Disclaimer: Many thanks to [1] awesome blog for giving me casting ideas and plot points
Marvel's The Incredible Hulk is a 2008 live-action movie produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox and Marvel Studios based around the popular superhero, the Hulk. Taking place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe it is the second film of phase 1 released on August 1st 2008.
Production
20th Century Fox had originally given the Hulk a film in 2003 which opened to poor critical reviews and lackluster box office profits. In 2005 when Kevin Feige was bargaining with Fox for control over properties to adapt he requested they be allowed to reboot the Hulk franchise in order to complete their theoretical Avengers roster. Seeing the Hulk as a dead end with no immediate plans for reboot, agreed to let Marvel Studios have it. In late 2005 it was later announced a reboot of the popular superhero was in development being a part of the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, along with Iron Man and S.H.I.E.L.D. (Later changed to Black Widow and Hawkeye). Louis Leterrier was announced as Director shortly after.
How the film would be handled was largely disputed, even more so then other Marvel productions at the time. Everything from the casting, tone and even plot was a debate between Marvel, Leterrier, and Fox. They originally wanted the film to parallel the classic Hulk comic books with David Duchovney starring at the titular role. But when he was unavailable when they needed to get filming and the writers/director couldn't find an angle on a modern day Nuclear testing plot line, the idea lost traction. It was then somewhere down the line changed more closer to the Ultimate Hulk story and the TV series from the 90s, with a more modern twist, and Mark Ruffalo as the lead star.
They did agree however agree that the Abomination would be the movie's main villain. Wanting someone who "actually challenged The Hulk" as the director said. But finding a way to make a Yugoslavian spy into a modern Hulk film proved to be a challenge. Eventually they did figure out a way they were happy with and the film entered production, filming and post-production all on schedule. Being released in the United States and worldwide on August 1st 2008.
Cast
- Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk
- Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky/Abomination
- William Hurt as General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross
- Liv Tyler as Betty Ross
- Ty Burrell as Leonard Samson
- Salma Hayek as Katherine Wayensboro
- Teddy Sears as Benjamin Tibbets
- Anthony Edwards as Jack McGee
- Michael Angarano as Rick Jones
- Kevin Corrigan as Brian Banner (Flashback)
- Anna Silk as Rebecca Banner (Flashback)
- Leslie Bibb as Christine Everhart (Cameo)
- Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns (Cameo)
Plot
The film starts with the inside of someone's body functioning normally and then begins to mutate and turn green. After doing that for about 20 seconds it shows the main title THE INCREDIBLE HULK. Which the camera then pans out from a young boy's eye on Christmas Eve.
His mother, Rebecca, comes up to him and tells him to get to sleep for Christmas tomorrow, revealing the boy's name to be Bruce. He asks if tomorrow he can get the present he wanted and his mother says he'll have to wait and see. She kisses him goodnight and walks out. Shortly after that, her husband and Bruce's father, Brian, comes in noticeably drunk. When his mother asks if he got any presents for Christmas he said he doesn't want to spend any more money on that "monster" than he has to. She tries to convince him to go back out and get something for him. He says that he's had a stressful day at the lab and starts to scream and throw things at her. She tells him he's hurting her, which makes him even more angry. Bruce comes out of his room and tries to help his mother, but Brian pushes him away and says "Stay out of this, you little freak!" while the camera shows Bruce's face it can be heard that Brian is killing her.
In the present, Bruce Banner is grown up and sitting in therapy with Dr. Leonard Samson. Where he just finished telling another story about his abusive father and traumatic childhood. Bruce goes on saying he spent his whole life going from relative to relative. He's sick and tired of feeling helpless about everything. Leonard tells Bruce the only way he can stop feeling helpless is by delving deeper into this trauma, reconciling that it's a part of him and influencing his life everyday. After that Bruce says the appointment was a bad idea"and demands they end the session early much to Leonard's Chagrin. He leaves the therapy session and is revealed to be a Professor at Culver University in the Bio-Science department.
