‘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

In ‘Gone Baby Gone’ Directorial Debut, Ben Affleck Matures Into Polished Auteur

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 12:01:23 -0700

CHICAGO – It wasn’t that long ago when Ben Affleck was an unknown. Fortune eventually smiled upon him and along came quality performances in independents and an Academy Award for screenwriting.

Ben Affleck (left) and brother Casey Affleck on Oct. 10, 2007 at the
Chicago International Film Festival premiere of “Gone Baby Gone”.
Photo by Adam Fendelman of HollywoodChicago.com
Then came “Armageddon,” “Pearl Harbor” and a series of nauseating tabloid stories involving something called “Bennifer”. Affleck’s public image as either a true filmmaker or a hack is riding heavily on his directorial debut of “Gone Baby Gone”.

Without fail, he falls easily into the category of true talent. Following the path that fellow actor-turned-director Clint Eastwood did with “Mystic River,” Affleck elevated a crime thriller by author Dennis Lehane to the big screen.

Unlike directors and actors like Eastwood, Spike Lee, Woody Allen and even close friend Kevin Smith, Affleck resided solely behind the camera and instead cast brother Casey Affleck in the film’s principal role.

Casey Affleck in “Gone Baby Gone”.
Photo courtesy of IMDb
Most people will watch “Gone Baby Gone” to see if Ben Affleck is capable in the director’s chair. Moreover, he declares his rightful place as an auteur with his own artistic vision and storytelling ability.

Simplifying the complex maze of corruption that is Lehane’s fourth novel in a series on Boston detectives, “Gone Baby Gone” follows Patrick Kenzie’s (Casey Affleck) private investigation into the disappearance of an adorable, 4-year-old girl from a white-trash addict (Amy Ryan).

She won’t be winning the mother-of-the-year award any time soon. Kenzie gets cooperation from the Boston Police Department and plays an outsider who only can rely on help from his partner and girlfriend (played remarkably by Michelle Monaghan).

As Lehane’s characters are adapted beautifully for the screen by Ben Affleck and co-writer Aaron Stockard, there are bottomless depths of emotional turmoil to every person in this picture.

Ben Affleck directing “Gone Baby Gone”.
The loss of an innocent girl and Ryan’s portrayal of the crackhead mom you both love and hate make you want to throw things at the screen for such despicable human behavior. Ed Harris plays a local detective and masterfully devours all of his scenes.

Morgan Freeman plays the chief of police just like you think Morgan Freeman would play a police chief.

More than just showing promise, Affleck’s directorial debut promises great things for his future as a filmmaker. More than just your typical detective mystery flick, the film leaves many unanswered ethical questions.

More than so “Mystic River,” “Gone Baby Gone” is a heart-wrenching thriller of people you love to watch but would never want to meet in real life.

By DUSTIN LEVELL
Senior Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
dustin@hollywoodchicago.com