For as much as comic boy geeks hated Ang Lee's 2003 "Hulk", Lee actually got more right with his big green giant than Louis Leterrier does with his in 2008's not-so-great "The Incredible Hulk".
From the start, "The Incredible Hulk" becomes very formulaic, the same superhero formula that we see in so many other superhero movies. For one, there is a lack of emotion and depth in Bruce Banner and the Hulk, played by Ed Norton. One thing many critics and myself enjoyed about Ang Lee's 2003 version was the well done character, depth, emotion, and story of Bruce Banner. For some reason, Leterrier decided to skip all that "boring stuff" and jump straight to mindless big-screen action. Ultimately, that hurts the film.
Banner, in Ang Lee's "Hulk", played by Eric Bana, is actually believable as a human with a monster counter-part. The one memorable line from Lee's 2003 movie was Bana's confession to Betty Ross; "When it happens, when it comes over me, when I totally lose control ... I like it." That line illustrates emotion and character depth and makes us believe he has two personas. In Leterrier's 2008 version, Ed Norton delivers no such meditation. The only reflections he gives on being the Hulk are scientific. Blase blase.
To sum it up, if you want action every other scene, Letterier's "The Incredible Hulk" is for you, that is, if you also enjoy one dimensional characters and the run-of-the-mill superhero formula. Is it fun? Yes, it is a fun movie. Interesting? No.
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