This TV movie served as the pilot episode to the popular 70's show.  It
tells the story of Dr. David Banner and his green alter-ego.  Banner, played
likably by Bill Bixby, is living with the recent loss of his wife.  A
blowout caused their car to overturn and crash.  Banner was thrown to
safety, but his wife was trapped inside the overturned, burning car.  David
tried to lift the car to open the door, but couldn't, and she died.  David
has been having nightmares about that day for almost a year now, and it has
carried over into his research.  He and fellow scientist/friend Elaina are
trying to figure out why & how people in extraordinary circumstances utilize
unknown strength.  (I think we call this adrenaline).  All of the people
they interview/study have similiar stories about how they found tremendous
strength to save someone they love.  And this gets David upset and
frustrated - how could they find the power, but not him when he needed it
most?

Getting desparate, and seeing some similiarities between Gamma Ray levels
and these extraordinary acts, David decides to inject (?) himself with gamma
rays.  The procedure has no effect, at first.  Then, he has to change a tire
in the rain - boy does that make him mad!  So mad, he turns green, grows
giant eyebrows and grunts a lot.  Anyone who thinks the CG Hulk effects from
the 2003 movie look crappy needs to rewatch these old episodes and really
take a look at Lou Ferrigno in green makeup.  And that wig... what is up
with that?   Anyway, David now has this beast inside of him, and doesn't
have any control over him.  Can he and Elaina figure out the Hulk's secret?
Can they rid David of this curse?  Will Jack McGee, the cheesy newspaper
reporter, blow the whole story?

This "movie" is the premiere of the TV series, and it really sets the tone.
For the most part it's well done.  There's some cheesiness and some 70's
styles, but not overly so.  The movie (and the following series) focuses
much more on David Banner than they do the Hulk.  Banner has a lot of
demons, and trying to live with them is driving him nuts.  Add on a 7 foot
angry green giant, and he's really got problems.  The story is good,
expanding upon the Hulk legend, up until this time only told in comic books.
But the momentum is slow, the special effects are ho-hum (One would think
that they would be able to improve upon the "transformation" sequences that
have been in movies since the silent era. But no, even in the late 70s, it
looks the same, if not worse, when Bixby becomes Ferrigno and vice versa).
It's entertaining, but not as good as you remember it.

Famous Line:
David Banner : "Don't make me angry.  You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."
 
 
 

Quality: 4.0  Visuals: 3.0  Intensity: 3.5  Laughability: 3.0
OVERALL RATING: 3.4