The Incredible Hulk can be entertaining, but compared to the movies that later raise the bar for the MCU, it pales in comparison. While the darker tone (and lighting) was an interesting concept on paper, the execution lacked energy: Bruce Banner as a character always felt more flat than developed.Īll in all, the movie, while promising, seems to be one of the MCU’s very few missteps at the beginning of their franchise. Though Edward Norton is doubtlessly a talented actor, the recast Bruce Banner, Mark Ruffalo, fits the character far better during his later re-introduction in Avengers (2012). With slow, unbalanced pacing and odd dialogue choices, the film’s most exciting moment was the end-of-credits stinger. As it stands, many fans forget that the film even exists at first glance, a new viewer entering the Marvel fandom would be unclear as to whether or not the movie is part of the MCU at all.Īlthough set up with an interesting and tragic premise, The Incredible Hulk nevertheless is the most forgettable movie in Phase 1. The film, however, lacked the focus, humor, and tight plot that it needed in order to become a beloved part of the MCU. As the second film of the MCU, it’s difficult to determine whether or not The Incredible Hulk was meant to be part of a larger universe (except for the mid-credits stinger), but The Incredible Hulk certainly gave its best shot.

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