Best of the Bixby Hulk Movies
Another made-for-television movies that continues the trials of the Incredible Hulk. As I have mentioned before, I don’t particularly care for the Bill Bixby’s version of the character as it didn’t really feel too much like the Hulk that I was familiar with in the comic books. This Hulk was way underpowered and he never fought any extraordinary villains or opponents plus he even lacked the ability to speak. I also found the lack of a real supporting cast to be a turn off with his “nemesis” in the form of an intrepid reporter, Jack McGee (Jack Colvin) to be pathetic.
But this movie was probably the best however of the lot and the one that I enjoyed the most. I liked how McGee wasn’t present and there is an actual plot to this movie in how the Hulk becomes involved with Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Rex Smith) which didn’t feel like a desperate implant like Steve Levitt (Donald Blake) and his alter ego of Thor (Eric Allen Kramer) in the previous The Incredible Hulk Returns. The fact that even though the bad guys got away, it still felt like the good guys won a partial victory and the ending didn’t feel quite so depressing as the television series and other movies always seemed to end with.
Aside from the storyline, I have to say that I greatly admired the actors in their roles in this movies. Bixby is at his iconic best as David Bruce Banner while I found Rex Smith to be an awesome Matt Murdock/Daredevil (although his costume needed some work). I thought that Lou Ferrigno (Hulk) did some of his best work in his scenes here; usually he was simply a dumb incoherent monster, grunting and smashing things but I found the tender expression as he helped Murdock who he was able to recognize as his friend to be heartfelt moment that he rarely demonstrated. And John Rhys-Davies as the Kingpin was appropriately sinister and Machiavellian.
The sets and the special effects were limited and were probably the only weakness in this film due to their miniscule budget. I also mentioned earlier but I did think that the Daredevil costume could have done with some work; while the utilitarian black would be a good choice for a shadowy vigilante, I do think that they should have done more to make him superheroic or have some particular reason behind his namesake; at least a pair of horns maybe.
Overall, I have to say if you have to watch Bixby’s Incredible Hulk movies, then I recommend that you at least see this one if nothing else.
RATING: 3 and 1/2 STARS.