The Incredible Hulk

The four episodes of the new Incredible Hulk animated series contained on this DVD follow an all-too-familiar formula--intrepid scientist Bruce Banner tries to cure his tendency to become enraged, massive, and green, but the military inevitably messes up his latest cure--creating, in the process, a new supervillain to contribute 10 minutes of pseudo-tension. The narratives are not only repetitious, but cumbersome, as when Banner recounts the Hulk's origin story to a character who seems to have been present at the time. Favorite Hulk baddies like The Leader and Gargoyle are given short shrift in this sampler, which also renders Banner a bland cipher, lacking in the justifiable guilt and psychological complexity that fuel the character in both the comic and the new feature film from director Ang Lee. The failures of this new cartoon Hulk are amplified on the DVD by the inclusion of a bonus episode from the original 1966 Marvel animated series, which may sport primitive drawings and rudimentary action, but better illustrates creator Stan Lee's vision for the character. Other extras, including an interview with Lee and a pop-up trivia track, enhance the quality of the tepid feature programming. Optional. Aud: P. (D. Fienberg)