I don’t know why I gave myself the task of rewatching all of the MCU and then writing about them. Actually, I do, it was because we were in a global pandemic. And I could have gotten away with watching all the movies and then not writing about them, except we are still in a global pandemic!

So now I feel like I should actually try to do what I set out to do.

But first, an aside on what is MCU cannon

Apparently, I should have watched The Incredible Hulk prior to Thor. But, those shady bitches at Disney Plus don’t include this movie in their MCU timeline because this is a Universal movie. While there is debate about whether this one is truly MCU cannon, I’m including it because I took the trouble to pay 99 cents to watch it.

The Incredible Hulk, abridged

First off, they put Hulk’s entire origin story into the opening credits. So, to find out this movie is still almost two hours long is a real punch to the gut. Similar to the plotline of Iron Man, this is a movie about guys fighting over getting their hands on a weapon in order to create an army. In this case, the weapon is essentially the serum that makes Hulk hulk.

Second, it’s weird to think about Hulk as a superhero. He is a guy who against better judgment takes a substance and then when he can’t control his anger, turns into a violent uncontrollable maniac causing death and destruction… I mean… is this heroic? And as a subject matter, this is pretty well-worn territory already, no?

Third, awwwwww, remember when Liv Tyler was in movies!? Yet again, she is the doe-eyed whisperer sent to calm and provide a human side to the testosterone-filled rage.

The MCU connections

The Hulk is basically what goes wrong when Bruce Banner tries to replicate the super soldier serum that created Captain America. He was working for General Thunderbolt Ross who is part of SHIELD and appears in later MCU.

Tony Stark arrives at the end of the movie to tell the general that the super soldier program had been put on ice for a reason. Then he teases the coming together of the Avengers.

For more of my Marvel reviews, click here.