Hulk ★★½ 2003 (PG-13)

Hulk SMASH! Hulk explore Oedipal relationship. Hulk confused! Scientist Bruce Banner (Bana) gets zapped by gamma rays during an experiment gone wrong, and finds out that it's harder than ever to control his temper. Ang Lee classes up the summer superhero blockbuster genre by going beyond the special effects and action (but he doesn't leave ‘em behind, either) to explore Banner's troubled relationships with girlfriend/colleague Betty (Connolly) and wacked-out former scientist dad David (Nolte). The extra depth may be jarring for the target fanboy audience, but it should play better to people looking for a little thought with their thrills. Solid performances by Bana, Connolly, and Elliot as Betty's aloof, gungho military man father help Lee pull off the more angstridden moments. 138m/C VHS, DVD, HD DVD . US Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Josh(ua) Lucas, Sam Elliott, Nick Nolte, Paul Kersey, Cara Buono, Mike Erwin, Celia Weston; Cameos: Lou Ferrigno, Stan Lee; D: Ang Lee; W: James Schamus, Michael France, John Turman; C: Frederick Elmes; M: Danny Elfman.

hulk / həlk/ • n. 1. an old ship stripped of fittings and permanently moored, esp. for use as storage or (formerly) as a prison. ∎  any large disused structure: hulks of abandoned machinery.2. a large or unwieldy boat or other object. ∎  a large, clumsy-looking person: a six-foot hulk of a man.• v. [intr.] appear large or threatening: mile-high cliffs, hulking above wild-rushing glacial streams. ∎  move heavily or clumsily: a single figure hulking across the screen, stopping to kick or stab.

hulk
A. ship, esp. large ship of burden OE.; body of a dismantled ship XVII;

B. big unwieldy person XVI. Late OE. hulc, prob. reinforced in ME. from MLG. hulk, holk(e), MDu. hulc, -ke (Du. hulk).