAGO – Poor Liv Tyler. She’s stuck in a remote vacation home with nothing but the blank-stare acting of Scott Speedman to “save” her. What’s a rock daughter who becomes an actress to do? First, she shouldn’t sign onto yet another version of the couple-in-terror cliché.

Bryan Bertino in “The Strangers”.
Photo credit: Rogue Pictures

“The Strangers” is a scary movie that has been there and done that with a few style points thrown in to distract from the ripoff.

Tyler is Kristen McKay: a single gal who’s on the precipice of the big engagement. Speedman is James Hoyt. He’s her potential fiancé: a boorish chap who thinks the big rock is a slam dunk.

After they both attend a wedding, Hoyt sets up his uncle’s remote cabin (cue ominous music) to celebrate what he figured would be his betrothal.

Surprisingly, though, Kristen has rejected his promise. For some reason, they’re still completing their depressing journey to the cabin. The heavy and forced atmosphere is interrupted by a mysterious female stranger who asks if someone else lives in the cabin. After they run her off, the house explodes with sounds of a break in. Scary figures are out to get them.

Liv Tyler in “The Strangers”.
Photo credit: Rogue Pictures

Oddly enough, I just screened a film that makes fun of this very premise called “Baghead,” which is pending review. If “The Strangers” filmmakers would also have seen this other film, they would have shut down production and retooled the costumes because the main marauder actually wears a similar get-up.

There’s nothing surprising or creative in this film even up to the final solution for the silly couple.

“The Strangers” first wastes the tantalizing setup of the broken engagement only to torture the pair with one preposterous catastrophe after another. In modern horror films, there’s the problem of the mobile phone.

How do the filmmakers get rid of something everyone has? In this case (as well as in the film “Funny Games”), James leaves it in the car where it disappears. Whew. There are a few notable exceptions to the dreck. Liv Tyler is a good actress, and even though her screaming gets tiresome swiftly, she still manages to turn in a credible performance.

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As well, the use of a record player and a skipping needle (so randomly anachronistic) is an effective mood applicator in certain scenes.

The good thing about the three masked intruders is that they stay masked. This saves their careers. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Scott Speedman. He reacts to every scary indignation as if he was being checked for fleas. It was one of the first times I was hoping for a quick kill of a main character.

The most infuriating scene is part of the finale. It involves religion (naturally) and the type of scare that’s the equivalent of your 10-year-old sister popping out of a bush during Halloween. Unlike your sister, you can’t get back at this film by pulling its hair. Now that’s truly unfortunate.

“The Strangers” opened on May 30, 2008.

By PATRICK McDONALD
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com