Amazon.com video review:
Writer, producer, and director Kenneth Johnson has completely reworked the story of Dr. Banner and his mean, green alter ego, but this new rendition works quite well in its TV format. After failing to save his wife from a burning car wreck, David Banner obsessively delves into research exploring rare adrenaline surges that give people superhuman strength in extraordinary situations. Discovering that the secret lies in the surge of gamma rays from sunspots, Banner purposely absorbs a massive dose of gamma radiation in his lab to try to improve his strength. The unanticipated result? You know--when he gets mad, he transforms into the giant green dude known as the Hulk. Unlike the subsequent TV series, this original film focuses on Banner's anger and despair over losing his wife rather than his being an unlikely hero on the run. It provides for many compelling moments as he seeks to comprehend his confusing metamorphosis, and as the Hulk becomes a threat to the unspoken romance between him and his supportive colleague and confidant, Dr. Elaina Marks. The late Bill Bixby delivers a warm, sympathetic performance as the tortured Dr. Banner, Susan Sullivan is believable as the brave, level-headed Dr. Marks, and Jack Colvin provides the sleaze factor as pesky tabloid reporter Jack McGee. Forgiving its '70s look and vibe, The Incredible Hulk is a smart comic-book adaptation that lets its protagonist do some soul-searching rather than provide a one-dimensional caricature. Kudos to Joseph Harnell's score, which strongly enhances the film's emotional content. --Bryan Reesman