Bruce then starts teaching a class, discussing the effects of the electromagnetic spectrum on the human body. After doing so for awhile General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross stands outside the door, once the class finishes he sternly asks Bruce if they can talk in his office. In Bruce's office the General tells him that the Military is working on a Top Secret experimental project in Culver University, related to Project Rebirth. Bruce says he knows about the Super Soldier Serum, that it was made in the 1940s by Dr. Erskine in World War II, but that the formula was discontinued after that. General Ross says due to the increase in terrorism and global conflict around the world, the United States Government is going to start researching on how to create it again. General Ross adds on that his daughter, Bruce's girlfriend, recommended him as part of their elite team. That he's one of Culver University's top experts on Biology, and he wants to think his presence would benefit the project. Bruce is honored by that offer and instantly accepts it. Which leads to General Ross showing Bruce around the lab. There he comes across Betty working, and gently kisses her on the cheek which General Ross seems openly annoyed with. The General then moves on to introduce him to the other scientists on the project.
Katherine Waynesboro, originally from Mexico, she is one of the top Organic biologists on the continent, willing to help Culver find the key to succeeding. Next he is introduced to another scientist, Emil Blonsky, from Oxford University's Biology department. He shakes hands with Bruce saying that he looks forward to working on the project, and hopes to eventually use the research for other ways to evolve the human genome. Bruce timidly says that he agrees, noticeably overwhelmed by Blonsky's cool overconfidence. The third scientist then enters the compound named Jack McGee escorted by Private Benjamin Tibbets. Who quickly says "Hi" to Bruce and pays a lot of attention to Betty. Bruce seems caught off guard by this, but doesn't react and instead introduces himself to Dr. McGee instead.
Act 1
Later that night, Bruce and Betty are in their home eating dinner. Bruce asks Betty if she persuaded her father to hire Bruce on the project, she proclaims that all she did was show what a brilliant mind he was, and asked if he would've rather been recruited. Bruce then says how it just doesn't seem like General Ross likes him very much, but Betty says he's like that with everyone. Bruce claims he doesn't notice it and Betty replies saying she's known him a lot longer. He then smiles and thanks her for the good word then. As time goes on, Bruce begins working with the other scientists, trying to crack the code of how to remake the Super Soldier Serum. One day, he is walking through the campus of Culver University when he sees a student named Rick Jones skateboarding on the walkway when he is almost hit by a speeding security van until Bruce pushes him out of the way. Rick thanks him for saving his life and says he recognizes Bruce, he's the guy who teaches that class with the Gamma Rays. Bruce responds sharply saying "that's me". After Rick thanks him again and walks away, Bruce stands there for awhile before saying Gamma Radiation.
In the lab, scientists are doing animal testing with with Vita Radiation, but are finding little to no success. As they observe the effects on a rat it starts to quite literally turn into a pile of goop in front of their eyes. The scientists then mark off the test as yet another failure. After that Emil Blonsky and Katherine Waynesboro begin to argue over what went wrong with the Vita Rays, Katherine says they overdid it, but Blonsky claiming it wasn't enough. Bruce then politely gets everyone's attention saying how he thinks they're going about this wrong.
He says that instead of trying to use Vita Rays to exactly replicate the effects of Project Rebirth they should do it with Gamma Rays instead. Explaining all the benefits of it, and how its effects of changing Bio-Matter are much more controllable and well-studied compared to Vita. At first some of the scientists seem to disagree with it, but Betty and Emil actually seem be in favor of Bruce's suggestion, also explaining how Gamma Rays alone could account for most of the transformation process, and they might not even need a Serum at all if they use it. The team is encouraged to go that route instead. Everyone then leaves for a lunch break but Jack and Emil stay behind. Jack asks how long they need to "keep the act up" and Emil tells him only after they figure out how to successfully create the Super Soldiers for A.I.M. He wouldn't dare go back to the Scientist Supreme empty handed, that he used almost all of A.I.M.'s resources to get them both as moles into this prestigious government project. Jack says how they're not getting anywhere though with these scientists but Blonsky responds that he sees potential in Banner's idea and thinks they might get what they're looking for in less than a year if they stick with it.
