Well, you're probably wondering what I think of the Hulk movie which is slated to come out in a few weeks but which I have had the fortune of seeing early. In short, it's disappointing. I had high hopes because post-Crouching Tiger Ang Lee is a real cinephile's action director, and I was expecting, to quote myself, "mind-blowing action with an introspective edge."

Unfortunatly, the action wasn't mind-blowing at all, nor was there even very much of it. Most of the Hulk's big action sequences are set in forests or deserts where you don't really get the sense of his power. When he does show up in the city, the colatteral damage he unleashes is pedestrian at best. Plus, the Hulk looks like a cartoon throughout. I don't like CGI when it's transposed with real stuff; it will always look like Roger Rabbit.

In fact the movie owes more to Lee's Joy Luck Club than to Crouching Tiger. Most of the 2-hour 12 minute running time is filled with endless jabbering. Even worse its that it seems largely pointless, since it never advances what megre plot is availble. The movie basically follows this formula: jabbber, jabber, jabber... sudden unexplanted plot device... jabber, jabber, jabber, mild action sequence... repeat three times. And, since the script never seems to pin down who these characters are nor why we should care about them or their plight, the jabbering is just boring, not insightful. The tragedy: The Hulk is a Jekel and Hyde of the most human sort; we can all relate to losing our tempers and feeling like a mindless beast, particularly when, in our unthinking rage, we hurt the ones we love. That's what makes the Hulk an interesting character, and, other than a small section of dialogue and really stellar acting from Eric Bana, the movie never explores that theme. Freaking Mallrats did it better in one line.

There is an interesting effect used throughout the film to mimic comic panels. Sometimes it seems brilliant-- particularly in the initial lab sequence-- but mostly it looks like a cheap 1970s camera trick. Other highlights include Jennifer Connelly showing off her Best Supporting Actress chops by acting circles around everone else in the first act and a Stan Lee cameo.

As far as recent comic book movies go, this is no Spider-Man nor is it X2. It might be a better movie than Daredevil but it's not as much fun to watch, if you can imagine that. I give it two and a half stars for some nice visuals. This one just never comes together.