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Hulk

Hulk

What if everything you were forced to keep inside was suddenly set free?

2003138 minPG-13Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Director
Ang Lee
Starring
Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliott, Josh Lucas

Bruce Banner, a genetics researcher with a tragic past, suffers massive radiation exposure in his laboratory that causes him to transform into a raging green monster when he gets angry.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Hulk?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Hulk to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Hulk?

Hulk earns 8 badges, led by Award Winner and Before they were famous.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Hulk worth watching?

Hulk's Midcredits score is the 26th percentile of all films, from 608K ratings across 6 sources. 32% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

26th percentile

Better received than 26% of films

41st percentile among Action26th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)29th
Approval (how many liked it)26th

55 /100

29th percentile of all films

44th percentile among Action29th percentile among 2000s

Critics 54 · Audience 55

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.7 — solid but not unanimous.

32% liked it

26th percentile of all films

39th percentile among Action23rd percentile among 2000s
32% rated it 7–1068% rated it 1–6

Critics 63% · Audience 29%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 15 noms overall

98th percentile

607K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Action97th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 15% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$137M
Opening weekend$62M
Domestic gross$132M
Worldwide gross$245M

Returned 1.8× its budget — 93rd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a stylistically ambitious, character-driven comic-book adaptation that prioritizes Ang Lee's artistic vision over conventional action spectacle.

Fans praised

  • Ang Lee's comic-book panel transitions and split-screen editing make it feel like a moving comic
  • The psychological focus on Bruce Banner's loneliness and trauma gives the Hulk real emotional weight
  • Danny Elfman's haunting score and the sound design elevate the atmosphere

Detractors panned

  • Slow pacing with too much backstory before any Hulk action
  • The CGI Hulk looks cartoonish and dated, undermining the threat
  • Pretentious, misguided direction that doesn't suit a superhero movie

What stands out

OriginalityDivisive80

Comic-book style editing and psychological depth seen as bold and unique

CinematographyDivisive75

Split-screen and panel transitions praised as inventive, though some call them gimmicky

AtmosphereDivisive70

Melancholic tone and desert scenes build a somber world

Acting62

Eric Bana and Nick Nolte praised as committed, but some find performances cheesy or overdone

CharactersDivisive55

Deep psychological exploration of Banner's trauma, but critics find character depth lacking despite long setup

Effects and spectacleDivisive50

Hulk CGI looks dated and cartoonish, but action scenes have fun moments

Plot and storyDivisive45

Emotional father-son drama intertwined with Hulk origin, but seen as sluggish and unfocused

Pacing35

Long, slow first act before action; some find it tedious

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 11 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 15 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 12 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Hulk like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicDread
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.
ToneAng Lee plays the tragic origin story completely straight, with no winking at the audience, treating the Hulk as a metaphor for suppressed trauma.
The rideThe film maintains a consistent pressure of psychological tension and dread from the opening flashbacks through to the final confrontation.
StructureThe story begins with a prologue of David Banner's 1960s experiments, then proceeds linearly through Bruce's 2003 discovery and battles.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you with the tragedy of a man forever changed by his father's actions, finding a fragile peace that could shatter at any moment.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Tragedy underneath

Why this archetypeBruce Banner must overcome the monstrous Hulk inside him, triggered by his father's experiments and the military's pursuit. The military-industrial complex and his own inner demon are the opposing forces.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsFamily bondsTrauma · 7% of films
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film interrogates whether Bruce Banner is defined by his monstrous inheritance or can forge his own humanity, entangled with a damaged father-son bond and the trauma of childhood violence.
StanceThe film mourns the way trauma and family legacy can consume a person, treating Bruce's transformation as a tragedy rather than a triumph.

The world

Late 20th centuryUrbanInstitutionalScience fiction
Orchestral modernForeground music · original score · Danny Elfman
SettingUC Berkeley lab, desert military base, San Francisco, rainforest
MusicElfman's score amplifies the operatic, tragic tone with sweeping, moody themes.

Content guide

Is Hulk okay for kids?

PG-13

Hulk is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some disturbing images and brief partial nudity” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (60/100), sexual content at mild (22/100), language at moderate (37/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (9/100) and frightening material at intense (63/100). Overall it is heavier than 64% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 25 other countries
  • UK12A
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland12
  • South KoreaALL
  • Brazil14
  • Belgium14
  • BGPG-13
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-12
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoB-15
  • Netherlands12
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO12
  • Russia16+
  • Spain12
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 40% of all filmsHeavier than 64% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 71%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 33%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 37%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 9%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 80%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Hulk have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Hulk?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Eric Bana
as Bruce Banner
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Jennifer Connelly
as Betty Ross
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sam Elliott
as Ross
Josh Lucas
as Talbot
Nick Nolte
as Father
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Paul Kersey
as Young David Banner
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Todd Tesen
as Young Ross
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Cara Buono
as Edith Banner
Kevin Rankin
as Harper
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Celia Weston
as Mrs. Krenzler

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Hulk?

Movies like Hulk include Batman Returns (1992), The Incredible Hulk (2008) and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by Jack Kirby, and most are superhero films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its world: New York. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Hulk?

467 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: scientist. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.