Marvel's The Incredible Hulk, who first muscled his way into theaters in 2003
and had to fight off critics upon his arrival, returns at midnight tonight (Thursday),
and he's earning a bit more respect -- and probably more green as well. Claudia Pui
g in USA Today says the new Hulk "is more viscerally angry and packs a bigger
wallop than Ang Lee's talkier, more introspective version" and that while there are
plotholes, "as a popcorn movie steeped in action, it keeps our attention." Lou Lumenick
says that when it comes to fans of the comic book and the TV series, the new Hulk
"squarely hits the target." However, he adds, the sequel is "only fitfully successful
in engaging the middle ground -- us nonhard-core fans." Mick LaSalle in the San
Francisco Chronicle says that the new film does not attempt to make "a thinking-person's
action movie," as Ang Lee attempted to do with his Hulk. Instead, he remarks,
the film "embraces its identity as a sci-fi-summer-action-blockbuster extravaganza
." The trade papers predict that the film will show lots of strength at the box office.
"This loud and quick-moving production will shake loose ample coin in all markets,"
writes Todd McCarthy in Daily Variety. Adds Kirk Honeycutt in the Holl
ywood Reporter: "The film is poised to carry the weekend buoyed by an unbeatable
combination of buzz and hype."
12/06/2008
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