I'd heard it wasn't too good, but I like to make my own judgements.  Both my SO and I enjoyed it.  It's probably not good for kids, but not for the usual reasons:  There's a lot of time spent developing chatacters, and establishing their relationships and motivations.  As such, it starts out a little slow, and if you're expecting a typical comic book action feature, you might be disappointed.  If you're a fan of the character, though, you'll probably appreciate the effort, and the fact that the movie takes itself seriously.  The acting is very good, although I don't predict any Oscars, and the direction is tight, if a bit heavy-handed.  As expected, the effects were excellent.  All in all, we enjoyed it, but as I said, don't go in expecting action from the opening to the closing credits.

The problem was they really did not give the actors good material to work with, that and they should have gone ahead and made it an "R" tempo.  Those movie guys sometimes really want their cake and to eat it too!  They give us these big name actors, take time to develop scenes and plot, and then deliver shallow material.  What a waste of Nick, Sam and Jennier and you really didn't have anything to like about the guy who played the hulk.  But talk about scenes, Hulk's fight in the desert alone will generate interest for another movie.  Too bad about the writing, they might have had a block-buster on their hands!

Joey

Call me a simpleton, but I got up and left the movie when the Bruce and his Dad were sitting on electified chairs crying about the past... I must admit that the story line was very flat, the acting was boring and all I found myself doing was waiting for the guy to get pissed off, hulk up and start smashing stuff. The FX were great.

Can someone explain to me the motivation for the first transformation; why dad let the dogs out and why anyone thought Ang Lee could direct this or T3.

that sequence in the middle when the young girl was kidnapped?  I must have been tired when I first saw it because I got lost in there but when I saw it again, it made a little more sense.  Kind of and old bull, young bull story.  Jet-Li claims he was supposed to get the lead but demurred.  I liked the other guy in this role better.  Not quite Blade Runner or Lawrence of Arabia on my list of favorites but close

disappointment.

Although, the look (with the comic book like screen division) is stylish, the pacing of the whole movie is incredible slow.  The story is extremely weak and ridiculous.

Too much emphasis and time are spent to hide the psycological reasoning behind the rage inside Bruce Banner - the audience already knew from numerous history that his mom was probably killed before his eyes.  It would be a lot better to quickly move beyond that point and not treat it as such a secret.

The Hulk's power is simply too ridiculous.  Bouncing a mile a time, dropping from the stratosphere into the ocean; traveling from New Mexico to San Francisco within a day.  It is just too much in the realm of X-men.

The fight with those mutant dogs are too lame and fake.  Hulk fighting poodles and dogs and got all scratch up?  I thought he can do a lot better.  Another ridiculous part is when the 4 star general Ross got the approval from the president to use any force to stop the Hulk but only 4 M1A1 tank and 4 attack helicopter and 2 fighter plan are all that he had in command to attack the Hulk in the open space.  There are practically no solidier killed in that whole sequence even though the Hulk is at rage.  Also what is that about the huge fight at the end and the energy cloud thing?  It is just way too stupid and tepid.

X-men 2's short but subtle scene of Iceman coming back home worked a whole lot better than the sluggish protrait of Bruce Banner's inner demon.  I personally believe Ang Lee spent too much time worrying about the Hulk and the technical aspect of making a CGI ladened big budget movie, he didn't have enough time to sit back and tell a compelling story.

James Schamus's script failed Ang Lee and Ang Lee, in return, are too indulged in his love of crafting the background story to deliver an entertaining movie.  The whole movie is just too depressing and draining.  There is practically no scene to give the audience a chance to cheer and feel good.

On the other hand, the Hulk is full of scenes with the beautiful Jennifer Connelly.  She hasn't look this good in these many scenes for a long time.  JMHO, Ang Lee loves to show how beautiful Jennifer can look like with those beautiful eyes.  The only scene that draw a bit of emotion from me is when Betty Ross ran down the pedestrian steps and the Hulk slowly change back into Bruce Banner in front of her.

Too bad the screenplay didn't explore the interplay between them more.  It could be a very nice love story and a good dating movie.  Instead they spent too more time with the father and son, rage and restraint angle.  If that is what they want to do in the storyline, Ridley Scott would be a far better choice as the director - witness the result of Gladiator.

like CGI was used to fill the texture in the telling of a love story in Titanic, the fighting in CTHD was just secondary in the story of love and sacrifice, social restraint and personal freedom.  That's why pure martial art movies such as "Iron Monkey" are nowhere near the success of CTHD.

anybody who never grew up reading hulk comic books or watch the cartoon series in the 60's would not understand and aprreciate this movie.  Of course I am bias, I loved the movie considering I grew up reading hulk comic books.  As far as his incredible powers to leap miles with a single bound, again if you read the comic you know that is not ridiculous.  Remember this is a comic book character coming to the screen!!!

To enjoy this movie, it is almost a prequisite to have read the comic books AND seen the TV series. The casual moviegoer will simply say 'boring' or 'dull'. I didn't like the repressed memories subplot. I would rate it behind X-Men 2 and Spider-Man.

Kevin Kline's ... "the only big fight we've had in years was about whether we should go back into couples therapy"

Sigourney Weaver was great (can she act or what?) she won the BAFTA (British Oscars) for that role. another under-rated performance of hers was in DEATH AND THE MAIDEN with Ben Kingsley where she played a political prisoner and rape/torture survivor ... [sigh] ... heavy stuff.

it was directed by one of my favorite directors, Roman Polanski, who has no shortage of sex scandals of his own. but don't get me started on this or it's gonna be a blooming thread of its own(i've vociferously defended him on numerous internet message boards!

-- Modified on 6/30/2003 1:07:31 AM

The Ice Storm totally made me want to get married...NOT! Oh Singleton, won't you miss me? I'm headed to the Rockies for the next ten days, so your dear little heart cannot be warmed by me for over a week. I'll send you a postcard. Let me know where to send it!

I love the Rockies. Especially in the winter when the snow has blanketed everything in sight, just like a silky white "bedspread" that covers the rough-edged rocky dirt-laden  surface below. Sometimes in the middle of a blizzard or "ice storm" you start to almost see a mirage or projection and it's like you are hallucinating and seeing things that may not really be there -- almost like things you wish were there given your "infatuation" with climbing the real challenging peaks.

And of course, as any seasoned mountain "climber" knows, if at times like this you get too confused and lost or even just lose your footing for a second, then you are liable to plummet from those ecstatic heights and CRACK YOUR SKULL OPEN all the way down the mountain!  LOL

Oh, you must have mistaken me for an outdoorsy type of girl I'm spending my ten days at the Wyndham Golden Door Spa in Telluride, but I still need slaves for my stay. Any cute single men are welcome to join me.

did that same someone also say CUTE?

hmmm ... how about "chiselled by the elements" ?

you know, like Tommy Lee Jones or Harvey Keitel (dare i say Robert De Niro)

or failing those ... "LeatherFace" from TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE!

but wait ... TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE ... isn't that Dubya's secret codename for his administration's plans for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska?