With the likes of Conelly, Nolte and Bana involved, you should already know to expect some excellent acting but don't be too concerned about the CGI monstrosity letting the film down... it doesn't.

The gloomy green giant is more realistic and more expressive than you might have imagined.

Excitement

Far from retracting from the film's dark and serious principles, the Hulk only adds to the excitement and awe. He is, after all, what we came here to see and anything else might have left audiences ruing the very invention of computer technology.

At last someone has managed to find room for real emotion and characterisation in a Marvel Superhero film.

Marvel 'ACTING' Film

That someone is Ang Lee, the masterful director of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Here, he outdoes everything ever moulded by his fair hand before and makes Spider-Man look like an episode of The Power Rangers.

It's faster and more engaging than Crouching Tiger yet manages to be just as heartfelt as his highly acclaimed Sense And Sensibility. The combination of amazing action and teary emotion from these two films should give you an idea of what to expect.

Unstoppable Monster

Comic book fans might feel disappointed about Lee's choice not to stick exactly to the original storyline, but every film needs some sort of big finale and the US army simply doesn't provide enough of a challenge to the unstoppable monster.

And you'll be relieved to hear that, although what we have here is undeniably a science fiction plot, the director refrains from getting too scientific and avoids any confusion.

Slick

Rather than delving into the mind-boggling science of it all, Lee opts for slickly edited sequences that tell you all you need to know and also play cleverly on the subject's comic book beginnings.

Be warned... Hulk could leave you with sweaty palms, a pounding heart and only one unanswered question: Where did he get those purple shorts?

Dominic Bloch