The Incredible Hulk
Dir: Louis Leterrier
2008
***
Louis Leterrier's The Incredible Hulk is a much better version than Ang Lee's 2003 version. The Hulk looks more realistic (although still not as good as his later version), the story is stronger, the style is darker and it has, in my opinion, a much stronger cast.  Edward Norton plays Bruce Banner well (although I'm glad Mark Ruffalo has since taken over as he really excels in the part) but it is Tim Roth who I believe really steals the show. Leterrier does not over do the action either, it is there but the characters, their relationships and story come first. The big part of the film, and the part that almost overshadows the whole production, is the cameo at the end by Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man. The whole thing was a set up for the Avengers, a pretty weak one to be fair (especially compared to Iron Man that was released around the same time) and probably the reason why another wasn't made soon after. Many of the fan's favorite characters have been left out of the Avengers series, which is a terrible shame, because as much as this was a better film than 2003's, it still wasn't quite good enough and poor old Samuel Sterns (The Leader) and Betty Ross (Red She-Hulk anyone?) have been forgotten as a result.