Reykjavík Grapevine - 25.07.2003, Blaðsíða 15

- the reykjavík grapevine -14 july 25th - august 7th, 2003
CINEMA LISTINGS
THE FOLLOWING CINEMA LISTING IS FOR DATE OF
PUBLICATION (JULY 25). EXPECT SOME CHANGES
IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS
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A man is in the habit of waking up
not knowing where he is, torn clothes
or naked, aching all over and not
remembering anything while friends say
he´s been a monster. Sound familiar?
No, this is not a film about the trials and
and tribulations of an alcoholic (unless
metaphorical) but The Hulk, Hollywoods
latest Marvel Comics adaptation. In
the long opening sequence we see
David Banner, Bruce Banners father
dabbling in genetic research, genetics
being the new atomic energy of strange
and terrifying powers, infecting himself
and his son. This is probably meant
to make the story more plausible, but
in a story about a man turning into an
angry green giant, plausibility does not
seem of prime importance. In a nod to
the comics, Banner Jr. is also infected
with Gamma radiation and the Hulk is
born. Eric Bana seems to have been
chosen in the leading role because of
his tremendous chin, which probably
had the CGI department drooling at
the prospect of turning him into the
monster, while Jennifer Connelly plays
Betty Ross, one of those unbelievably
gorgeous science chicks that only
seem to exist in the minds of Hollywood
casting directors. Particularly annoying
is the constant split panelling. None of
this matters, though, because when
Banner turns green he looks, well, like a
computer generated travesty. When the
Hulk himself fails to convince, it doesn´t
really matter whether he´s hanging on
fighter jets or jumping upon the Golden
Gate Bridge. The all too obvious mix
of live action and graphics makes you
think of Mary Poppins rather than Jekyll
and Hyde. It is somehow assumed that
after the advent of CGI, anything can be
put up on the screen, whereas most
of the time, CGI looks like CGI. Lou
Ferrigno painted green was far more
effective. Perhaps it would have been
better to concentrate on the drama and
leave the monster out.
Proceedings are enlivened somewhat
by Nick Nolte as his mad scientist father,
the one charismatic character, and the
one you wind up routing for in the three
way struggle between himself, the Hulk
and the US Army. One can´t help but
think this is intentional. The Army is led
by heartless bastard Thaddeus Ross,
who even refers to Bruce Banner as
collateral damage, a nod to the Army´s
traditional disregard for the suffering of
individuals, and yes, there is something
gratifying about seeing M1-A1´s being
thrown about the desert. It is the
Army that meddles in the affairs of
scientists, preventing them from curing
diseases, probably in much the same
way heads of companies meddle in
the creative process of artists and
cartoonists. David Banner wants to
put an end to flag waving and armies,
seemingly the mad scientist is the
only sane person in an insane world.
Bruce perhaps represents the masses
caught in between, the masses that
can smash the military power of the
establishment if they want, but are
instead drugged with sex in the form
of Jennifer Connelly (as well as religion
and TV, of course), and is always bribed
back into complacance at the very
moment it could be overthrowing the
establishment. David offers him an
opportunity to really change things,
but the Hulk denies both great power
and responsibility, probably hoping to
be left alone with his girlfriend if he is
no longer a threat to society. Just as
the duel between the two seems on the
verge of capturing some of the thrill and
wild imagination of the comic book, the
story ends. Which is a shame. It has
much to commend it. It´s just a pity it
didn´t work better as a film.
VG
4, 6, 8 & 10 pm
Charlies Angels 2 4, 6, 8 & 10 pm
Legally Blonde 2 Premiers July 30th
Bruce Almighty Premiers August 8th
4, 6:30, 9 & 11:30 pm
Laugarás phone: 553 2075
THE HULK
Call for showtimes