The Incredible Hulk Returns

RELEASED TO TV IN 1988 and written & directed by Nicholas Corea, "The Incredible Hulk Returns" is the first of three movies in the wake of the TV series that ran from 1977-82.

PLOT: Bill Bixby stars as Dr. David Banner, who is working incognito at a research facility in Southern California and on the verge of curing his gamma radiation-induced curse. Meanwhile Banner reunites with younger colleague Don Blake (Steve Levitt), who has found a magical Norse hammer, which can summon Thor (Eric Allan Kramer), an ancient Viking warrior. When a vital piece of technology is nearly stolen and David's sweetheart is kidnapped (Lee Purcell), the Hulk (Lou Ferrigno) and Thor must team-up to save the day. Jack Colvin returns as nosy reporter Jack McGee.

Despite the TV-budget limitations, this is a very entertaining Hulk movie, even better than the pilot movie from 1977. This is mostly due to the inclusion of Thor, who's pretty close to the Marvel Comics version (Stan Lee was a consultant), albeit with a brown costume rather than dark blue. This is because Thor here is (evidently) NOT the god of thunder from Asgard, but rather a mighty Viking from the distant past aided by the mystic hammer. His personality isn't like Thor in the comics (i.e. one-dimensionally noble and boring), but rather like Marvel's Hercules, where he's hearty, loves a good fight, women & brew. Kramer knocks the role out of the ballpark with his merry & mighty charisma.

The biker bar episode is a highlight with Peisha Arten standing out as one of the "Whoa, Mama" biker babes. The ending is kind of sad accompanied by Joseph Harnell's melancholic piano theme.

THE FILM RUNS 93 minutes and was shot in California (Malibu, North Hollywood and Los Angeles). ADDITIONAL DIRECTING: Bill Bixby. ADDITIONAL CAST: Charles Napier, Tim Thomerson and Jay Baker.

GRADE: B+

This was a fantastic movie. After an absence of about six years the Hulk was back teaming up with the Norse god Thor to battle a bunch of gangsters. The film may have had minor faults but not enough to spoil my enjoyment of the movie.

The Hulk certainly looked different. He seemed a lighter shade of green, he seemed taller and he definitely looked more muscular. But he looked in great shape as he battled with Thor and then teamed with Thor.

Thor was another comic book character from Marvel. The comic book Thor had a red cape and could fly. This Thor could not fly and had no red cape but to be honest that would have looked rather corny on film. Eric Allen Kramer played Thor who laughed in the face of danger and only seemed truly happy when he was involved in a battle.

The movie itself could be considered different to the original series. This movie was more like an episode of Knight Rider with it's stunts and it's action but I'm not complaining.

Jack Colvin was back as Jack McGee in this movie. It would be the final time we saw McGee as he would not return in the next two films. He didn't really have a prominent role in this film, certainly not as prominent as he had in the series. That was my only complaint.

All in all, a great movie. Fans of comic books will love it.

I first watched this movie when i was 6 years old. Im 15 now and i still enjoy it. I was always fascinated by the incredible hulk, and with Lou Ferrigno's wonderful performance, you'll never be able to leave your seats.

My favourite scene was David Banner seeing thor for the first time i thought that scene was brilliantly done. However, this film has its weaknesses. The main weakness was the scene where the hulk is trying to pull the helicopter down, i thought he could do that himself and not have thor to help him, despite that they still couldn't pull the helicopter down.

However this didn't really effect the entertainment too much. It is a great shame that the late Bill Bixby isn't with us.

When I heard about this in 1988, I was excited, But I was not expecting Thor, the other superhero from Marvel Comics. The story begins With David Banner(always well played by Bill Bixby)who takes on another identity. Finds work has a research scienctist. Builds a machine called the Transponder, That cure from becoming the hulk. And just when about to go ahead with it, he is interupted by an old friend named Donald Blake(Steve Levitt) who tells David a big secret of his own. He has a magical hammer that can summon a mighty warrior named(played with a lot of charm by Eric Kramer). But they both soon realize that a bunch of bad guys want to get their hands on the transponder, and they will stop at nothing. Its up to the Hulk and Thor to defeat them. The best hulk movie in years, It beats out The Trial Of The Incredible Hulk and The Death Of The Incredible Hulk. Lou Ferrigno is always good has the Hulk. Eric Kramer is also good has Thor. Why don't they another superhero team up. Like one day they could do a live action Spider-Man teaming up with the X-Men. The most interesting T.V. movie in years. Its a Marvel classic.

After six years since its last prime-time show (June 1982) Stan Lee and Nicholas Corea brought back Marvel Comics' strongman "the Incredible Hulk. Though this time David Banner has become the closest ever to be cured. He has a new girlfriend,bumped into a old colleague,and well into his medical career. Unlike in the past he worked odd jobs until his alter-ego was summons. But David banner in this movie has a new life were he doesn't feel he has to runaway anymore. Till an old colleague sneaks into David's job and his trouble begans. David's colleague tells him a story that during his journey up north he discovered a hammer that can summon an old viking hero. As the old viking hero appeared David mis-judged his well-being as being destructive which forced him to become the hulk. That was one of the best scenes in the movie were the hulk and the viking hero (Thor) battle it out. Overall the hulk over-powered Thor and Thor wanted to call a truce. A real Marvel classic!! Now that their fight got some exposure David had to put his plans for a cure on halt till the situation died down. This also brought on the attention of the trailing reportor Jack Mcgee and some bad guys who wanted to take the gamma transponder that David and his colleagues worked on. Since the hulk was seen David had to go back to his old secrecy way of life,and not letting the new relationship with his girlfriend progress. That's until he found a way of permanently curing himself. But matters got worse as the bad guys capture his girlfriend to get to the transponder. Which leaves David to team up with the viking warrior and his master to save Maggie (David's girlfriend). Though they saved her David had to leave because there was to much attention focused on the green creature and his association with his job. A sad ending as in the former prime-time series. Though I enjoyed Thor because of his comical outspoken personality. A great come-back series. But poor David must continue his journey to find a cure and live a normal life he once had.