Anger Mismanagement

9:34am Monday 16th June 2008

THE Incredible Hulk is back with avengance, in a top notch Marvel movie designed to kick-start the characters franchise-proper, after a slightly odd detour in 2003.

This film has no connection to the previous cinema outing, and takes it's lead from the hit 1970's TV series, starring Bill Bixby as Dr Banner, and enormous Lou Ferrigno as his short tempered alter ego. (Ferrigno provides the Hulks voice, roar, and appears in a nifty cameo role.) Star Edward Norton, a fan of the series and Marvel comic books, largely tailored the script in personal rewrites, and it's fantastic. The film skirts the time consuming origins of the Hulk by cleverly following the shows example, and having a three minutes info dump in the credits which can lead straight into Banner being a fugitive. The movie is filled with affectionate humour and mischievous asides.

A cracking good action film, well cast, and moving at a fast pace, with sterling support from Liv Tyler as Banner's girlfriend Betty Ross. Double-dealing Oscars should go to Tim Roth, as the Special Ops renegade who becomes The Abomination, and William Hurt, as the General Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross, a commanding Officer Dr Strangelove would have adored.

The Hulk (122 mintues) is out now.

This is the first film review from Worcester artist Glenn James. To find out what's on go to worcesternews.co.uk/whatson/cinema.