This article is about the 2003 film.
- For the 2008 film, see The Incredible Hulk.
Hulk is a 2003 American superhero film based on the fictional Marvel Comics character of the same name directed by Ang Lee which stars Eric Bana as the title character, Jennifer Connelly as Betty Ross, Sam Elliott as General Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross , Josh Lucas, and Nick Nolte as Bruce's father. The film explores the origins of Bruce Banner, who after a lab accident involving gamma radiation finds himself able to turn into a huge green-skinned monster whenever he is emotionally provoked or stressed, while he is pursued by the United States military and comes into a conflict with his biological father, who has his own dark agenda for his son.
Plot[]
During the 1960s, scientist David Banner has the idea to forge supersoldiers by introducing modified DNA sequences extracted from various animals to strengthen the human cellular response, but General Thaddeus Ross denies him permission to use human subjects, considering it dangerous and stupid. Banner subsequently conducts the experiments on himself. After the birth of his son Bruce, he finds that his son may have inherited the effects and seeks a cure, but is stopped in the process by a furious Ross who'd found out about the secret work. Following a traumatic event, Bruce remembers nothing of the incident, and has been raised by the Krenzlers.
Years later, Bruce is a geneticist working with colleague and girlfriend Betty Ross, within the Berkeley Biotechnology Institute on nanomed research to achieve instantaneous cell repair by using low-level gamma radiation exposure to turn on the nanomeds once they are introduced into a living organism, planning to use it to cure all from sicknesses such as cancer and Alzheimer's. They get harassed by Major Glenn Talbot who plans to use the work to forge supersoldiers. During routine maintenance of their appropriated gamma-ray spectrometer, a circuit shorts and triggers the experiment's program sequence. Unable to prevent the machine from firing, Bruce throws himself in front of a colleague to shield the man and is exposed to a massive amount of gamma radiation.
Betty visits Bruce in the hospital and remarks that he should be dead, but Bruce feels great. A new janitor at the lab claims that he is Bruce's biological father, whom Bruce forgot. Bruce presumes the janitor was lying until he finds it was truth when he checks his own genes. When under extreme stress, Bruce transforms into the Hulk, a huge, humanoid, green-skinned monstrous being who destroys the laboratory, though Bruce forgets soon after. General Ross suspects Bruce of collaborating with David Banner but deduces Bruce has repressed memories after questioning. He orders Bruce to be put under house arrest.
Through a phone call with his father, Bruce learns that the radiation unleashed something that was already in his DNA, and that David Banner plans to have Betty killed by his dogs, which now have similar powers to the Hulk thanks to David mutating them with gamma radiation. Bruce is then attacked by Talbot who accused him of going behind the back to cut him from the work, leading to a second transforming into the Hulk. The Hulk seriously injures Talbot before leaping to save Betty. After being wounded in a lengthy struggle, he kills David's dogs and changes back into Bruce before being captured by the military the next morning.
Bruce is kept under observation at a secret desert base, while Talbot intends to weaponize the Hulk's powers. David tries to recreate Bruce's failed experiment, but instead of turning into another Hulk he finds himself able to absorb any material he touches or energy to which he is exposed. He hands himself over to the military after lying to Betty and telling that he had accidentally murdered his wife in front of the child Bruce due to fury done by Ross's interference.
Bruce has a nightmare about the event, he realises his father thought he was a monster and tried to kill him while his mother protected him. This leads to a more powerful transformation into the Hulk. While attempting to gain a sample of the monster, Talbot is killed by a grenade-launcher he uses. The Hulk escapes Desert Base and rampages across the desert to San Francisco, battling Army forces sent after him. Betty calms Bruce into his human form.
David tries to taunt his son into transforming into the Hulk, but fails. He then decides to "go first" and bites an electrical cable, absorbing all the electricity in San Francisco. The electricity hits Bruce, triggering his own transformation. A brutal fight ensues between David and the Hulk, with David absorbing the Hulk's energy. It proves too much for David to handle, but when he himself transforms into a massive creature, he is killed by an Army missile. One year later, Bruce is presumed dead, while General Ross mentions apparent Hulk sightings and Betty admits her love for Bruce. In a South American jungle, Bruce has become a doctor and is approached by rebel militants who want to take medical supplies from the poor. Bruce faces the militants' leader, warning him that, "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry". His eye turns green and the roar of the Hulk is heard from the distance.
Cast[]
- Eric Bana as Bruce Banner / Hulk
- Mike Erwin as sixteen-year-old Bruce Banner
- Damon James as nine-year-old Bruce Banner
- Bailey James as five-year-old Bruce Banner
- Michael Kronenberg as four-year-old Bruce Banner
- David Kronenberg as two-year-old Bruce Banner
- Jennifer Connelly as Betty Ross
- Rhiannon Leigh Wryn as young Betty Ross
- Sam Elliott as General Thunderbolt Ross
- Todd Tesen as Young Thaddeus Ross
- Josh Lucas as Major Glenn Talbot
- Paul Kersey as Young David Banner
- Cara Buono as Edith Banner
- Celia Weston as Mrs. Krenzler
- Kevin Rankin as Harper
- Jesse Corti as Colonel
Reboot[]
Hulk was followed by a reboot: The Incredible Hulk which was released in 2008.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
| Hulk |
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| Hulk (2003), The Incredible Hulk (2008) |