Official Rating: PG-13
Days Without Incident. Imagine if that's how you had to count your life—by how long it has been since you last became a rampaging monster. Thus is the unfortunate life of Bruce Banner, mutated in an unfortunate experiment with gamma rays. Once his heart rate reaches two hundred beats per minute, he becomes the rage monster to end all range monsters, gaining the ability to throw a forklift like a softball and crush metal like melted butter. Bullets, grenades, tranquilizers, concrete—it all bounces off his nuclear hide. But in spite of all that, Bruce hates the monster he can become. He's really a peaceful, nonconfrontational type, and this condition has made him a fugitive, hunted by the US Government, sought after by a power-hungry special-ops fighter, and separated from Elizabeth Ross, the love of his life. Will the mysterious Mr. Blue cure him and save the day? Or will all this to-do merely lead to the awakening of... an Abomination?
Good Parts:
The beloved characters from the comic books are well represented in this movie. Bruce Banner is a sympathetic and complex individual, being a scientific genius and generally upstanding fellow when he's not green. Even when he is green, he seems to retain a degree of his intelligence, using his surroundings resourcefully to beat his enemies. He genuinely cares about Betty, first running away to protect her from himself and tapping into greater power when she is threatened. Additionally, he recognizes the danger of the power within him and just wants to be normal again. For those who are also of a scientific persuasion, there are many instances of the discipline that intrigue even the uninitiated. People are refreshingly kind to him when he is in hiding, and most eventually come to terms with his existence. There's some occasional wry humor and everything is very well-produced.
Religion:
A policeman tells him "God bless you", and the name of God is taken lightly at least once.
Violence:
In short: yes, quite a lot. When the Hulk first breaks out at the lab, there's a lot of destruction and a little blood. Some kid in some sitcom that is briefly glimpsed when Bruce is surfing through the TV channels hits an authority figure. In Brazil he studies a martial art to control his body, where the instructor slaps him a few times. A cut of his has to be mended rapidly and dramatically. During a chase through the streets and a factory, dogs are tranquilized by the swat team, Bruce has to use his martial art on some roughs who get in the way, and of course, he Hulks out. Throughout the movie, he throws around a lot of antagonists and kicks someone into a tree, making "most of the bones in his body look like crushed gravel." His opponents are no better, at one point invading a university campus with an antagonist's typical disregard for the safety of people and property, and never giving Bruce a chance to resolve this diplomatically. Betty gives a soldier a bloody nose when they are trying to apprehend her, When two characters are in New York City, they hire an aggressive cabbie that almost makes the Hulk break out. No one compares, though, to Abomination. Near the end of the movie, this villain arises and wreaks more havoc than anyone—in New York City, of course. And everyone causes random and novel destruction. The exact number of casualties is unknown (it's at least three), but let's just say everyone's spending a lot of time in the hospital at least.
Sexual Content:
When he works in the Brazilian factory, a female colleague of his is advanced on by some other worker, and he steps in to help. He briefly drops into her apartment to hide just when she finishes a shower, but she is in a bathrobe. Banner and Betty Ross have a deep and painful love for each other, which, fortunately, does not manifest itself as badly as it might have, even when they share unsupervised living quarters. While they are on the run, they almost engage in intimate relations before it proves to excite him too much. Bruce's Hulk pants don't fit very well and are ragged in non-explicit places. He has a traumatic flashback while alone in the shower, but things not to be seen are conveniently covered. Milder demonstrations of affection like kissing and hugging also take place, and the above-mentioned cabbie attempts to flirt with the female protagonist.
Language:
the usual colorful terms like D---, h---. and p---off can unfortunately be heard. The SH word is begun but not finished. People shout angrily in general and someone calls someone else a b---. In addition to all the violence mentioned above, there are occasional threats of it as well.
Supernatural:
Hulk's power is referred to as godlike, and Bruce employs meditation to keep himself calm.
Other:
Suspenseful medical and military imagery and procedures with fast cuts occur throughout, often in the form of traumatic flashbacks. Since the government is trying to recreate the monster, Banner is intentionally viewed in a negative light. Consequently, a certain character has a rocky relationship with her parent in the government, and said parent can be shamefully uncaring. Some strange science happens with corresponding mad scientists. Betty and Bruce mention a volunteered experimentation they did in college that induced hallucinations. He has to eat and throw up a data drive. Someone smokes a cigar, peeing in one's pants is mentioned, and Bruce bribes a policeman with a pizza.
Summary:
Well. The Incredible Hulk is certainly an exciting adventure. With appealing characters, an exciting story, and staggering visuals, it presents the story of the classic Marvel monster in ways that both terrify and intrigue. In short, if you are looking for a great action movie, a dramatic tale of Jekyll and Hyde, or just the next installment of the Infinity Saga, this movie is for you. However, the intense levels of violence, suspense, and drama make this a film that is not for the faint of heart. HULK SMASH! Score 8/10
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