More time passes as Bruce, Betty, Katherine, Emil and Jack all work on producing Gamma Radiation based results, finding success in it by observing actual increases in strength, agility and durability in animal tests. Betty is then seen walking into the lab as General Ross is waiting outside with Private Tibbets. He tells him to go inside to get set up in the building while he talks to Betty. They discuss the experiments as well as its testing process, and Betty says how Bruce's idea to use Gamma Radiation saved the whole project, saying that she hopes he proposes soon. The General is annoyed by her sentiment and openly expresses disapproval of her relationship with Bruce. Claiming their family comes from a military background and Bruce doesn't deserve to be a part of that. Betty disagrees with her father and they argue outside the lab for awhile until he brings up that Private Tibbets seems to have a little "crush" on her and might be worth giving a try.
The two of them then go inside and everyone starts to prepare for more testing. Betty decides to listen to her father's advice and approaches Benjamin Tibbets where they make small talk towards one another, eventually turning into more of a flirtatious conversation. Bruce notices and looks upon it with jealousy, but before he can say anything General Ross comes up to Banner and says how Betty is moving on from him, and that maybe they weren't meant to be after all. Bruce says how that's nonsense, they love each other but Ross points out how he won't be able to provide for her like a Private could. He also says that Banner is weak, just like his father was (who General Ross revealed to have worked with) and that in particular, he lacks bravery. His daughter can do much better, and if Bruce cares about Betty, he should let her. Katherine Waynesboro starts setting up a Gamma test for the next subject until Bruce insists to her that the project is ready and he wants to test it on himself. She says how they still have weeks before they're going into human trials but Bruce argues that a little bravery never hurt anyone. The animals have all been responding well and a success story could be a break through they all need. Waynesboro follows through as Bruce goes inside. Betty notice what he's doing and begins ignoring Private Tibbets again, fully invested in seeing what's going to happen.
Bruce steps into the chamber and the machines start up. He gets inside the device as it starts to pour Gamma Radiation into him. Inside the control room Blonsky and Jack are sitting down examining the results. They see his muscles and brain begin to increase, Jack says that they figured it out! But Blonsky insists it isn't strong enough, they need more if they want an army. He turns the Gamma Radiation up and Bruce at first is still unaffected, but then starts to react to it and has a flashback memory of the past. He's at a courthouse during the trial against Brian Banner. Young Bruce is called up to the stand where the Lawyer asks him if his father truly did beat his mother to death. Despite his father's harsh glares, Bruce confesses that he did and everything that happened. The Judge sentences Brian Banner to life in prison but while the Police are taking him away, he starts struggling trying to go after Bruce, saying how he's going to get him and find him for what he did, taunting him and deeply troubling the boy, even referring to him as "monster" and "freak". It shocks the entire courtroom.
Young Bruce notices everyone starring at him, and with what his father said starts to clench his fist in rage, but not act on it. In the present, Betty starts to become scared when Bruce grows more and more unstable. General Ross goes into the control room demanding that Blonsky shut it off. He does as told and turns the power down but Bruce doesn't stop reacting to the radiation until suddenly he opens his eyes revealing them to be light green and starts to transform into a large beast. The transformed Bruce goes on a rampage through the lab, as Private Tibbets screams out that "Bruce became some... sort of... giant Hulk" The Monster liking that name, deems himself The Hulk and then attacks Private Tibbets, accidentally knocking Betty and General Ross around, breaking his arm and Betty's back. Everyone tries to evacuate as Hulk rampages through the University and security tries to take him down, but their bullets do nothing. Eventually Hulk starts to notice all the destruction around him and starts to calm down, surprisingly reverting back into his normal human form as Bruce Banner. Disoriented and confused he tries to get up before being tased by Emil Blonsky, who finally puts him down.
