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Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliott, Josh Lucas, Nick Nolte ... see more see more... , Cara Buono , Jesse Corti , Reggie Davis , Lou Ferrigno , Michael Papajohn , John Prosky , Lou Richards , Victor Rivers , Geoffrey Scott , Celia Weston , Stan Lee , Eric Ware , Brooke Langton , Todd Tesen , Lorenzo Callender , Daniella Kuhn , John Littlefield , Paul Kersey , David Sutherland , Kirk B.R. Woller , Sasha Barrese , Daniel Dae Kim , Kevin Rankin , Mike Erwin , Craig Damon , Lyndon Karp , David Kronenberg , Michael Kronenberg , Rhiannon Leigh Wryn , Paul H. Kim , Ricardo Aguilar , Mark Atteberry , Eva Burkley , Todd Lee Coralli , Amir Faraj , Jennifer Gotzon , Rondda Holeman , Toni Kallen , Johnny Kastl , Louanne Kelley , Sean Mahon , John A. Maraffi , Randy Neville , Regina McKee Redwing , David St. Pierre , Brett Thacher , Boni Yanagisawa , Rob Swanson

Ang Lee directs the live-action feature film The Hulk, based on the Marvel comic book created by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jack Kirby. Emotionally stunted Dr. Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) is part of a r... read more read more...esearch team at the University of California at Berkeley. Corporate hustler Glenn Talbot (Josh Lucas) takes notice of the lab and makes plans to take it over. Then Bruce accidentally gets hit by an experimental ray and grows into a huge beast, destroying the lab in the process. A creepy janitor who claims to be his real father, Dr. David Banner (Nick Nolte), starts to secretly use the experimental ray on himself. He creates some mutant dogs and sends them after Bruce's lab mate and ex-girlfriend Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly). After Bruce saves her life in the form of the Hulk, she lets her distant father, General Ross (Sam Elliott), take him to an abandoned army base in the desert. However, Glenn Talbot takes over the operation and wants to patent the creature's superpowers for his own profit, so he holds Bruce unconscious in an isolation tank. When provoked, Bruce turns into the Hulk and makes a break for San Francisco, leading to a desert chase sequence involving military aircraft, tanks, and bombs. Only the sight of Betty can make him turn back to his human form. When he is eventually captured, Dr. David Banner shows up for a final confrontation with his son and his old adversary, General Ross. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

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34% liked it

395,301 ratings

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62% liked it

228 critics

PG-13, 2 hr. 18 min.

Directed by: Ang Lee

Release Date: June 20, 2003

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DVD Release Date: October 28, 2003

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Flixster Reviews (19,510)

  • fb100000145236770
    May 1, 2012
    fb100000145236770
    "Hulk" is one of those mixed bag movies that gets some things right, but more things wrong. I saw this in the theater(came out in 2003) and was very underwhelmed. It's since been remade(which was much better) and this is essentially an irrelevant movie. "Hulk" is the origin st... read moreory of scientist Bruce Banner(Eric Bana) from his weird childhood, to an experiment gone wrong that turns him into the Hulk. From there he has to deal with a corporate hustler(Josh Lucas), an army general (Sam Elliot), and his eccentric, estranged father David(Nick Nolte). All the while, trying to contain the beast within for his love Betty(Jennifer Connelly). The cast is good, especially Bana and Connelly. Nolte is probably the worst member of the cast, he just doesn't fit right and brings the movie down. The two biggest problems I have with this movie is the direction and the tone. The movie has so many split screens it looks like a comic on the screen and it really jars you, and makes you feel disconnected from the movie. Ang Lee, the director of "Brokeback Mountain" was trying to make an arty type movie, and it honestly looks like a mess. The effects are fantastic, the Hulk looks amazing, but the way it was shot is horrible. The tone is so serious it feels pretentious. There is zero humor in this movie, and the characters all seem to have something in their asses. A scene with Bruce and David sitting face to face arguing in a dark room is a real eye roller, like "Are you kidding me?" It comes off like a bad play. If your a Hulk fan, then you either either love it for the special effects, or hate it because of the way it was made. If your not a Hulk fan, then just stay away and watch the other Hulk movie, hell or the 70's tv show is a better representation of the character.
  • aquateen2
    March 7, 2012
    aquateen2
    Ang Lee has made a very thoughtful film, he gives up the typical superhero story elements which include mindless repetitiveness of blowing things up and smashing things for no reason and thinks to himself "what is it that drives Bruce Banner insane? What's the cause of the feelin... read moregs he feels?" and so he makes a drama out of it and an entertaining one. There is strong character development and just when you need the action the most, Ang Lee will provide. I despise super hero films but Hulk is the only one that's been crafted differently and cleverly enough to be called a real film and not a stupid formulaic flick. I have never seen so much dedication to what was meant to be a simple mainstream summer blockbuster.
  • fb1672039553
    December 12, 2011
    fb1672039553
    It was a refreshing to see the first 45 minutes of a comic book movie establish characters with depth and ordinary struggles in their relationships and careers before putting The Hulk on screen. But it doesn't pay off. This is the ugliest and most tedious "origins" movie yet for ... read morea comic hero. The movie deflates in the remaining 90 humorless minutes into an inferior "King Kong" - an entrepreneur wants to exploit the beast, the military wants to kill him, and the beautiful girl who understands him and captures his heart knows how it ends. In fact, just watch Peter Jackson's King Kong again, unless you want a reason to appreciate that movie more.
  • blkbomb
    November 6, 2011
    blkbomb
    Dr. David Banner: We're going to have to watch that temper of yours. 

    "Unleash the fury!"

    Hulk is a movie that is hard to really say whether I liked it or not. I had fun watching Hulk run around, being chased by military helicopters and smashing everything in his path, but at t... read morehe same time I was so annoyed by the style of the film. It's obvious what Ang Lee was going for and I can admire his intentions, but the final product is just an example of why directors shouldn't try to make a movie look exactly like a comic book.

    The editing of Hulk is way over the top. They go for a comic book feel and they achieve it, but for a two hour run time; it is just too much. They do the multi boxed screen and do slick and quick transitions between shots. Sometimes there will be five boxes on the screen that do a quick transition to five more boxes on the screen. I get it, you can do some neat tricks. Now stop.

    That wasn't the only part of the movie that went way over the top in order to achieve a comic book feel. The acting was also completely over the top. The actors were trying to do those expressions that you see in a comic book when someone sees a monster or something crazy. They try to do that eyes wide open, mouth wide open look of fear and it just doesn't work. Those over done expressions just increased how much I was annoyed by this.

    The film does have some things going for it though. First off it has Jennifer Connelly and nothing with her name attached to it, is completely worthless. Also the movie has some cool action sequences and awesome effects. It is also extremely ambitious. But through Lee's ambitions comes a lot of the annoying things that plague the movie.

    I wouldn't say that this movie is as bad as some say it is, but it isn't a spectacular superhero movie. I'm somewhere in the middle on this movie. I don't like it, I don't hate it. Maybe I'll watch it again at some point and I'll have a different reaction to it.
  • spielberg00
    September 2, 2011
    spielberg00
    If you aren't familiar with the franchise started by Stan Lee's comic book series "The Incredible Hulk", think of this as an intense, fun mashup between DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE and SHREK. I know that sounds a bit disturbing, but really, that's what THE HULK is: a regular man whose... read more anger level raises and therefore transforms into a big, green, feared monster. Besides that bizarre factor, THE HULK has astounding, mind-blowing cinematography--some of which actually makes it seem like you're watching an onscreen, live-action comic book. And even though this one moves quite slowly at times, it's a well-acted sci-fi adventure that, unlike many other Marvel adaptations (nods to SPIDER-MAN), is rarely superficial.
  • fb729949618
    August 9, 2011
    fb729949618
    Eric Bana as the Hulk? Crap Movie. Even the remake after this movie wasn't up to par. Can't wait for the day a well made Hulk movie comes out.
  • stevenecarrier
    August 7, 2011
    stevenecarrier
    The reason why I genuinely like Ang Lee's "Hulk" is the same reason why everyone else hates it. I absolutely appreciate when a director dares to have his own voice as a filmmaker and applies it to preexisting source material. These comic book adaptations are tricky because the fi... read morelmmakers want to satisfy the loyal fans but in that they never dare to step outside the box, and that's exactly what Lee is doing here. Like Bryan Singer's "Superman Returns" or Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins," Lee brings a unique take on what could have been a routine blockbuster (something "Hulk's" sequel, "The Incredible Hulk" did in spades... it stayed frustratingly vanilla). I appreciated that the film dealt with the psychology of Bruce Banner. The Freudian take on the story (which reaches into Betty's and David's story arc's as well) was exciting. When do you see a big effects film with such a mentally complex back story? As for the effects themselves, I still think they are an invigorating combination of CGI and in-camera effects. The acting is also above par. Most lambaste Eric Bana's performance as wooden, but I see it as understated. He and Jennifer Connelly shape a meaningful connection and I believed it. Connelly is the type of actress who can sell any line, any emotion, any time, anywhere and she sells the shit out of such a goofy premise. I think "Hulk" is an extremely underrated, complex, blockbuster that is worthy of serious attention. If all you want from a movie about The Hulk is fight sequences, then skip this and watch the shameful sequel. But if you want characters, story and psychological complexities in your superhero films, embrace "Hulk" with open arms.
  • DreamExtractor
    August 4, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    A terrible superhero film. Hulk was boring, creepy, and a disappointment to comic book fans everywhere. Actors bored me, the effects were just okay, and everything else was pretty much a failure. I saw this when I was a kid and when your a kid your supposed to love everything,... read more this was not the case even as a kid. The 2008 version is much better.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    May 12, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    How to start a review for Ang Lee's Hulk. Well for one, I think Ang Lee is an average director that he picks projects that are too elaborate for him to conceive. Perfect example for Hulk, this is one of the worst superhero films that I've ever seen. The film is a total dud. Which... read more is a shame because theres such a terrific cast thats simply wasted on a shit script. The film is disappointing in so many ways. For me the two biggest problems were that The Hulk looked pretty awful and the film was far too boring. There wasn't enough going on to keep you interested in the "story" because really, there wasn't one. If done correctly, this film could have been something terrific, but instead it's not. The film could have been shorter and with a bit more story development, something I think was lacking here. Hulk is a film that is rooted in wasted potential. They could have done something truly good with the character, but instead; the film feels rushed. I believe to truly make a great superhero film, you've got to take your time to get it right. Hulk feels out of place, too long just to give it some meaning. The film is boring and too long. The action scenes are few and when they occur, you've lost total interest in the film. A missed opportunity and it proves that Ang Lee is not that great a director. I don't think he is, and if you want proof of his directing talents then this is the film for you. Ang Lee for the most part always delivers films that are boring. Well I'll give him credit for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon that one was good, but the other films he's done including Hulk are terrible. If you want the best version of The Hulk, give The Incredible Hulk a view.
  • jamers2011
    February 1, 2011
    jamers2011
    Saw it in theaters. Yeah, it was pretty rough.

