The Incredible Hulk (film): Difference between revisions

The story takes place at least five years after the tragic accident which created The Hulk, glimpses of which are seen in the opening credits. Bruce Banner ([[Edward Norton]]) has [[Discontinuity Nod|taken refuge in South America]] as a worker at a bottling plant, where he keeps a low profile and works on controlling his anger in his spare time. When Bruce accidentally spills blood into one of the bottles, [[Stan Lee|a man]] falls ill from Gamma poisoning, which is the clue General Ross uses to track Banner down. Along for the ride is Emil Blonsky, who is destined to become one of the Hulk's deadliest foes: the Abomination.

 

 

* [[Actor Allusion]]: Granted [[Tim Roth]] wasn't in the scene, but why else would Betty mention ordering a "[[Reservoir Dogs|Mr Pink]]"?

* [[Adaptation Distillation]]: The film takes bits and pieces from Hulk's 45 year history and compresses them into a single movie. Everything is covered, from Bruce trying (and failing) to find a cure to Bruce being unable to have sex with Betty to Hulk being incredibly protective of Betty. The only thing not brought up is Bruce's daddy issues, and given the huge amount of focus that got in the Ang Lee movie omitting it entirely may very well be justified.

* [[Body Horror]]: Emil Blonsky's slow transformation, which is reminiscent of ''[[The Fly]].'' One scene especially, where you can see his spines protruding out of his back.

** Also Bruce's transformation to the Hulk is incredibly painful and at times asymmetrical. The top half of him will sometimes transform before the lower half catches up.

** Considering the MCU's penchant for lots and lots of whiskey, it could just be a whiskey sour.

* [[Broad Strokes]]: The movie is technically a [[Continuity Reboot]], doing a quick revisit of the origin story and having General Ross further explain their version of the backstory details. Still, it uses elements of the '03 movie in that it starts 5 years after Banner's [[Freak Lab Accident]], as even with major details changed it would retread the same basic story (Banner is irradiated, learns what he has become and fights against the military). The '03 movie also ends with Banner hiding from the government in South America, which is where this movie picks up his story. The major details that were changed include that the Hulk doesn't get larger the angrier he gets, General Ross was not a sympathetic figure and Bruce's project was tied directly to the military instead of just attracting their attention when things went crazy.

* [[California Doubling]]: Toronto standing in for Harlem.

* [[The Cameo]]: Lou Ferrigno plays a security guard at Culver University (his second such appearance in a Hulk movie to date). He also voices the CGI Hulk. Stan Lee continues his pattern of appearing in every Marvel movie, playing as the old man who gets gamma poisoning from the soda laced with Bruce's blood. {{spoiler|Finally, Robert Downey, Jr. appears towards the end as [[Iron Man (film)|Tony Stark]], making this the only Marvel-produced movie to date with no [[Samuel L. Jackson]].}}

* [[Catch Phrase]]: {{spoiler|"HULK '''SMASH'''!" is inserted at the climax of the fight between Hulk and Abomination; it doubles as a [[Pre-Ass-Kicking One-Liner]].}}

* [[Chekhov's Gun]]: Several are briefly glimpsed in the opening sequence (e.g. the name of Doc Samson and other characters who would appear later). For a more literal case, the plans for the sonic Humvees used at the university appear, and are seen to be provided by [[Iron Man (film)|Stark Industries.]]

* [[Comic Book Movies Don't Use Codenames]]: Played with. The Hulk is called so very sparingly, with only Blonsky and the Hulk himself ever using it in an non-ironic fashion. Also, the Abomination is never directly called that, except for one off-handed remark by Samuel Sterns. General Ross is not referred to as "Thunderbolt" Ross.

** A deleted scene has Ross referred to as "T" over the phone.

* [[Cursed with Awesome]]: While not given much attention, Blonsky is even more powerful than the Hulk. And he retains his intellect. The catch? He is permanently transformed and cannot change back. And his strength cannot increase with anger.

** On the other hand, he's also completely out of his mind.

* [[Does This Remind You of Anything?]]: When Banner cuts himself in the factory and his blood contaminates some of the bottles, the way he freaks out was probably written with HIV in mind. If this was a deliberate metaphor on the writer's end, his refusal to have sex might be related.

* [[Driven to Suicide]]/[[Ate His Gun]]: A [[Deleted Scene]] for the alternate opening had Bruce Banner putting his gun into his mouth, feeling that this was the only way to get rid of the Hulk for good. He then shot himself, only for him to transform and spit the bullet back out. It was deleted for its dark tone, although it was later referred to in ''[[The Avengers (film)|The Avengers]]''

* [[Drives Like Crazy]]: When going to New York to track down Blue, when given the choice between the subway and the taxi, Bruce Banner and Dr. Betty Ross decided on the taxi. To put it simply, cramped or not, they really should have chosen the subway instead.

*** Earlier in the film he's seen trying to buy a new pair of pants and specifically asks for stretchy ones

** During the montage of Bruce's travels after his first "[[Hulk Out]]" the ending theme of ''The Incredible Hulk'' TV series can be heard.

*** During the last scene we see Bruce in, he opens mail addressed to David B.

*** Lou Ferrigno, the Hulk to Bixby's Banner, makes a genuine cameo as a security guard.

** Earlier Banner mistranslates one of the Hulk's catchphrases, "You won't like me when I'm... hungry?"

** The device Banner exposes himself to in the flashback of his origin is identical to the one used in the Incredible Hulk TV show.

* [[Not Even Bothering with the Accent]]: Justified. Emil Blonsky was born in Russia, but spent most of his life in England, so Tim Roth can use his normal voice.

* [[Not Using the Z Word]]: Even after his transformation, Blonsky is still referred to by name. Samuel Sterns warns him that exposing him to gamma radiation after taking the Super Soldier Serum could result in "...an abomination."

* [[Oh Crap]]: After Bruce {{spoiler|jumps out of the heli and realizes he can't [[Hulk Out]].}} ''"[[Curse Cut Short|SH-]]"''

* [[One-Dimensional Thinking]]: Subverted. A soldier running from a huge water tank Hulk threw at him tries to jump out of his path but it's moving so fast it catches on his legs and drags him.

* [[Pre-Ass-Kicking One-Liner]]: {{spoiler|"HULK... ''SMASH''!" He proceeds to do so to the Abomination in about twelve different ways.}}

* [[Psycho Serum]]: Sorta. {{spoiler|The injections Blonsky takes throughout the movie are [[Super Serum]] that turn him into a better soldier. However, these simply make him more able and driven rather than powerful AND crazy. His [[Psycho Serum]] turns out to be Bruce Banner's own gamma-enhanced blood samples, which finally cross him over into The Abomination and cause him to lose direction and morality (he's willing to kill General Ross for no viable reason other than enslavement to madness).}}

 

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[[Category:Marvel Cinematic Universe]]

[[Category:Films of the 2000s]]

[[Category:Marvel Universe]]

[[Category:Film]]