Movies: The Incredible Hulk

While this is technically a sequel to another movie, it's not necessary for you to have seen the first one to enjoy this; in fact, it's probably better if you didn't see the first one (or hated it). This one is actually pretty close to the Hulk from the comics. The character is actually named Bruce (the character on the TV show was "David" Banner) and he actually became the Hulk via gamma radiation poisoning (the first movie in the series had him inheriting it).

The first movie was so far off the mark that they retconned it. Retcon = retroactive continuity, and (short version) is something they do when they pretend a previous story didn't exist. In this case, the events that are the new history for the movie are relayed in the opening credit sequence. So, if you hated the first Hulk, or didn't see it, you're good to go with this one. (No post-credit sequence, unlike Iron Man, so don't feel like you have to sit through all the credits.)

As for my response to the film: Pretty darn good, actually. (You can read some surprise in that phrasing.) I didn't follow Hulk in the comics -- all I knew was the TV version, and I don't even remember that too well. I see some of these (comic-based) movies because I want to, some because John does. This was one of the latter, but I enjoyed it. (Hellboy II will be one we both want to see -- me probably more than him!) Edward Norton makes for an excellent Bruce Banner, and Liv Tyler a good Betty Ross, especially when she's exhibiting Betty's temper.

Since Marvel has gotten production control of their own stories now (starting with Iron Man), you can expect to see more good movies in this genre, and probably more cross-overs (you did sit through to the post-credit sequence in Iron Man, right?), leading up to an Avengers movie.

I wish I could work out a fun & quirky rating system, but it's kind of reverse: a zero would mean I got no knitting done, which would mean the movie was so engrossing that I forgot to knit (Prince Caspain). A one or two would be some knitting, a four would be plenty of knitting. But that's not how movie ratings work, so I haven't figured one out yet. A thought: How about balls of yarn? The more balls left mean the least knitting?