Back to the movie. It picks up the storyline from when the hulk (or should I say Bruce played by Norton) has been in hiding in the remote slums of Brazil and works in a soft drink factory. He’s basically staying out of trouble while hoping to find a cure for his ‘disease’. A convenient turn of events where by an injury in the factory causes his blood to fall into a bottle which makes it’s way to the great US of A, leads his enemies to his whereabouts. From that point on, it’s a cat and mouse game between the army led by General Ross (William Hurt) and the Hulk. Ross has made capturing the Hulk the sole intention of his life after the Hulk ended up nearly killing him and his daughter, Betty Ross during the first transmogrification of Bruce Banner. Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) is also Bruce’s love interest and that story line is neatly interwoven into the plot. A menacing Tim Roth who plays the role of Emil Blonsky is the character who goes onto challenge the hulk physically. Blonsky is an ageing war veteran who is beginning to feel the weight of his age. His passion and love for combat and service leads him to inject himself with a chemical that the Army was secretly working on to enhance the strength of soldiers.Unfortunatley, since it is still in an experimental state, it reacts badly in Blonsky’s body and he is transformed into a havoc creating gargoyle. The movie ends with an epic battle between the two freaks with the good guy obviously winning. Remember to watch the movie till the end because there is a very nice clue given as to what to expect in the sequel.

Plus Points

Location: From the Slums of Rio, The waterfalls of Mexico to the United States traffic. The locations are outstanding. The chase in Brazil was beautifully shot and is spectacular to watch on the big screen.

Edward Norton: The actor plays the brooding Bruce Banner to perfection. He looks very believable as a fugitive on the run blessed with powers he does not want any more and is desperately trying to get rid off.

The Humor: There are some pretty humorous one liners that fit perfectly into the scenes and the moments.

Special Effects: One word…awesome!!!…If possible don’t watch this on DVD. try to catch the flick in a cinema hall.

Downers

Just two

Tim Roth: I personally think an actor of his caliber was wasted in this role. Remember this is Mr.Orange of Reservoir Dogs. He’s obviously done his best but that role does not do justice to him.

Storyline: The thing I liked about the Spidey and Batman flicks was that the confusion and doubt that the heroes had been very well portrayed. It seems like in the Hulk, the characterization has been a tad bit overlooked. Bruce Banner stays quite most of the time so you never get to hear what’s going on his head. Also, he never gets hurt. I know that’s a bad thing to say but we all like flicks in which the heroes take a beating and reprise in a glorious subsequent battle, don’t we?. Hulk wins everything.

All in all it’s a very good flick and worth watching.

Rating: 7.5/10

After watching The Incredible Hulk, I noticed that it had something in common with Iron Man; both had good actors in them. By that, I mean actors who I admire.

Personally, I didn't like Ang Lee's version of The Hulk. I found it dull as opposed to the sharpness of Louis Leterrier's version. I also liked Edward Norton's take on the Bruce Banner/Hulk role. I guess, for him it helped being a fan of the comics and TV series. For me, the film captured the essence of both the comics and the TV series. Also, I think the added touch of comedy made the film loveable.

Honestly, I thought Hulk would fail again as a film, but I was wrong. Boy… was I wrong. The story was good, the actors were great, and the action scenes were WOW! I just hope Marvel would keep their next films at par with Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk.

By the way, watch out for a real cool cameo before the end credits.

Let's have a look at the top 8 hottest titles to look forward to.

• Ironman

  Robert Downey junior will don the red and yellow armor of the marvel comic legend Ironman in this big screen adaption and judging from the trailers we've seen so far, this looks to be a furiously fast and explosive ride. Released in the UK today, expect a review shortly from this reporter.

• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

  With Harrison ford reprising his role in this the fourth in the Indiana series; this is set to be a great adventure film. I was a bit skeptical towards the idea because of Fords age but with the news that Shia LaBeouf (Transformers, Suburbia recently) will be playing a sort of “young Indy” role, my interest was again piqued. Set for worldwide release on the 22nd of May; expect a big adventurous Spielberg treat.

• The X files: I Want to Believe

  Expected to reveal many unanswered questions left by the first movie way back in 1998, Agent Mulder and Skully are back to tackle the question of “are we alone?” Due for release in July of this year and also co starring Billy Connolly(curious) and Xzibit(and curiouser) this much anticipated sequel should hopefully shed some light on the mysteries left ten years before.

• Hellboy 2

  The big red devils back with the wise cracks and the sawn-off horns. Big explosions and magic aplenty. Need I say more? Due for a July release.

• The Incredible Hulk

  Personally I enjoyed the first hulk but was surprised to hear that there would be a “sequel” This time the legendary Ed Norton will take on the role of tormented Bruce banner who turns into a raging muscle bound green Arnold Schwarzenegger type monster. Just mention Norton and you immediately know this films going to be quirky and different. I'm very excited about this marvel adaption due out June 2008.With additional performances from the likes of Tim Roth and Liv Tyler this is a must see and worth the wait.

• James Bond: Quantum of Solace

  Expect big things with Daniel Craig back as a grittier more accident prone Bond in his second appearance as the jaded British secret service agent. Rumored to follow on from his previous outing, Bond will be out to have revenge on the man/men responsible for the murder of the love of his life in casino royale. The title also hints to something more behind the storyline. Producer Michael Wilson promised double the action of the first. This should be worth the wait and is expected in November of this year.

• Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

  Based on the second to last book, this is going to be a darker scarier outing for Harry Potter as his adolescent years advance towards manhood. Revealing more of Voldemorts dark past expect shocking revelations along the way. Even if you have read the books, this will be a must if only to complain about how much they left out again. I can't wait to see how the kids have grown. Due out in November.

• The Dark Knight

  Christian Bale returns as the caped crusader and this time he goes up against his arch nemesis, The Joker played by the recently deceased Heath Ledger who is missed dearly by all. Being an avid fan of the comic, I was extremely excited to hear that Ledger would be playing the homicidal clown in Chris Nolan's sequel to Batman begins and cannot describe how excited I am to see my two favorite actors go head to head. I have no doubts that this production will keep us all riveted to the franchise and slobbering for more. Expect it out in July of this year.

Comic book adaptations and sequels seem to be the flavor for 2008. With big stars and massive budgets I have no doubts that there will be few disappointments making 2008 a hot year for the big screen.