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Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones
April 18, 2007
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

[An] enjoyable summer behemoth. Full Review

Andrew Sarris
July 10, 2003
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

An interesting effort to give one of the staples of mass entertainment something extra in the way of insight and feeling. Full Review

Rex Reed
June 26, 2003
Rex Reed, New York Observer

Big, dopey and crammed with special effects that take the breath away. Full Review

Peter Rainer
June 22, 2003
Peter Rainer, New York Magazine

Despite the profusion of computer-generated effects, which rousingly bring the green guy to life, I often felt, for better and for worse, that I was watching a comic-book movie reconceived as a piece ... Full Review

David Edelstein
June 21, 2003
David Edelstein, Slate

Unlike your average comic-book blockbuster, The Hulk isn't a bad cartoon. It's a bad modern Greek tragedy. Full Review

Charles Taylor
June 21, 2003
Charles Taylor, Salon.com

Are comic books art? Maybe, but this leaden, pretentious flick about Marvel Comics' big green id, from the overrated Ang Lee, is just schlock art for the NPR set. Full Review

Mike Clark
June 20, 2003
Mike Clark, USA Today

Lee tries to spruce it all up with heavy use of split-screen, which is sometimes clever and sometimes distracting. But nothing can distract us from the overriding reality that too much of Hulk is a sulk. Full Review

Geoff Pevere
June 20, 2003
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

A comic book movie as smart and expressive as the medium that spawned it. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
June 20, 2003
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

A thinking person's movie with precious little for anyone to think about, except for a green giant smashing things. Full Review

Joe Baltake
June 20, 2003
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee

This movie is every bit as spiritual and arty as Lee's last film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, just as dark as that film but a good deal less buoyant. Full Review

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Facts

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    • Tank Commander: Driver stop, driver stop!
    • Dr. Bruce Banner: Turn right, turn right!
    • Tank Commander: Driver stop, driver stop!
    • Dr. David Banner: Sleep dear Bruce and forget forever struggle no more and give me all of your power.
    • Dr. Bruce Banner: You think you can live with it then take it.
    • Dr. Bruce Banner: TAKE IT ALL!
    • Dr. David Banner: That's right keep fighting, the more you fight the more of you I take.
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Hulk Trivia

  • What Fictional Character, have the following actors voiced or portrayed? Leslie Neilson Tim Allen Tom Hanks Hulk Hogan   Answer »
  • Which film was this line said in, "Your making me angry, you wont like me when im angry".  Answer »
  • Which actor played the nanny in the 1993 film "Mr. Nanny"?  Answer »
  • Lou Ferrigno, who played The Hulk in the 70's tv-series
    had a cameo in Ang Lee's "The Hulk".. As what?  Answer »
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