The Hulk may be a monster, but there is much more to him than that. (Photo courtesy of http://www.graphicshunt.com).

The Avengers are almost assembled. Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America are already in place, and so is Marvel’s muscle man, The Hulk (a.k.a. Bruce Banner). You may have missed it, but, thanks to the upcoming assembly of the Avengers, you still owe it to yourself to check this 2008 blockbuster out.

The Hulk, as evidenced by his name alone, is a character that most would expect to smash first, think later, and certainly not feel. Yet this brute of a superhero turns out to be the centerpiece of one of the most emotionally poignant superhero films yet.

Contrast is the name of the game in this film; there is an incredible sense of power in every move the Hulk makes, which leads to some incredibly intense fights, but this power is balanced out by a strong sense of tenderness.

In other words, there is much more to the Hulk than a giant green powerhouse. Bruce is incredibly responsible and intelligent, which does stand in contrast to the Hulk. However, his calmness and sensitivity conflict even more with Hulk’s uncontrollable rage.

It is difficult to reconcile a beast that forcefully tears everything out of its path with a quiet, brilliant man who wants nothing more than to be left alone where he cannot hurt anyone.

The divisiveness of character instantly brings to mind the classic story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but there is further allusion to classic tales; King Kong instantly came to mind when watching Hulk calm down immediately upon seeing a caring young woman for whom Bruce held deep affection.

Bruce’s severe identity issues lead him to become a more tragic hero than others, even Spiderman, due to the extreme lack of control he commands over his own super abilities. He holds great power but is unable to use it for good and must instead focus all of his energies on making sure that his power is not inadvertently used to harm others.

Bruce Banner is forced to lead a solitary life and, in doing so, become a tragic hero. His powers, and the anger that activates them, may be near uncontrollable, but Bruce’s good character ensures that he is still able to fight to do the right thing, even if it means isolating himself in order to keep others safe.

This “lone wolf” reality that he faces is intriguing in its uniqueness among superheroes, especially Marvel’s newest hero to grace the big screen, Captain America. Cap is also unique among superheroes in that he is able to lead a team of entirely non-super individuals. Sure, other superheroes can work on teams, but usually only on teams of others superheroes. He represents the opposite end of the spectrum from Hulk.

And yet, against all logic, these two heroes will be united under the same banner (pun not intended) in The Avengers. Somehow two heroes are able to represent entirely opposite styles of how to serve for good, yet still operate together, in some form, towards the same goal.

As if that was not enough to encourage excitement for such an unprecedented assembly of heroes, the closing scene of Hulk instantly bridges the gap between two Avengers franchises. For anyone who has ever enjoyed a movie based on a superhero character, it is an exciting time. Make sure you catch yourself up and see what happens when you make Bruce angry.

However, I realize that Hulk probably is not the most popular of superheroes; where do you place him and his movie amongst others, such as Captain America? What do you think of Marvel’s “Avengers initiative”? Don’t be shy! Let me know in the comments.

If you like Hulk, then try:

  • Frankenstein (also starring a tragic, arguably misunderstood beast with human qualities, yet is still forced to remain invisible to society).
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