The Incredible Hulk Returns

Hulk smash!!!!

Hulk may not be one of the most well written characters in the world of comic books. In fact, the two poor attempts at bringing him to the big screen have proven that even world class film makers such as Ang Lee can not deliver the essence of the character as good as it is delivered on its original source which brings us to the following questions: Does Hulk lack the personality to turn him into a blockbuster movie? Is he just too fictitious to make his way out of a comic book? or are the people that have had the mission of taking him to the movies world fully and utterly uncapable of doing such job? Maybe.

Hulk, like most Marvel Comics characters is not a demi god entity who is always admired by saving the day properly leaving no casualties/damage behind. Hulk is a monster, a thing you would not wish to be. An error, a terrible error, and behind him there is a suffering brilliant mind that can not get rid of his "Mr. Hyde" persona as easy as 1,2,3. Now, there are many other comic book characters that go through the same unfaithful burden and have gotten a much better impersonation on the big screen. 

You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.

This is a deluxe team up!

Hold your horses mister know it all! what about Hulk in the Avengers movie? 

Everyone knows in 2012 who Hulk is so, as a secondary character it is not so difficult to actually picture him in our minds as a strong entity but, can he make it as the lead role? Of course he can! the problem is not the character! the problem is the whole film making industry who is viciously obsessed with CGI and special effects of all sorts! we already have one Avatar movie! Why do every motherfucking comic book wannabe producer/director see the Hulk as a triumphant oportunity for the latest CGI crap? The answer is very simple: They lack imagination and talent, and they are overpayed.

Let's get on my De Lorean time machine and set our course to the late 70's, a time in which entire families around the globe would gather around the tube to watch the misadventures of Dr. David (Bruce) Banner on his neverending crusade to find a cure to his unique illness. I'm not biased or anything but, believe me, the people who worked in the Incredible Hulk TV series DID know how to work out characters & plot with little money and even little or no special effects at all. Unfortunately, the show didn't age like wine and was cancelled in 1982...

Genius!

Out of the way!

...After six years since its last prime-time show (June 1982) Stan Lee and Nicholas Corea brought back Marvel Comics' strongman the Incredible Hulk. Though this time David Banner has become the closest ever to be cured. He has a new girlfriend,bumped into a old colleague,and well into his medical career. Unlike in the past he worked odd jobs until his alter-ego was summons. But David banner in this movie has a new life were he doesn't feel he has to runaway anymore. Till an old colleague sneaks into David's job and his trouble begans. David's colleague tells him a story that during his journey up north he discovered a hammer that can summon an old viking hero. As the old viking hero appeared David mis-judged his well-being as being destructive which forced him to become the hulk...

Of the three reunion films they made, I felt Returns is the closest to the series for the following reasons: 

1. This movie started with the intro of the original series with the colored lettering added. And by the way, it was not Edward Platt who did the narrative in the intro, it was the late Ted Cassidy (Lurch from the Addams Family). 

2. Nicholas Corea was one of the head honchos along with Bill Bixby and served a director of the movie.

3. The famous slow motion from the series was used in this movie. 

4. Jack Colvin returns as Jack McGee. This is the only reunion movie he was in. Why he was not in the others I will never know.

These are the reasons this movie gets my vote for being closest to the series. However, what separates it from the series is the lack of continuity. Lou Ferrigno talks about this in his book, "My Incredible Life As the Hulk". The reunion movies were filmed by that cheesy cheap company, Roger Corman's New World Productions instead of Universal and Kenneth Johnson had no involvement in it. Otherwise, I'm sure the continuity goof would have been corrected. The biggest continuity goof for me was that Jack McGee was back to pursuing the Hulk (and not even running into him once), but he'd forgotten all about his "John Doe". 

I'm a god & I rock!

Lemme out!

Bill Bixby once again delivers nothing short of superb excellence in his performance as Dr. David Banner (or David Banyon to everyone around him). Lou Ferrigno was bigger and bulkier than ever as the Hulk and gave an outstanding performance. I enjoyed seeing Jack Colvin one more time as Jack McGee, but only wished he had been in there more. Lee Purcell has got to be one of the most beautiful women that ever appeared on the Hulk as Dr. Maggie Shaw. Her relationship with David and her residence at that beach house gave me flashbacks to the Married episode.

Noteworthy villains were Tim Thomerson and veteran Hulk guest actor Charles Napier. Lance Rubin was the right man to succeed Joe Harnell in the musical score and gave it a more technological late 80's sound. 

What I didn't care for was the addition of Thor and Donald Blake. This movie did not need that. But for what it's worth, Eric Allen Kramer was fun and amusing as Thor, the Norse God and Steve Levitt's Don Blake was pretty much a geek. It was like the Geek and the Jock as best friends.

Dr. Banner's girlfriend.

I would definitely recommend this reunion movie to anybody who has never seen it. Even though it's a little more comic bookish in story than the old series, it's still worth watching. I give it two thumbs up.

Here's the made for TV trailer: