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My movie weekend came to a close with Hulk tonight. A film that caught a lot of flak when it was released, ostensibly for being too dramatic for something derived from a comic book. I quite liked it. Definitely more cerebral and less action-oriented than other comic fare, it delivered an interesting story and plenty of "it's clobberin' time" (was that the Hulk or Thing from the Fantastic Four?). Ang Lee's filmmaking talents were showcased as he was able to create a film that played like a comic book, sometimes segmenting the screen into multiple frames and panels. Of course, detractors can point to a number of elements. A cameo by Stan Lee and former Hulk Lou Ferrigno in the first ten minutes is worrisome. And several plot twists don't exactly follow. For me, i was a bit unnerved that Betty Ross's cabin looked like it was abandoned when the hillbillies loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly. But in truth, all of these strengths and weaknesses attest to Lee's success in conveying a comic book on the silver screen. Even the lack of resolution in the ending harkens the soap opera style of comic climaxes.
I must admit, i was a tad saddened that the age-old mystery of the Hulk's expanding purple underwear was not addressed.
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