Review of The Incredible Hulk Returns

Dr. David Banner (an excellent and sympathetic performance by Bill Bixby) joins forces with hearty Viking warrior Thor (a robust and likable portrayal by Eric Kramer) to stop corrupt military man Jack LeBeau (well played with lip-smacking wicked relish by Tim Thomerson) from getting his evil hands on a top secret Gamma Ray transporter. Writer/director Nicholas Corea relates the immensely entertaining story at a snappy pace, makes neat use of plentiful strenuous slow motion, stages the action scenes with flair, and further spruces things up with amusing touches of campy humor (the sequence with Thor visiting a biker bar rates as the definite comic highlight). Moreover, the fine acting from a sturdy cast helps a lot, with especially praiseworthy work by Steve Levitt as Thor's amiable nerdy master Donald Blake, Lee Purcell as Banner's sweet love interest Dr. Maggie Shaw, and Charles Napier as Cajun bad guy Mike Fouche. Of course, Lou Ferrigno is also on hand as the big green guy and Jack Colvin makes the most out of his secondary role as pesky and relentless reporter Jack McGhee. Plus it's just plain fun to see two classic Marvel comic characters together fighting no-gooders in the same picture. Both Chuck Colwell's sharp cinematography and Lance Rubin's spirited score are up to par. Highly recommended viewing for fans of the show.