Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) begins this movie hiding in Brazil in a factory that produces soda. He is secretly researching a way in which to reverse his condition. His desire to never be found is, within the storyline, logical as the United States military is looking to collect him in order to finish experimenting on his body. However, the hiding feels more profound when placed within the larger construct of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even before this movie was relegated to the proverbial “bench” of superhero films, The Incredible Hulk wants to hide.
Much of the public rhetoric around this film is saturated with neglect and disdain; it is the Marvel film that never lived up to its expected stature. Bruce Banner embodies the reserved and cautious nature of the film by always attempting to remain inconspicuous. Throughout the film Dr. Banner is wearing a hooded sweater over his face to hide, pulling a baseball cap down over his head to hide, turning sideways behind trees to hide, and sending cryptic encoded messages over the internet to hide. The plot of the film necessitates Dr. Banner’s actions because he is being hunted, but the constant hiding serves more to reinforce what The Incredible Hulk is truly remembered as: a film that is hidden and forgotten.
The events from this story are rarely referenced in later Marvel films, and this is counter intuitive to what audiences expect from Marvel. Like their comic book counterparts, the Marvel films are known for their connectedness and cross-referencing. That interconnectedness is what creates a “universe” in superhero literature, and aside from a subtle reference of the film’s final fight sequence in the Netflix series Daredevil, this film (and its events) have been largely forgotten. General Ross (William Hurt), the driven yet conflicted military leader, serves as the film’s attempt to find a purpose. Yes, General Ross commits evil acts. Yes, General Ross alienates his daughter, Elizabeth Ross (Liv Tyler). Yes, he tries to capture the Incredible Hulk numerous times by using extreme military force. But he is also the only impetus for bringing the big green monster into the Marvel Universe’s public consciousness. Within the film General Ross is looking to complete military experiments on Bruce Banner, but one cannot help but invite General Ross into the film because he is the only character who pulls the Incredible Hulk from hiding.
The actor playing the character of Bruce Banner was eventually replaced by Mark Ruffalo, and the details behind that switch are still a bit nebulous. Even Liv Tyler’s Elizabeth Ross never returned. Only William Hurt, as General Ross, returned to later Marvel films. During the middle action sequence where General Ross’ forces try to capture the Hulk, the military leader says what the audience has been thinking for nearly an hour. While Bruce Banner is transforming into the Hulk, Ross says about his daughter, “Now she’ll see” in reference to what the Hulk looks like. For almost half of the movie, Bruce Banner hides with the Hulk being suppressed. General Ross does not want the Hulk hidden or forgotten.
No comments:
Post a Comment