Sadly, I was disappointed in my movie experience. First off, the movie's pacing sucked. By the time we finally get to see the Hulk, my overriding reaction was, "it's about time." Second, most of what contributes to the slow pacing is an attempt to lay an emotional groundwork that never quite gells. Bruce and Betty narrate their emotional minefield to us, but they never actually make us believe in it. And without the framework, most of the rest of the movie just limps along.

And let me just point out that Jennifer Connelly traversed much of the same territory in A Beautiful Mind, so it's not like the talent wasn't there. Which makes it all the more disappointing that would could have been a really compelling story never got centered.

On the plus side, the actual Hulk sequences are exhilarating. The beast is both graceful and IMMENSE, and it's fun just to watch him leap around. The theater's subwoofers ensured that I felt every thump and thud: the sound design was excellent. I've seen many people complain about the visual quality of the HULK, but I think it's important to remember that at this point in the tech curve, that's an aesthetic choice, not a technical limitation. If you doubt the competence of the effects guys, I direct you to watch the way shadows fall on the Hulk -- there are no accidents here. That being said, I loved the visual look of the big guy; I thought it perfectly captured the comic book feel. Realism, as always, is overrated.

The other tremendously fascinating thing about this movie was the dizzying array of transitions. Ang Lee was clearly trying to capture the visual language of the comic book, and it's a lot of fun to watch. Even the cube makes an appearance :). I'll probably need to get the DVD just so I can watch it for ideas.  3:53:32 PM  (comments [])