SOURCE.

Hiring lettered Hollywood superego Ed Norton to portray the quintessential Marvel Comics id is what's known as interesting casting—and it basically works, although the role doesn't necessarily demand much from the polyvariously skilled thespian. In a sense, director Louis Leterrier and screenwriter Zak Penn have fashioned a leaner, meaner take on the growly green giant that is itself all id. Whereas Ang Lee's 2003 reimagining was well-meaning but misbegotten—pensive and painterly in its approach to a genre that thrives on quick cuts and broad strokes—the now-Incredible Hulk is almost entirely delivered via second-act set pieces and minimal fussy character development or internal conflict. And while Lee practically oozed disdain for his source material with his highfalutin Shakespearian flourishes and Freudian obsessions, Leterrier dispenses his bumps and jolts with workmanlike efficiency—pausing occasionally to pay sly respect to the franchise's forbears. There isn't much in the way of depth or nuance to this do-over, but it also manages not to be boring or overtly preposterous for nearly two hours—which is a qualified success in its own right. (PS. Bruce Banner? The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants called. They want their Mom Jeans back.) Grade: B