5.9 | / 10 |
Users | 3.7 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.7 |
Bruce Banner, a genetics researcher with a tragic past, suffers an accident that causes him to transform into a raging green monster when he gets angry.
Starring: Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliott, Josh Lucas, Nick NolteAction | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 66% |
Comic book | 64% |
Thriller | 24% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: DTS 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
Japanese: DTS 5.1
French (Canada): DTS 5.1
German: DTS 5.1
Italian: DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Korean, Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Swedish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Bonus View (PiP)
BD-Live
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
We're going to have to watch that temper of yours.
Fans of the Hulk are in for a Blu-ray overload, with this Ang Lee-directed release already on the
shelves at the time of this review, and the new film, The Incredible Hulk,
due to hit the streets in about three weeks. Why we've been blessed with two Hulk movies at
the
local cineplex in five years, and now on Blu-ray within a month of one another, is a matter that
has generated much discussion and it just seems redundant to go into any of that dialogue here.
Certainly, a great number of films have enjoyed repeat performances, but in most
instances we have not seen remakes, or re-imaginings of the story, spaced so closely together.
The Thing from Another World, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and War of
the Worlds, all films from the 1950s, each have had their updated versions released in the
past few decades, and a remake of The Day the Earth Stood
Still will soon rotate into cellphone-infested local theaters.
Certainly, some remakes and re-imaginings unequivocally succeed (The Thing), others
fail miserably (The Omen), and yet
others still fall somewhere in the middle (Dawn of the Dead).
Still, most audiences are more than eager to embrace films featuring stories that have been
taken out of the proverbial mothballs and updated with plenty of pomp, circumstance, and, in
many cases, an influx of computer-generated effects (all of which begs the question of whether
we will ever see a remake of Plan 9 From Outer Space, or possibly an entire
series of Plan films that answers the perennial conundrum -- what were the first eight
plans to originate beyond our terrestrial confines?). Nevertheless, here we have two films,
replete with the same primary characters, released within a mere five years of one
another, but with no other cinematic connection. The two Hulk films, both big
budget products of 21st century cinema, offer a rare opportunity to compare and
contrast two closely-related films that nevertheless find themselves far apart one from the other
in a myriad of areas.
Here, however, we consider Ang Lee's
2003 Hulk, a film that barely missed recouping its $137,000,000 budget domestically.
With a few minor exceptions, this release of Hulk is nothing short of technically
stunning.
San Francisco goes green on Blu-ray.
Hulk bursts onto Blu-ray with a stunning 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer. Please note that the packaging erroneously reports the film's aspect ratio as 2.35:1. Glossy and bright, nearly every frame features an abundance of bright colors that translate very well to Blu-ray. Close-frame detail is superb throughout the movie. Human faces reveal every pore and line; Nick Nolte's and Sam Elliott's thick facial hair stand out clearly and distinctly in every frame. Viewers will also be privy to every splotch of ink and ridge on paper or the textures of a straw hat worn by a character early in the film. The film is colorful without being overblown. No one color is emphasized over any other, which comes as somewhat of a surprise. In this kind of film, one might expect green to be prominent in every frame, but it's not. In fact, the color is not to be seen in abundance at all in many sequences. Ang Lee instead chose to move away from this distinctive look, one employed by the filmmakers of Daredevil, for example, who chose to add many red highlights to the film. Depth is fine and the image often exhibits that desired "popping" effect, the result of crisp imagery, solid use of color, and excellent detail and clarity. Black levels are true and deep, with a good deal of shadow detail. Some of the later scenes in the film in the abandoned military housing area look pale and slightly washed out, likely a result of the bright desert sky and nearly monochromatic desert floor. Detail remains strong nevertheless. The cracks in the desert floor, the abandoned buildings, and various, aged objects scattered outside have a realistic look about them. The print does exhibits the occasional black speckle. Hulk is another fine transfer from Universal.
