Thursday, April 12, 2007

Hulk is coming!

So they are redoing the Hulk movie! There has been a great deal of discussion about the Hulk as a remake. Like for instance, is it a remake when its predecessor only came out about 5 years ago? Must a comic book action film stay 100% true to it's source to please fans? Can a superhero movie be the backdrop for a deeper drama film?
The first Hulk film was met with complaints that the film was too much about Bruce Banner and not the Hulk... the dislike of the picture in picture editing... the lack of wall to wall smashing... and other such complaints. I mean wow! First off... this was an Ang Lee Film! Need we say more. I felt he brought the same creative ability that he did to his other films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Sense and Sensibility. While the film was not perfect, no film is. It's story was engaging and entertain, not an industry changing film. Yet does it have to be the pinnacle of films to be enjoyed? It's visual effects were good but not grand, I must admit I did not care for Hulks character design. Yet overall a very enjoyable movie. For those who cry of too much Banner I say... Banner is the Hulk! What are you crying about! And as for those who didn't like the picture in picture editing, it was a comic book movie. I found it the most comic like visual presentation of a movie to date. And for the wall to wall smashing, only wanting to see 120 minutes of the Hulk smashing things... Well we can just write them off as uneducated fouls who don't know what they want. Because I guarantee you that if you gave them that with no actually story, they would last 30 minutes before leaving the theatre.
I must say I have great hopes for the new Hulk. It is going to look amazing! That much I "KNOW" (emphasis). As for the story... without having read the script I can't say but I think from what I "KNOW"... it is going to be good. And for all the "Hulk SMASH" guys... It looks like it should have a lot of that too. But this is all just speculation based on a few things I can't discuss without getting fired. Hulk fans... what say you?

3 comments:

cblakes said...

Rob - awesome blog! I'm excited to read what you're up to in movie-dom.

About The Hulk, are you working on the movie? on the fx?

From what I remember of my reaction to the "original" movie, I noticed how much it looked like a comic book rendition, but I felt kind of perturbed by it. I think I felt the pacing or something wasn't quite right. To compare another comic book movie, Batman Begins FELT like a comic book movie more to me than any other. Somehow through the cinematography, scene sequences and story design it captured for me, the feeling of a batman comic book.

But I'm guilty of not reading The Hulk comics much, except for The Hulk vs. The Thing, which is awesome. In fact that's what I'd love to see. Now that Hollywood has comic book movies down, let's pair them up - fantastic four vs. x-men, hulk vs. thing, batman vs....green lantern? I dunno... so I'm way off of the hulk topic now...so sorry

Rob Au said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rob Au said...

Chris - thanks for posting! I have really been enjoying your blog.

First. No I am not on the Hulk as of yet. Maybe later this year though. Who knows as of right now I would give it a 50/50 chance. I may get rolled on to it after my current project. Just depends how fast Rhythm ramps up for it. I am currently on Golden Compass. It should be a fun family film.

As to the Hulk film itself. This one will be totally different from "Hulk". It is not a sequel. It is a do-over, as Marvel likes to call it. I admit the first film had flaws but I did enjoy the film being a Hulk fan myself. It wasn't super loyal to the Hulk comics but I don't think it was a typical super hero film. It was more a drama with a big green guy that came crashing in all the time. A comic rendition of Romeo & Juliet.

As to do we have the comic genre down? I don't know if I agree. What films have been successful? Batman and Spider-man, X-men, limitedly Superman. The rest are on the fringe at best... Fantastic Four, Dare Devil, Hulk, Punisher, Elektra, The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, Catwoman, to name a few.

So far comic book films being successful (and I'm not talking only about making money but being well written) has been the exception not the rule. I an interested to see how things develop because Marvel and DC are slating every title they have it seems like.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_based_on_DC_Comics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_based_on_Marvel_Com

(I had to moderate myself! Haha! Got to punchy with the publish comment button before reading it over.)