Two and a Half Growls for "The Incredible Hulk"

I've always had a soft spot for "The Incredible Hulk." Maybe because I was a small, thin kid who was picked on. Or because I've seen my share of miscreants in urban traffic and subways. Whatever the reason, there's a part of me that finds something appealing about the notion of turning into a green monster in order to save the world from bad guys. Although by no means a film classic, the latest incarnation of "The Incredible Hulk" pays homage to that fantasy and more. It is a vast improvement over the cinematic monstrosity that Ang Lee peddled in 2003.

"The Incredible Hulk" is excellent escapist fare for the summer season. The New York Post gives it two-and-a-half stars, an assessment with which I agree. "The Incredible Hulk" stylishly combines elements of the Marvel comic with the Bill Bixby-Lou Ferrigno television series that ran on CBS from 1977 to 1982. You don't need to be familiar with either to enjoy the film, but it helps.

The first few minutes of the "Incredible Hulk" retell the story of Dr. Bruce Banner (Edward Norton), a scientist who, while searching for a medical boon to humanity, inadvertently unleashes an inner beast. Banner's first metamorphosis occurs after he's poisoned by a unique burst of gamma radiation.

The rapid sequences of mini-scenes is set to a rousing musical score sans dialogue. When the Hulk escapes from the laboratory, a fiery explosion kills two scientists and seriously injures Banner's girlfriend, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler). As in the television series, the creature is wanted for murders that he didn't commit, but instead of being pursued by an investigative reporter, here he's chased by General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (William Hurt), Betty's father, who wants to use him as a weapon. The general is aided in this endeavor by a psychotic special forces officer named Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth). Tim Blake Nelson provides comic relief as a kooky scientist who tries to cure Banner.