The Incredible Hulk Edit Bay Visit: Part One
IGN sees footage from the Marvel movie "requel" check out our in-depth description!
by Eric Moro
May 27, 2008 - "We have to all together make people understand that this is not a sequel to the first movie, but it's not a reboot of the first movie it's not another origin story." Louis Leterrier, director, The Incredible Hulk
IGN Movies does its part by officially introducing the following term into the English language lexicon:
requel (ree'kwəl), n. A literary, dramatic, or cinematic work whose narrative serves to propel a story forward without continuing from a preexisting work or starting the storyline over again.
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Now that we've got that taken care of, IGN joined a number of online outlets in a visit to the Universal Pictures lot where the filmmakers behind the comic-to-feature film requel The Incredible Hulk director Louis Leterrier, producer Kevin Feige, and producer Gale Anne Hurd screened four completed sequences. What we saw, for lack of a better word, was awesome; this reporter (a self-proclaimed gamma nerd) nearly "hulked" out in the theater due to an over-excited heart rate. But even more awesome: IGN was ushered back into the theater after the other journalists had left and shown one more super-secret scene (a perk of being a self-proclaimed gamma nerd, we suppose).
What follows is a detailed description of the footage screened. While we avoid discussing particular plot points, this could be considered SPOILERISH to those who like going into their movies fresh. So read at your own risk
"This is the two and a half minute intro to the movie that sets the stage," explains Feige of the first sequence screened. "For a long time people have been asking, 'Is it a sequel? Is it a reboot?' And in these two and a half minutes, the idea is that everybody will have everything they need to know. There was a lab, there was a love, there was an experiment, there was an accident, there was a man hunt, and now
the movie starts."
After the familiar animated Universal Pictures and Marvel Studios logos flash across the screen, the film's opening credit sequence begins. Quick cuts of what look like gamma-irradiated cells (green in color) and human body X-rays combine with cast and crew title cards. The real "meat" of this sequence, however, comes in the form of an origin story. In one of several fanboy "tip of the hat" moments, Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) is seen sitting in a hi-tech lab chair conducting a strength enhancing experiment. The close-up on his face as the gamma emitter's targeting system lines its crosshairs across his forehead screams TV era Bill Bixby! Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) watches through a glass window, concern in her eyes.
- NBC UniversalMovie Banner vs. TV Banner.
Obviously, the experiment goes horribly awry, as the next shot is of a destroyed lab. The Hulk's giant green hand can be seen knocking over instruments and then
Banner's worst nightmare. Betty lies on the ground bloody and unconscious, a victim of the Green Goliath's rampage. In runs General "Thunderbolt" Ross (William Hurt), who is quickly pummeled by the creature. He lies over his daughter's body in an effort to protect her that same giant green hand reaching down at him before the scene abruptly ends.
Banner now sits by Betty's hospital bed, holding her hand. She appears to be in a coma, and he is visibly wracked with guilt. The next shot is of Banner and General Ross, whose arm is in a sling, getting into a heated argument. It seems the military man: a) is upset with the failed experiment, in which he must've played a part at least, that's the implication; b) does not want Banner anywhere near his daughter. With that, the gamma-stricken scientist flees the hospital and goes on the run.
The chase is now on as General Ross commits his vast military resources to capturing Banner/the Hulk. Quick cuts of newspaper clippings (with headlines like "Green Bigfoot Spotted"), computer screens ("Five months since last sighting"), departmental memos ("From the office of Nick Fury"), and rolling military equipment (carting Stark Industries weapons) interact with close-ups of an angry general and his grieving daughter (sad because Banner is out of her life, perhaps?). The entire opening credits sequence ends with Banner jolting up from bed, as if all of the aforementioned imagery were part of his bad nightmare, and grabbing a metronome a devise used to create a consistent, monotonous sound.
"He tries to live his life as secretly as possible," says Leterrier, while setting up the second sequence. "And something happens; he's discovered. And that's when General Ross, who's been on the hunt as you've seen in the credit sequence, locates him on the world map. He assembles a team of experts, and one of these experts is Emil Blonsky. He's like a super commando a soldier's soldier. He's at the end of his [career physically], and the action sequence we're going to show you [demonstrates] that he's smart but not so [physically] powerful anymore."
