Death of the Incredible Hulk
(1990)
review by Big McLargehuge

I admit it, I get weird nostalgic goose bumps whenever I hear the melancholy piano tinkling that signals the end of an episode of “The Incredible Hulk”. There’s something in my childhood I guess that just so understood the pain and anguish that Dr. David “Bruce” Banner suffered as a result of his uncontrollable alter-ego. I know I had a wicked temper as a kid, and I always seemed to be running away from the consequences of that uncontrollable behavior.

The third TV film to feature Bill Bixby and Lou Ferigno sharing the lead roles as Dr. Banner and The Hulk, Death of the Incredible Hulk puts a final coda to the series. And, just like the main character, things being rather benignly and well paced, but then, I don’t know what the hell happened to screenwriter Gerald Di Pego, but something must have triggered his inner rage because the film nosedives so incredibly fast that even me, a longtime fan of the series, was shaking my head in remorseful disbelief. Maybe he sprained a finger at his manual typewriter, perhaps he suffered a terrible paper cut, or worse, perhaps he just stopped caring, but at any rate Death of the Incredible Hulk just falls to pieces before the eyes of the viewer.

We begin as so many episodes did, with Dr. Banner hiding out under the pseudonym David Bellamy, and working as the “retarded” janitor as “a government lab” (honest, that’s what they call it). At night he sneaks into Dr. Pratt’s (Philip Sterling) lab and secretly assists the good scientist in his gamma radiation and genetic experiments. David Banner has so perfected his persona that he even acts mentally challenged outside the facility.

So far so good...

Dr. Pratt knows that someone has tampered with his work, but confiding in his wife reveals that he wouldn’t have made the gains he has without this mysterious help.

Again, so far so good.

Pratt springs a trap on David Bellamy and catches him altering a DNA sequence and suddenly David Banner’s true identity is revealed. Realizing that he has perhaps the greatest genetic scientist on Earth helping with his experiments, Pratt agrees to help David free himself of the monster buried deep within.

Okay, we’re rolling now!

For some reason never to be revealed Di Pego adds a lunatic subplot involving “Russian operatives” of the Boris Badanov and Fearless Leader variety who want whatever work Pratt is working on and therefore send their super stealthy agent Jasmine (pronounced Yas-meen like all good Russian operatives sent to catch Moose and Squirrel) to steal it. Jasmine is a master of disguise, and actually, the scenes where she steals clothes and fingerprints from unwitting bit-players is really well done. None of the ripping off the latex mask stuff here, she manages disguises that are just good enough to fool her prey. It’s amazing how a single wig/costume change can trick someone.

Pratt puts Banner in his gamma ray machine to try and reverse the Hulkification just as Jasmine sneaks into the lab to steal a clutch of 3.5” floppy disks (it is 1990 after all). Pratt shuts down the machine just as Jasmine shoves him down. Banner turns into Lou Ferigno and carries Pratt to safety before escaping.

Here’s where things go south.

As it turns out the “Russian operatives” led at first by Kasha (notable character actor Andreas Katsulas) have double crossed Jasmine and intend to kill her. There is also a dorky McGuffin about Jasmine’s sister Bella that, were I to type it, may convince my computer to attempt digital suicide.

Yes, it’s that silly.

Banner and Jasmine fall in love, Pratt falls into a coma from his injuries in the lab, and the “Russian operatives” hatch a plan to catch Moose and Squirrel that involves stealing Dr. Pratt and making him tell all of his secrets to Kasha (as if Kasha would understand any of it).

Banner and Jasmine mount a rescue of the A-Team variety. Will they save Pratt? Will Banner finally rid himself of the Hulk? Will Jasmine manage to wear a bra in at least one scene? Will the “Russian operatives” catch Moose and Squirrel in a cunning plan that will please Fearless Leader?

Well, I could answer all of this but then I don’t tell tales out of school except in the Hall of Shame, and as lousy as Death of the Incredible Hulk is at times, there are a whole lot of nice things that keep it here in the regular review section. However, to enjoy them you simply must do two things; one, forget every issue of the comic ever written because this doesn’t follow the established history in the least, and two, force yourself to remember that this was a made-for-TV movie so it had a budget about twice the cost of an episode of the show. T emphasize the small budget Death of the Incredible Hulk features perhaps the worst music ever recorded for a television movie. I am pretty sure it was one guy with one keyboard and only a little talent.

Bill Bixby proves a very able director. His use of lighting and crane shots really give Death of the Incredible Hulk a nice comic book styled look, and considering he lived with this character for several years, he shows a genuine affection for the property. I noticed his love for the characters, and you will too. Bixby also treats the subject matter with absolute seriousness, which must have been a feat of Herculean proportions considering the poor script.

Bixby, Katsulas, and Green Carry their parts very well, Pratt being the best of the three. But, the rest of the “Russian operatives” either can’t or won’t even try to hold an accent for more than one scene. In fact, the “Russian operatives” change accents so many times it became sort of a running joke in the McLarge Living Room and Home Theater.

Bixby also doesn’t overuse Lou Ferigno, in fact my estimate is that for the entire 90 or so movie Lou has about three minutes of actual screen time. Still, he isn’t badly used. Bixby gives us the expected Hulk smashing through things in slow motion that was a staple of the show.

The film ends with that same melancholy piano.

It’s a shame that Bixby died of prostate cancer only three years following this film because another installment was planned, but as they say, there are only two certain things in life, death and taxes.

Although not as groovy as the first film, and not as fun as The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (where the Lou Ferigno gets to whip on both Daredevil and Thor-God of Thunder), Death of the Incredible Hulk closes out the series adequately.

Fox DVD brings Death of the Incredible Hulk to the home market with virtually no extras save for an alternate language track and some previews for other Fox DVD titles.