Plot: What’s it about?
In The Incredible Hulk Returns, Dr. David Bruce Banner (Bill Bixby) has started a new life for himself, but he still wishes to find a permanent end to his troubles. He works at a lab under a different name and his group is involved with a special gamma transponder. If the project is a success, it would mean a vast source for clean, easy to manufacture energy, but for Banner, it means a chance at life without The Hulk (Lou Ferrigno). But the experiment has to work before that can happen, so Banner and his team continue in their tasks. At the same time, he tries to keep his dark side a secret from his new lover, Dr. Maggie Shaw (Lee Purcell). She is aware that he has battled some inner demons in the past, but she has no idea about the malady Banner faces. But he feels he must cure himself before their relationship can move ahead, which spurs him even more to complete the project and ensure it is a success. An old colleague interrupts the experiment however, as Dr. Donald Blake (Tim Thomerson) arrives with a mystical relic in his possession. The item is a special hammer, one which is able to summon the presence of Thor (Eric Allan Kramer). A quick session with the hammer causes The Hulk to surface, which then leads to a clash with Thor. Can Banner somehow survive this assault from Thor and Blake’s forces, or will he be unable to control his darker side and fall victim to his opponents?
Although the television series had been canceled for over six years, The Incredible Hulk came back to the small screen with this project. These days, it seems like a new comic book movie is released every couple of weeks, but before the recent rush on such properties, The Incredible Hulk was able to find success. The new motion picture is bound to spark interest in the comics and by turn, the series and made for television movies. The mainstays of the series, Bill Bixby (Clambake, Tv’s The Magician) and Lou Ferrigno (The Naked Truth, The Hulk) reprise their roles, which gives this movie a strong edge, since it hits on the same notes as the series itself. Plus we have Lee Purcell (Valley Girl, Summer of Fear), Charles Napier (The Silence of the Lambs, The Grifters), and Tim Thomerson (Cherry 2000, Near Dark), so the cast is more than solid. But you don’t want to see this movie for the cast, you want to see Hulk smash up all in his path. And this proves to be a fun movie, especially with Thor involved, as that creates some interesting moments. Yes, it has some flaws and that slows down things at times, but I still have a good time with this picture. The special effects are even good, all things considered. So I think The Incredible Hulk Returns is well worth a look, especially in this double dose release of the mean green one.
In The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, Dr. David Banner (Bill Bixby) ventures to New York, but he is on anything but a vacation. Before he even knows what is going on, he is a witness to a mob hit and soon becomes the target himself. The thugs rough him up, which sparks his temper and by turn, he becomes The Hulk (Lou Ferrigno). As a battle breaks out, a bystander is shot and by the time the police arrive, The Hulk is out of the picture. So Banner is taken in by the authorities, who plan to use him as a key witness. The lawyer assigned to his case is Matt Murdock (Rex Smith), who happens to be blind. His other senses have become more attuned to compensate, to the point that he has superhuman senses outside of his lost vision. He also serves the city as Daredevil, a hero that targets criminals of all kinds. He wishes to persuade Banner to testify in the case, since his word could link the crime to Wilson Fisk (John Rhys-Davies), also known as The Kingpin. In order to make sure Banner reaches the stand, he works to protect him from Fisk’s men, who will stop at nothing to prevent his presence in the case. The case is of immense importance however, so Murdock will also pull out all the stops. Can these two superhumans work together to cement the case, or will Fisk once again escape without a scratch?
This is the second half of our Hulk double dose, one in which the green dude encounters another comic book legend, Daredevil. Of course, Ben Affleck’s lackluster effort as the man without fear has cast a shadow over the character, but Rex Smith (A Passion to Kill, Tv’s Street Hawk) gives a solid performance here. I like the Daredevil character, so I had a good time with this one, especially since a lot of his private life is covered. Yes, we get to see the usual comic book style action, but we also see more into the man behind Daredevil, Matt Murdock. Bixby and Ferrigno return to the roles that defined their careers and as usual, the duo plays the parts to excellent ends. No, you won’t feel like handing out awards as you watch, but the cast is good, including costars John Rhys-Davies (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Living Daylights), Nancy Everhard (The Punisher, Deep Star Six), and even comic book maven Stan Lee. This movie isn’t as much fun as the series, but for fans of The Hulk, its more than passable. A few scenes come off as weak here, but then again, more than a few stand out as memorable. If you ask me, the scenes within the courtroom are reason enough to check out this release. This one isn’t as good as the previous picture, but it is still solid and as such, I more than recommend it to fans.
Video: How does it look?
These movies are presented in full frame, as intended. I knew the visual treatments here would be good, as Anchor Bay is often able to work some real magic. And true to form, these flicks look superb here and fans should be most satisfied. I owned the laserdisc on The Incredible Hulk Returns and while it looked good, this new edition solves all the problems and offers a much superior presentation. The image is cleaner and sharper, plus most of the defects have been eliminated, which is excellent news. So colors seem bolder, but without increased grain presence, as seen on the laserdisc. The contrast provides stark, well balanced black levels too, so detail is strong and natural at all times. The production limitations sometimes hold back the visuals, but both movies look great in these new transfers.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio for both features is presented via rather basic options, which sound a shade better than expected. After all, these were produced toward the end of the 1980s, so they’re not as harsh as older soundtracks. By the same token, time hasn’t taken much of a toll on the elements, which further ensures a good experience. A few minor pops can be heard, but on the whole, these movies sound terrific. The sound effects have a limited, made for television presence, but come off as well as can be expected. So don’t expect immense crashes and such, especially since these are simple made for television tracks. The dialogue is clean and smooth at all times also, so while unremarkable, the audio is well above acceptable in both movies.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The main supplement here is Stand Tall, a new documentary with Lou Ferrigno that runs almost an hour and a half. A small portion of the piece deals with the Hulk series, but this is all about Ferrigno and his physical presence. In interviews with fellow bodybuilders, friends, and other folks, we learn more about the man himself and his personal side. I would have loved a more in depth piece that dealt with the Hulk content, but this is a solid inclusion. You can also watch special interviews with Ferrigno and Stan Lee, in which the movies are discussed at length. The interviews are too brief, but still provide some good information. This release also includes a selection of poster artwork & still photos, as well as some talent files.