"He's right on that cusp of retirement," adds Feige. "Maybe he should have, as Louis said, become a commander behind a desk a year or two ago. But he loves being in the chase; loves being in the hunt. He's quite effective as you're about to see, but by the end of it he catches a glimpse of something that showcases the power that he wants to tap into and, of course, it's the Hulk."
Banner is on the run. A portion of this scene is glimpsed in the trailer as the scientist pulls a red hoodie up over his head and takes off around a corner. What viewers aren't aware of is that he's running from General Ross, Blonsky (the human incarnation of the Abomination, played by Tim Roth), and a slew of soldiers. The chase takes the men through Brazilian alley ways and rooftops, where the pursued and pursuers leap from building to building. Back on the ground, Banner stops behind a building to check the beeping watch on his wrist. It's actually a heart rate monitor warning its wearer of a dangerously high level 175 beats per minute. Banner calms himself down, lowering the number into the 140 range. This done, he takes off again
and runs right into General Ross.
- Universal PicturesBanner on the run.
He B-lines in the opposite direction and falls out of the fryer pan, into the fire. In more literal terms, he runs right into a group of local bullies. Immediately, they begin to harass the "gringo." Banner does his best to quickly diffuse the situation, but is forced to resort to some martial arts trickery to get past the thugs. (Clearly, this is not the same, geeky scientist from the opening credit sequence.) Now being chased by the military and the hooligans, Banner runs into a bottling factory. Unfortunately, it's here where he is cornered by the thugs, who proceed to give him the beat down.
The military descends on the building and surrounds the group one of the thugs is actually taken down by a military fired tranquilizer dart. But the stress of the situation is just too much; Banner's heart rate shoots up to 200, triggering his off camera transformation into The Hulk. (The audience is privy to the close up of those all too familiar green eyes.)
- Universal PicturesThe transformation begins.
In short order, an "in the shadows" Hulk disposes of the remaining thugs throwing one of them from one end of the building to the other. The military is ordered in with full force, firing tranqs into the creature's back
all of which merely bounce off its thick skin. The Hulk, mind you, is merely trying to flee the scene. It isn't until the commandos up the ante by firing machine guns and later a grenade at it, does the monster actually battle the troops. Blonsky keeps his distance throughout the entire confrontation, firing on the Green Goliath only after all of his troops have been dispatched. It's here that the Hulk steps out of the shadows giving audiences their first clear, close-up shot of its face. The creature throws a large piece of equipment at Blonsky, sending him flying. It then uses a massive water tank to break through the wall and escape.
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"[Lou Ferrigno] did do a really fun little cameo, which we're actually going to show you here," explains Feige of the next sequence. "He actually has two parts in the movie: this fun little cameo we're going to show you and then Louis offered him, on the stage of the New York Comic-Con, to come in and do the voice [of the Hulk]. People wrote after that, 'Was he kidding? Was Louis kidding?' So [Lou] came in and he recorded a few lines that along with having been processed by Dave Farmer, who's a great sound guy that did most of the vocalizations for King Kong Lou is now the credited voice of the Hulk."
Banner is on a college campus, the insinuation being this is his old place of employment. He is trying to sneak up to the fifth floor of a building (his old lab?) and in so doing disguises himself as a pizza delivery guy. He stops at the desk of a security guard explaining he has a couple of pies to drop off. The guard is Ferrigno himself, advising Banner that there is no one on the fifth floor. The scientist *** pizza boy puts on his best "Oh, man
if I don't at least try to drop these off, I'll get fired" performance, but the guard isn't buying it. It's not until he bribes Ferrigno with one of the pizzas that the "hulking" security guard grants him access. A fun little sequence and one that fans of the live-action TV series will appreciate.
"[So now we're going] to take you over to the mixing stage and show you something that is right out of the comic," says Feige, as he leads the gathered journalists onto another area of the lot. "This is more of our finale, which is something that could only have come out of the comic the homage."