Act 2
Bruce wakes up in the hospital where Leonard Samson is starring at him, surprised that he actually woke up at all. Claiming that after his "big incident" they didn't think he would. He goes to get the nurse and Bruce asks where Betty is. After no one answers him he gets out of bed and tries to find her when he finally gets to her room and sees her beaten down and in a coma. As he stands over her bedside about to cry General Ross (with a broken arm) pins Bruce to the wall asking what the hell just happened. Terrified by his transformation and uncontrollable rage back in the lab before. Ross says that so help him he will see to it that Bruce is going to pay for what he did. Bruce says that he doesn't know what happened and he's so sorry but the General doesn't want to hear it and forces Bruce back into his room. In the hallway, Samson tells the General how he doesn't think Bruce was conscious when he got into that "monstrous state" but Ross says that he hurt a lot of people at the University and he needs to held accountable for that.
At Culver University, Rick Jones goes to the now destroyed lab where he sees a bunch of government agents surrounding the building, claiming themselves to be S.H.I.E.L.D. who tell Rick to keep moving, that there's nothing to see here. When he asks what happened to Bruce Banner they say he's at Willowsdale Memorial Hospital. On the other side of the destroyed lab, Jack McGee says how if S.H.I.E.L.D. is already investigating it's only a matter of time before they shut the project down permanently. Blonsky says that might be to their benefit, now S.H.I.E.L.D.'s scientists can't outdo A.I.M. in the Super Soldier Race but McGee reminds him how they haven't perfected it either, Blonsky however claims nonsense. That Banner's transformation was a "pinnacle" everything they're looking for and if they replicate it A.I.M. will have exactly what they need. McGee says how that wouldn't be a controllable army but Blonsky responds they would make it so and that he'll prove it himself, he just needs to recreate the experiment and root out the initial problems. McGee asks how he expects to do that and Blonsky reminds him they have Patient Zero literally across the street.
At Willowsdale Hospital once again, Bruce is in his room talking to Leonard Samson about his emotions regarding the transformation, after getting nowhere he decides to give Bruce a little time to relax. Shortly after he leaves Rick Jones comes in and asks Bruce what happened. He explains that the Gamma Radiation experiment went wrong and he became some sort of monster, now General Ross is planning on pressing charges. Rick quickly looks around and says how Bruce saved his life that day on the Quad, now it's time for him to save his, they're busting out of here. He has a car outside they can use to get away. Bruce says he's not going to let him do that Rick will just get in trouble too but Jones insists he's been drag racing since he was sixteen years old, he'll be able to get him out of here, this is his choice! Bruce sighs hearing Rick's response but before he can answer it cuts to General Ross watching over Betty when Military Officials appear to charge Bruce, Ross leads them to his room only to see him gone with the window shimmied open. He sends soldiers to check around the hospital while the camera pans to Rick's car with Bruce in the back as they drive away.
Later, it shows Blonsky talking with General Ross, where he is noticeably frustrated that Bruce escaped. Blonsky asks how long it would be until they find him and Ross says that the Department of Homeland Security is looking for him right now, how long that'll take he has no clue, all they can do is sit on their asses and wait. Blonsky responds that's be too much Bureaucratic Red tape to deal with a walking Gamma Bomb like that, they know Bruce and how he thinks, if anyone could find the Hulk it's them. The General admires their shared ambitions regarding the Hulk and admits he wants to put Bruce away for what he did to his daughter. Ross then tells Blonsky has connections in the Pentagon and might be able to pull some strings.
Bruce is shown driving with Rick in his car for the next couple weeks. One day he asks where they are and Rick tells him northern Minnesota, a couple hours from the Canadian border. Bruce goes up to the front and asks Rick if he could answer why he threw away his entire life to save him. Rick insists that his life was already over, he's got no family, he was failing his classes and probably going to be kicked out of school soon anyway. Might as well help the one teacher who believed in him, the guy who's life he indirectly ruined by recommending Gamma Radiation. Bruce tells him thank you and wonders if he will ever get to see Betty again now that he's on the run, Rick says he doesn't know, but they'll figure it out once they cross the border.
The two of them keep driving and chatting until slowing down for Canadian Border patrol, who stop their vehicle for inspections. Rick cooperates and the border patrol officers question Bruce about his business in Canada. They ask his birth name and he tells them a fake alias, Stanley Lieber, but to his folly they search it and manage to find the real Stan Lieber (which was the movie's Stan Lee cameo). Bruce humorously says that he gained some weight... and dyed his hair. The guards ask Bruce why he's lying about his name and even ask Rick if this man is holding him against his will. Despite Jones insisting not the guards claim Identity Theft is a felony offense and they try to take Bruce and Rick in. Knowing he'd be caught and brought to the Military, Bruce tries to resist arrest and the border patrol officers starts to force him down and get physical, which causes Bruce to transform into the Hulk again.
Hulk takes out all the Border Patrol officers and almost attacks Rick Jones too before simply running off through the forest into Canada. Rick quickly follows behind in his car with no Border Patrol to stop him. He drives through calling out Bruce's name until late at night in the middle of the forest he sees Bruce kneeled down by a lake weeping. Rick comes out and tries to comfort him but Bruce says not to touch him, he's a monster. His Grandfather was, so was his Dad, and now he is too. Rick not knowing what to say simply lets Bruce continue to cry. Meanwhile, in Arlington, Virginia at the Pentagon. General Ross is showing everyone a newspaper article of the "Green Sasquatch" spotted in Minnesota and Ontario. He says that Banner has now crossed the border and is dangerous, the government has not been doing an adequate job of finding and bringing justice to The Hulk. When a fellow General asks Ross what he proposes to do he insists they use the people that know Banner and studied Gamma Radiation to find him. In other words, they create a team of Hulkbusters dedicated to finding and killing the Hulk. Consisting of himself, and the scientific minds that helped create him in the first place.
Emil Blonsky and Jack McGee are sitting in the audience. Jack wonders why they couldn't just have A.I.M. soldiers try and contain the Hulk and Blonsky asks if he's out of his mind. That having A.I.M. go across North America trying to find the Hulk would attract way too much unwanted attention not just from the United States government, but from S.H.I.E.L.D. too, who they don't need any more problems with as is. Jack then asks Blonsky if the Hulk is really worth all this trouble and if they created it once, they could surely create it again. But Blonsky says how they haven't been able to perfect it! It been a failure every time, except for Banner and he has to figure out why. Jack still claims though it's dangerous and Blonsky criticizes him for being small-minded. Shortly after that, Blonsky and McGee are called to the stand. While the General comments that Katherine Waynesboro had respectfully declined to be part of the team, working on another project. Afterwards, Ross finally calls his daughter, Betty, to come up too. She says that she's looking forward to finding Bruce Banner and even more so to creating a cure for him which the General seemed annoyed with, but doesn't say anything. It then does another time skip of Rick and Bruce on the run while the Hulkbusters working to find The Hulk and his whereabouts. It later shows Rick and Bruce driving in the Northwest Territories, near the Arctic circle. They finally park and Rick tells Bruce that this is what he wanted. Nice and secluded, no one to hurt out there. Bruce then says he's going to take a walk while Rick waits by the car, he waves him off and Bruce wanders into the snowy mountains of the Canadian wilderness.
He walks and travels through the land and ice until finally making it to an iceberg. Where he is revealed to have stolen Rick's gun from Rick's car and goes to shoot himself with it. But right after pulling the trigger, his eyes turn light green and he becomes the Hulk, spitting the bullet out and jumping off the Iceberg. Running through the tundra as a green rage monster. In Washington D.C. the Hulkbusters are still working to find the Hulk. McGee and Blonsky are designing special sonic emitters that can physically defeat the Hulk. Betty on the other hand is working on her own project, an attempt to cure Bruce Banner of his Hulk like tendencies. When Blonsky finds out he asks her why she's doing this instead and Betty responds how it's barbaric to hunt down Bruce like an animal, that he's just a victim of a science experiment gone wrong. Blonsky says that they can focus on curing the Hulk once he's captured but Betty says curing him first would be just as effective. Betty then claims the only reason they're pushing for anything else is because he wants to study Bruce for his own twisted agenda. Blonsky vehemently denies her accusations but Betty grows annoyed with his lies and talks to her father.
Betty goes on to say she thinks Blonsky should be removed from the team, as she doesn't trust him. When she explains why General Ross says how Blonsky is one of their top scientists on the case for finding Banner, and they can't afford to lose him. She says she thinks he just wants to use the Hulk as a science experiment. General Ross responds saying that he sees little problems in that. Betty then realizes he doesn't want to help Bruce either, he's just as bad as Blonsky. Betty then decides to leave the Hulkbusters claiming there's nothing good about them and she refuses to help them with their man-hunt. Meanwhile, Bruce walks back to the car in nothing but his ripped pants where Rick gets him a blanket and Banner explains what happened. Rick then comes to the theory that whenever Bruce is frustrated or stressed he transforms. That he needs to go live somewhere calm, that the Arctic is anything but. They go down south, somewhere quiet, but still habitable. He agrees with Rick and the two start making their journey back to Ontario.
Contrary to Rick's statement, General Ross meets up with the head of the Royal Mounted Guard atop a Helipad. He says the Hulkbusters wish to extend their search into Canada, believing that the Hulk has been hiding out within their borders. The Mounted Guard Chief says they have had more "bigfoot" sightings over the past few months and know they need to take action before this gets worse. General Ross, Emil Blonsky, Jack McGee and the Mounted Guard Chief head into the Helicopter while Betty urges her father to once again not go, saying if he leaves he'll be admitting that he hates Bruce more than he loves. General Ross look at Betty and kisses her on the forehead before getting into the Helicopter without hesitation.
In Thunder Bay, Bruce and Rick go into a bar. He tells Bruce to stay calm and order a beer. Bruce asks if that's a good idea, not knowing what the Hulk could actually be like when he's drunk. But Rick insists it will relax him, which should prevent another incident. Him and Rick order two pints and try to sit down. On TV he sees the Royal Mounted Guard along with General Ross announcing the looking for a wanted American fugitive by the name of Bruce Banner, who they claim is "very dangerous" showing a picture of him. Bruce starts to become unnerved and Rick begins to calm him down by saying they can leave. Flustered when he walking Bruce knocks down someone's drink while they're playing pool and the patron starts to get angry. Even though Bruce apologizes and Rick tries to get him out, the man throws the rest of his drink on him. He also says to Bruce how he shouldn't waste his time on a "freak" like him and he transforms into the Hulk, punching him. He roars so loudly that all the glass shatters and everyone runs out panicked. He is so enraged that he also knocks Rick out of the way and starts fighting with local authorities in the parking lot.
At a base in Ottawa, the Hulkbusters get news of a green monster spotted in Thunder Bay. Ross comments that didn't take long while Blonsky says the Hulkbusters need to get the bazookas and Rocket Launchers ready. Hulk continues to be a menace in Thunder Bay when General Ross and the Hulkbusters show up, using their Rocket Launchers against Hulk. At first it hurts him, soon after though he begins to get angrier and fighting them off as well as their equipment and vehicles. Betty in the United States is witnessing Christine Everhart of WHiH News explaining the entire event. After Hulk nearly breaks all the equipment, even fighting off General Ross he sees Emil Blonsky. Emil simply stands in front of the Hulk, both of them locked in eye contact. As Blonsky looks at his muscles he begins to show fascination instead of fear, telling the Hulk that he doesn't scare him, soon enough they'll be equals. Angry, Hulk tries to attack Blonsky but is then hit by the shell of a tank which bashes him into a building, he gets hit with more attacks eventually calming himself down, changing back into Bruce Banner. General Ross arrests then arrests Bruce along with Rick Jones, deporting them back to the United States.
Act 3
In Washington D.C. Bruce Banner and Rick Jones are both detained and escorted to a Military Trial, where the case is discussed but General Ross is unable to get either of them in prison thanks to Betty using her connections in Congress. The trials are delayed while Bruce is taken back to custody, he thanks Betty and tells her he has a cousin who might be able to help too. Later, while being interviewed Bruce says he has no memories of when he's the Hulk, only bits and pieces like a dream. Even his psychiatrist Leonard Samson seems to agree. After that Emil Blonsky walks into the room and excuses Samson, after Leonard leaves all the cameras then suddenly turn off. When Bruce asks what's going on Blonsky doesn't answer, instead taking out a small kit which he uses to get a cheek swab DNA sample from Bruce. Emil then puts it into a synthesizer and seeing the data looks extremely impressed. Bruce asks what the hell that was all for and Blonsky finally answers that this information is the is an exact blueprint for how to make his very own Hulk. Bruce then tries to tell Blonsky that's bad idea, it'll only create monsters but Blonsky begins leaving while coldly telling him "That's the point, Bruce".
