The Incredible Hulk

The only thing incredible about 'The Incredible Hulk' is how unincredible it actually is. You would think that after countless graphic novels, a television series, several tv movies and a big budget feature, that someone would have learnt to tell the story of a guy who turns into a jolly green giant (minus the jolly) whenever he gets angry. But with 'The Incredible Hulk' they fail once more.
There are many villains in this piece to point the finger at. Norton in the main role is badly miscast; just because Bruce Banner is Jeckyll to Hulk's Hyde doesn't mean he has to be nondescript. Bana was bland enough in the first film, but Norton takes all the anger management stuff a little too seriously and stifles any emotion. If we are to care about his predicament we have to care about him, and we don't. Liv Tyler, on the other hand, gives the furniture a run for its money. To be fair to both though neither is served well by bland dialogue and a messy storyline. The real 'Abomination' is the unadventurous script.
There is some confusion as to whether this is a true sequel to the last movie or a standalone attempt at re-igniting the franchise. Granted the film starts in Brazil where the last film ended, but the credits sequence contradicts any connection and details, such as the use of Culver University instead of the earlier Californian institute, imply an alternative backstory. I can't see the reason for this; as Hitchcock said if the audience are confused, they're not emoting. i wasn't emoting.
And then there's Hulk.
Ang Lee's 'Hulk', for all its faults, looked beautiful, making almost a surreal virtue of the obviously animated CGI monster at its core. The new movie can't even claim that. Its attempts at more 'realism' are fatally sabotaged by the Green One himself who is even more artificial here than in the original. It almost had me wishing for Lou Ferrigno (who refreshingly does pop up in a cameo, but sans green makeup).
There is some humour and an unexpected cameo from another movie superhero, added no doubt to pave the way for hopefully better things in future installments. 'The Incredible Hulk' though is unlikely to win many more fans to the franchise, so it's questionable how many more installments there will actually be. By my reckoning it's time to call it a day; let Bruce salley forth along the highways and byways, rained upon and alone, but with at least a shred of dignity. But since when has Hollywood had any dignity?

Lust, Caution

'Lust, Caution' is apparently based on a short story. After two and a half hours, you have to wonder what got gained in translation.

A war-time story set in Japanese-occupied China, it tells of a young actress roped into a naive plot to assassinate a collaborator. To lure the security savvy traitor into the open she must become his mistress. But at what point does pretence end and passion really begin?

I'm not entirely sure. Despite some infamous sex scenes, I found it all a little too passionless. As befits a film by Ang Lee ('Brokeback Mountain', 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'), this is a rich, beautiful movie, but with its slow pace and long running time, it suffers from the restraint shown. An occasional outburst by the excellent Wei Tang is simply not enough to gain our empathy. Does she really care for Mr Yee? Do we care?

For the climax to have any impact, the audience can be in no doubt of Wong Chia Chi's feelings, and must have bought into them long ago. I don't believe Ang Lee does enough to earn that payoff and it is at the end that he seems most unsure. The climactic diamond scene becomes a throw-away moment instead of a culmination, as arbitrary as Chi's emotions appear to be. As such it undermines all that has gone before. And a lot has gone before. It leaves a slightly bitter taste.

I have no doubt that were I to see 'Lust,Caution' again I would still find much to admire. Lee is an artist and even a work that doesn't meet his highest standards is worthy of attention (think of 'Hulk'). This film is by no means a second rate work, not even a second rate Lee film, but it does not achieve the emotional resonance it tries hard to win. A near miss then, but so close, so close.