Bruce is in shackles and is walking toward the opening cargo door of an "in mid-air" helicopter. Betty is begging him to stop, warning he's not even sure if he'll change. "But I've got to try," responds the scientist clearly the Hulk is the only "thing" strong enough to stop the rampage of the Abomination taking place on the city street below. The two engage in a passionate kiss before Bruce pulls away and allows himself to fall backward out of the helicopter. The thought is that his heart rate will soar, triggering his transformation before he hits the ground. But something's wrong; Banner is calmly freefalling through the air, certain he'll change. Suddenly, he throws open his eyes
"Oh, *****!"
Blam! Bruce hits the ground hard, making a huge impact crate in the street. A few tense moments later, a familiar green fist breaks up through the asphalt followed by the Hulk itself. The CG shot of the creature has been tinkered with a bit since it first debuted in the trailer. The creature now wears the remnants of a tattered white shirt, instead of just being bare-chested.
- Universal PicturesThe Hulk makes a vicious set of brass knuckles.
The Green Goliath lets out a loud roar, to which the Abomination replies, "Hulk." A tone of recognition in its voice yep, the Abomination talks (just like in the comic book). A wide shot shows the two monsters running toward each other. They leap and collide midair, with the Hulk the loser of this impact. The hero is thrown back hundreds of feet; the blow massive. It gets up but is wobbly, clearly shaken from the hit. "Come on!" screams the Abomination.
And in direct response, the Hulk literally rips a nearby police car in half. It smashes the two sides into what can only be described as massive brass knuckles and proceeds to beat the living crap out of its enemy. Any concerns readers may have as to the quality of the CG go right out the window the second these two creatures start pounding on each other the fights are so colossal, audiences will only be focused on the seat shaking blows. Back to the story
the Hulk literally beats the Abomination into the ground. Clearly, the creature has to be dead. On the contrary, the evil anti-Hulk just looks up at the Green Goliath and asks, "That all you got?" To which it launches the Hulk out of frame with a massive kick.
"Louis and Edward [Norton] had always talked about getting the audience to a point where, having seen nothing but the eyes transform in the bottling factory [referenced above] and the very traditional telling of the transformation through cuts at the university, they are asking, 'Are they going to show it? Do you think we're going to actually see Edward Norton turn into the Hulk?' And you're about to get the answer to that."
Ah, yes
IGN's super secret scene. In this particular sequence, two separate but equally significant events are taking place. First, a military base setting is established helicopters are prepping for takeoff, soldiers obviously readying for a mission. Cut to the locker room where Blonksy is staring at himself in the mirror. But those who are watching closely are rewarded with the imagery of boney spikes rising up through his skin along his spine the transformation into the Abomination is beginning. Cut back to the helicopters; Blonsky, now dressed for his mission, takes his place in the carrier. A soldier sitting across from him asks, "How you feeling, man?" To which Blonsky responds cheerily, "Like a monster."
Flash to a different setting what appears to be a college or makeshift laboratory. Bruce is being strapped onto a table by Samuel Sterns (who fans of the comic book know as the Leader, played here by Tim Blake Nelson), Betty loyally at his side. The assumption is that he is about to undergo an experiment to rid himself of the Hulk. However, Samuel can't inject Bruce with the antidote until the transformation occurs. So in order to instigate that, Samuel shocks Bruce with electricity.
- Universal PicturesThe painful transformation.
This is the money shot: The full blown, on-camera, in broad daylight shot of Bruce transforming into the Hulk. This is a painful transformation, indeed. Bruce begins to convulse, as all the veins in his body become eerily visible a dark green road map spread across his body. What can best be described as a massive tumor erupts out of Bruce's left shoulder. Only, it's not a tumor; rather, it's his muscle increasing in mass and changing color. Next, his left hand enlarges before his entire arm and torso is overtaken. His screaming head is the last body part to change, and what's most amazing about this moment is that the viewer will be hard-pressed to tell when the real-life Norton is replaced by his monstrous CG counterpart on the table. The transition is that seamless.
Of course, no mere leather restraints can keep the Hulk bound. The creature rips out of its shackles and looks around the room before the screen goes black. Is the antidote administered? Is Bruce actually cured of his gamma curse once and for all? Audiences will have to wait until June 13, 2008 to find out.
http://movies.ign.com/articles/876/876568p1.html