Blonsky then heads to the lab telling Jack McGee he has the DNA. McGee insists that A.I.M. will be very pleased, they can "claim" to be heading back to their respective universities and give it to the Scientist Supreme as intended. But Emil simply replies to hell with A.I.M. saying that he's tired of getting nowhere in life. Dead-end career at Oxford, grunt work at A.I.M. He only got involved in all this to be something special. Emil grabs Bruce's DNA swab and says how this right here can make him more important than working as a servant for A.I.M. could. McGee asks Blonsky what he's trying to do and he replies saying that he's going to replicate the experiment with the only other person with the technology to do it. McGee says how Emil is a traitor and tries to reach for his gun but Blonsky gets his out first and shoots him before quietly leaving the compound.
Meanwhile, Bruce and Rick Jones are locked up in prison cells across from one another. Rick asks Bruce if he can transform to break them out but he says he wouldn't want to hurt innocent soldiers just doing their job. That the reason he was on the run was not just because of his freedom but because he was afraid what might happen if he's around the people he loves. He could hurt them, just at the drop of a hat. That he doesn't know what will happen now that he's locked up and could burst at any moment. Upstairs, General Ross and Betty are talking about the possibly of working on the cure until they're informed something bad happened. They're both escorted to the lab where Jack MeGee is bleeding out heavily, claiming under his dying breathe that Blonsky betrayed A.I.M. Ross is spooked when hears that but Betty asks what A.I.M. even is. General Ross explaining to her they're a Scientific terrorism organization, that Emil Blonsky and Jack McGee must've been undercover for them. When Betty asked why he shot Jack Ross theorizes that he must've gone rogue for whatever reason. The General then says to his soldiers he wants Emil Blonsky found ASAP.
Betty in the commotion manages to slip a key off the desk and goes down the prisons, letting Bruce out. She hands him a bag of fresh clothes, which Bruce looks inside and finds a strange pair of purple shorts that he claims isn't his style. Betty encourages Bruce to hurry up saying that her and Katherine Waynesboro have been trying to come up with their own cure at Graybyrn College using the same Gamma Radiation treatment that turned him into the Hulk in the first place. Betty insisting that she knew her father wouldn't follow up with a cure and they took it in their own hands. Bruce stops her and says to free Rick too, that he helped him for all those months he was running from the Hulkbusters, and he owes him one. Betty acknowledges it and lets Rick free from his cell as they all get out of the compound and head to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
While there, Katherine Waynesboro is working inside Grayburn College with her Gamma Radiation tests. Marking down her experiment as she sees someone's shadow coming into the room. She calls out "Betty, thank god you're here" thinking it to be someone familiar before seeing a deranged Emil Blonsky come instead. He pulls out a gun and tells her to re-create the Gamma process that turned Bruce Banner into the Hulk. When she asks why on Earth he would want that Blonsky says that he needs to be as strong as him, he's doesn't have to be weak like the rest of them! Katherine tells Emil that Bruce's reaction to the Gamma Radiation was individualized to him and his body, doing the same thing to a completely different person could create an Abomination! He holds the gun to her still demanding she do it. Seeing little choice, Waynesboro begins starting up the machine as Blonsky sits inside.
