The Hulk

I ask you: Is this not the correct way, the honorable way, for a studio to spend $150 million of its summer capital? Universal said The Hulk, and Lee heard something else, perhaps a story of dysfunctional families torn apart by ambition.

Director Ang Lee has carefully crafted a movie that tells a very deliberate story, to the point where the action almost seems secondary. While some fans may be turned off by this approach, it's a fresh spin that works for the most part.

By the time Hulk reaches its thermo-biblical climax, no one can complain that this is a macho blockbuster with no substance. Call it Crouching Ego, Hulking Id.

Even if Lee would have wanted to rise above the simple two-dimensional universe of the comic books, his portrayal remains just as flat.

In this one the Hulk bounces all over the place. The best part is Lou Ferrigno's cameo.