Hulk features a wonderful, high quality, loud, and aggressive DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack sure to please audiences with its attention to the finer nuances of the experience. An outdoor dialogue scene between Banner and Betty Ross in chapter 6 offers a very realistic environment with birds chirping all around and additional ambient noises working in harmony to make for a very good low key, yet impressive, sequence. The soundstage is immersive when need be, reserved when called for, and each scene is audibly impressive. Bass is sometimes subtle, sometimes powerful, but always clean and precise in its power. Dialogue reproduction is excellent. Nick Nolte's scruffy voice shines as his lines flow from the center channel. The soundtrack is fairly reserved -- until the Hulk finally breaks free form the inner confines of friendly scientist Bruce Banner. The track explodes in a symphony of Earth- and ear-shattering effects, as the soundstage becomes immersed in heart pounding thuds, crashes, and bangs in chapter 11. Not only does the subwoofer sound out every step the Hulk takes, but the surrounds come alive with a myriad of activity that all seamlessly integrates with the visuals we see on display. Every scene featuring the Hulk as he destroys property is an amazing sonic feat. Chapter 15 features plenty of broken structures, shattering glass, machine gun fire, and a car alarm, all making for another impressive sequence. As expected, the film's later action sequences in the desert are reference-quality, audibly. The Hulk never misses a beat thanks to this fine lossless soundtrack.
This Blu-ray presents Hulk with a nice selection of supplemental materials.
A feature commentary track with director Ang Lee highlights the package. Lee delves straight
into
his ideas for the film, offering viewers further insight into his unique vision. He discusses the
film's special effects, character development and themes, shooting locations, logistics, and other
films that inspired and aided him in the making of Hulk. Despite
a
series of brief gaps in the track, Lee remains interesting and enthusiastic and his commentary
should please fans. Like most other Universal discs to date, Hulk is U-Control enabled.
As always, a picture-in-picture window will appear over the film, providing various areas of insight
into the world of Hulk. The window appears sporadically, but users may jump directly to
each segment through the U-Control tab in the main menu.
The Making of 'Hulk' (480p, 23:43) is a four-part feature that delves into the strengths
the cast and crew brought to the film, a look at some of the stunts and physical effects scattered
throughout the film, the contributions of Industrial Light and Magic in creating the film's
impressive special effects, and Danny Elfman's (Beetlejuice) score.
Evolution of the Hulk (480p, 16:17) looks at the history of this popular character. The
piece begins by examining the character's origin in depression-era America, glossing over the
history of Marvel comics, and further examining the development of the character in the comics,
the animated series, the CBS television series, "The Incredible Hulk," which featured famed
bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk and Bill Bixby as Bruce Banner, and finally, this 2003 film
adaptation. The Incredible Ang Lee (480p, 14:28) examines the
contributions of the director not only behind the camera, but his work in numerous other aspects
of the filmmaking process to make Hulk as successful as can be. The Dog Fight
Scene (480p, 10:09) takes viewers behind-the-scenes of the process in making this crucial
scene. Finally, The Unique Style of Editing 'Hulk' (480p, 5:34) takes a closer look at the
editing process to make Hulk as cohesive, well-paced, and exciting as possible, while
creating for the film a unique look with differing transitions and split screens.
Hulk is a film filled with wonderful potential. Featuring fantastic visuals, a unique style of filmmaking, and a classic climax that is acted to perfection, the film ought to be a surefire winner. Unfortunately, a needlessly complex plot, a longer-than-necessary runtime that is further bogged down by slow pacing, and decent action sequences that become repetitious though visually impressive, Hulk is more of a letdown than it ought to be. Still, the film is worth watching for all the things it does right; just don't expect to be completely enthralled for every second. Universal Picture's Blu-ray release of Hulk is spectacular. The disc features excellent picture and sound quality that teeters on reference material, and offers fans a nice spread of extra materials. For fans, a purchase is a no-brainer; others may want to rent this film first.
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