In downtown Philadelphia, Bruce, Betty and Rick are walking the sidewalks through the crowded streets, while Rick sarcastically comments it wasn't a smart idea to ditch the car to avoid traffic. But she says that they need to get to Grayburn before the military finds out about what's going on. Back at Grayburn College, Blonsky is continuing to get Gamma Radiated and begins to react similarly to how Bruce Banner did when he was about to become the Hulk. Until his eyes turn yellow instead of green and he begins transforming into a completely different, but equally strong monster. Betty, Bruce and Rick are still walking to the college as they get a call from General Ross. Betty picks up saying she's not giving up her location or Bruce, that they left and are never coming back! But Ross says how wasn't calling about that, he knows they're going to see Dr. Waynesboro and tells them they need to get out of there because Blonsky's turned into some sort of Gamma monster and is tearing through the city. Betty insists that he's lying until cars begin flying as frightened pedestrians all start running as the trio sees the huge Abomination walk forward and roar to them.
She drops the phone as they all start to run too. Rick starts begging Bruce to transform and protect them but Bruce says he can't just feel mad whenever he feels like it, something has to piss him off first. Rick then starts trying to get him mad, but no avail. Shortly after, they all notice that Abomination is standing right over them while Banner says "Oh shi..." before getting punched right into the rubble. But to everyone's surprise the Hulk's hand comes out and punches Abomination right back, while Betty and Rick run to safety. The Hulk then emerges from the rubble and comes over to Abomination roaring right back at him to which Abomination simply replies, "Hulk!" and smiles. The two then start running towards each other and engage in an epic fight. After a long, intense, and drawn-out battle the Hulk finally has the upper-hand on Abomination. Just before he can kill him Betty yells for Hulk to stop and while she says that he has a flashback.
He remembers as a child being in the park with his mother, flying a kite. There he explains to her the science behind how it's flying. Which she hugs and kisses him for, saying how he's her little genius. That he's not just smart but he has a good heart, and never to lose it no matter what happens. Because his heart and soul are what makes him so special. Remembering that a tear starts to fall out of his eye and he spares Abomination. Hulk then runs away while Betty and Rick follow. The Military finally show up in the city and take Abomination before informing General Ross of their victory, but that his daughter and Hulk got away. It then shows Bruce finally getting tested by Dr. Waynesboro in Grayburn College. She says how the Hulk powers are completely hardwired into Bruce's genome. Even if she could actually cure that somehow through advanced science, she would need much more funding. Betty and Rick start arguing with her asking and while that happens they notice Bruce is gone with only a note left over. While they all read over the contents of the note, it shows Bruce getting out of a pick up truck he hitchhiked with. There, he takes a deep breathe, and walks forward to his new "home" in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. He walks forward while the camera shows into his eyeball.
End Credits
Teasing The Incredible Hulk 2
Trivia
- The Project Rebirth or Super Soldier Serum that General Ross and Culver University are trying to replicate is the what gave the World War II superhero Captain America his superhuman strength, speed, agility and durability.
- Emil Blonsky was originally in the comics, a Soviet spy who sabotaged the experiment that turned Bruce Banner into the Hulk. Though he still contributes to the latter, he is instead a mole for Advanced Idea Mechanics or A.I.M.
- S.H.I.E.L.D. which is referenced multiple times throughout the movie, is the same organization headed by Director Nick Fury who appeared in the end-credits of Iron Man.
- Jack McGee is a character who originally appeared in the Bill Bixby 1979 The Incredible Hulk television series, once again in a similar position of helping hunt down the Hulk.
- Bruce Banner finding purple pants in his bag of clothes is a reference to Hulk's iconic shorts in the comics, which he actually wears during his fight against the Abomination.
- When Betty uses her Congress connections to help with Bruce's trial he says he has a cousin could've helped. An in-universe reference to Jennifer Walters, a lawyer who's family raised him after Brian Banner's imprisonment.
- A.I.M. is a Scientific terrorist organization dedicated to the idea of a world ran only by scientific thought and hypothesis. It appears heavily in The Incredible Hulk 's successor, Black Widow and Hawkeye
- Christine Everhart, who reports on The Hulk attack in Thunder Bay, appeared before in Iron Man.
- Though the plot is very similar to Ultimate Hulk, the characters themselves contain many parallels to their Earth-616 counterparts. A common theme in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- Samuel Sterns, who's seen in the end credits, is the civilian identity of the Hulk's Archenemy, called The Leader.
