Reaction to the Incredible Hulk (Massive Spoilers)

I saw the Incredible Hulk with Diamondrock! It was good! Not as good as Iron Man, but still good.

A note: I didn't actually see the Ang Lee version so I can't make any comparison. From what it sounds like, Ang Lee's is a fascinating character study but far less a movie I'd remotely be willing to see. I liked this version though.

Be warned of spoilers.

I even liked Bruce Banner himself, and given how much I tend NOT to give the character any stretch of benefit of doubt, that says much. Edward Norton is good at playing mild and appealing and somewhat angsty without being whiny.

...I also, god help me, thought the CGI Hulk was kind of attractive. (I think it's the hair. I have a thing for shaggy hair and sharp features.) They did a good job with expression-work. The Hulk felt "alive" for me. There were parts that I couldn't quite pretend I wasn't watching CGI, but well, that's pretty much inevitable, I think.

I liked Liv Tyler too. Betty Ross is no Pepper Potts (thank god, if you're talking 60s comic versions, :-)) and is a bit more relegated to damsel in distress at this one. But I did still like the character. Even if she never really got to do anything sciency. That part where she climbs on TOP of the Hulk, trying to help keep him under control was pretty impressive honestly.

I liked Blonsky for most of the film. I don't really think the whole Abomination thing was his fault. He was drugged up the wazoo by that point and if Banner isn't responsible for the mess he makes as Hulk then I don't think the little British guy could be held accountable for decisions made under the influence. He seemed like an okay sort of guy before that.

I also liked seeing how they rendered his ability after even one dose. It reminds me of Cap. And anything that reminds me of Cap is a good thing.

Which means I really liked the movie because holy hell did they hint/reference Cap up the wazoo.

I think I've figured out why I liked Iron Man and now the Hulk so much. I think a lot of creators of comic book movies like to try to make the audience forget they're watching a comic book movie. Sometimes this works really well, as seen in Dark Knight. Other times not so much. But Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk seem to embrace the whole comic book aspect and, while being mass-market accessible, are so chock full of easter eggs and winks at the fans that it feels like...

I guess it feels like most comic book movies are made to appeal to the mass audience first with the geeks/fanatics as an acknowledged part of the audience but not the focus. In contrast, I really do feel like Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk were made for the fans first, with the directors and producers keeping an eye on accessibility, but still not just focused on making a good movie involving Iron Man, but in making a good Iron Man movie.

I have no idea if the above two paragraphs make sense to anyone but me.

The best thing about the movie though, especially watching it so soon after watching Iron Man, is that there really is starting to be a sense of the whole Marvel Universe here. I would never have thought actually having the movies in the same universe could work. Or that they could be so effectively building toward an Avengers movie. I'd have, honestly, figured that a big team-up movie like the Avengers would be permanently relegated to direct-to-dvd status.

But watching this movie after Iron Man just makes me seriously anticipate the next one. And the next. Hell, I even want to see Wolverine, despite my severe dislike for the title character AND Gambit, AND my lack of interest in Deadpool (though I acknowledge Ryan Reynolds = perfect casting) just to see if they somehow manage to tie that in as well. Each movie stands alone enjoyably, but the interconnections and the anticipation are practically killing me. When are Thor and Ant-Man coming out again???

And I have to admit, I think DC's missing out. I was on the side of "Well, it'd probably be better if the Justice League movie DIDN'T have any of the solo-movie actors and were kept separate from the individual movies," but now... Truthfully, I've no idea how you could make the Nolan/Bale Batman work in a universe with other superheroes, but at the same time, I can't help but think how a post ending credit tag scene with Brandon Routh standing in the batcave saying "Can we talk?" would rock my comic geek socks off.

As much as I think Dark Knight was the better movie, there was no one part that made me sit up with sheer delight so much as that already-spoiled-but-forgotten-about-by-this-point-of-the-movie appearance of a certain Marvel character at the end. It's the goofy comic fan in me.

So anyone got more info/gossip/rumors on the Cap movie for me yet? Please-please-please?