Category: Movies & Television (Videos)

SUMMARY:                          RUNNING TIME: 1 Hour, 40 Min.

The second Incredible Hulk TV reunion film premiered on NBC-TV on May 7, 1989.  Co-producing with New World Television (Marvel Comics’ then-owner) is Bill Bixby, who also directed the movie off Gerald DiPego’s script.  Per NBC’s expectations, Daredevil’s live-action debut serves as a backdoor TV series pilot; the same previously applied to Thor in 1988’s The Incredible Hulk Returns.   

In New York City, posing as farmworker ‘David Belson,’ a bearded Dr. David Banner (Bill Bixby) stumbles into a subway gang attack on enigmatic Ellie Mendez (Marta DuBois).  After the Hulk’s (Lou Ferrigno) intervention, Mendez shockingly accuses Banner (her Good Samaritan) of the crime, for which he is then arrested and incarcerated. 

Defended by blind attorney Matt Murdock (Streethawk’s Rex Smith), Banner subsequently becomes involved in a mysterious, black-clad vigilante’s crusade against mega-mobster Wilson Fisk (John Rhys-Davies).  Attempting to evade revelations of his past, Banner becomes Daredevil’s ally against Fisk.  Even with the Hulk watching his back, the masked hero’s super-sensitive, radar-like senses may not be enough to thwart the city’s nefarious ‘Kingpin of Crime.’      

Dr. David Banner (aka David Belson): Bill Bixby

The Hulk: Lou Ferrigno

Matt Murdock / Daredevil: Rex Smith

Wilson Fisk: John Rhys-Davies

NYPD Capt. Albert Tendelli: Joseph Mascolo

Al Pettiman: Richard Cummings Jr.

Christa Klein: Nancy Everhard

Ellie Mendez: Marta DuBois

Turk: Mark Acheson

Denny: John Novak

John: Dwight Koss

Farm Supervisor: Meredith Bain Woodward

Judge (dream sequence): Don MacKay

Prosecutor (dream sequence): Doug Abrahams

Baliff (dream sequence): Uncredited

Juror (dream sequence): Stan Lee {cameo}

Note: Double-featured with The Incredible Hulk Returns, this movie has been released to DVD.

REVIEW:

Not even mustering a hung jury, this shoddy Hulk team-up should be found guilty of a wasted opportunity.  Instead of finally resolving David Banner’s status quo as a fugitive, Bill Bixby opts for super-hero dreck starring far more Rex Smith than Lou Ferrigno. 

Resorting to an unsatisfying plot twist, Bixby has no creative justification excluding Ferrigno from his own movie’s fight scene climax.  Perhaps the movie’s production budget saved a few bucks this way, but more of Daredevil’s low-grade, martial art aerobics isn’t what viewers tuned in to see.  Exacerbating this dubious segment is Fisk’s laughable escape cop-out, as the movie’s cheapo special effects unconvincingly depict a makeshift helicopter.

Before proceeding further, another awful plot device should be addressed.  Trial’s unnecessarily dark vibe extends too far menacing Marta DuBois’ helplessly captive Ellie – i.e. one late scene infers she is likely to endure physical abuse or even potentially sexual violence in a supposedly kid-friendly TV property.

Let’s move on to the dream/nightmare sequence, which is the film’s deceptive attempt at justifying its dramatic title.  Specifically, an aggravated Banner’s Hulk-out on the witness stand ignites the Hulk’s unwarranted and exceedingly violent abuse of court personnel.  This scene’s continuity is so laughably poor that there’s no logical explanation why a heavily-bearded Banner would then transform into an un-bearded Hulk. 

Kudos should go to Ferrigno for performing his iconic role admirably well, no matter how the poorly-scripted Trial wastes his screen presence.  By comparison, Bixby’s acting is uninspired (like Returns, it’s far short of his Emmy-caliber work in the TV series); meanwhile, Rhys-Davies treats his villainous cardboard role like the paycheck it is.      

Finally, Rex Smith’s ultra-bland, ninja-like Daredevil resembles a bargain-basement Batman (no less than a month before Michael Keaton’s first Batman caper).  It’s peculiar watching Bixby & Ferrigno pitch themselves as Smith’s guest stars rather than logically vice-versa.  A more capable performer (other than Smith and his stunt double) might have salvaged Daredevil’s potential star power, but Trial’s weakly formulaic plotting would have still made it for naught.  As compared to its hokey predecessor co-starring Thor, the blah Trial isn’t nearly half as entertaining, let alone re-watchable.     

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                      4 Stars

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SUMMARY:             RUNNING TIME: 1 Hour, 35 Min.

NBC-TV televised the Incredible Hulk reunion trilogy’s final installment on February 18, 1990.  For New World Television/New World International (Marvel Comics’ then-owner), Bill Bixby directed and executive-produced this film off Gerald DiPego’s script. 

Notes: Due to Death’s subsequently disappointing ratings, a potential sequel exploring the character’s subsequent resurrection was scuttled.  Hence, rumored possibilities of either She-Hulk (Brigitte Nielsen had even appeared in a glamorous photo shoot as the character) or possibly Iron Man guest-starring in future Marvel-friendly Hulk TV adventures never materialized. Still, Death has been released to DVD.

In Portland, Oregon, an undercover David Banner is now posing as David Bellamy, a mentally-impaired janitor working graveyard shifts.  Utilizing his after-hours access to a research laboratory, Banner routinely corrects equations in Dr. Ronald Pratt’s (Philip Sterling) theoretical work analyzing radiation.  Once Pratt confronts his secret intruder, Banner senses that his new friend has the necessary scientific resources to finally cure his affliction as the Hulk. 

Yet, Eastern European espionage pilfering Pratt’s work sets up Banner and young spy/burglar, Jasmin (Elizabeth Gracen, pre-Highlander: The Series), for a fateful showdown with her ruthless employers.     

Dr. David Banner / David Bellamy: Bill Bixby

The Hulk: Lou Ferrigno

Jasmin: Elizabeth Gracen

Dr. Ronald Pratt: Philip Sterling

Amy Pratt: Barbara Tarbuck

Bella: Anna Katarina (aka Anna Katerina)

Kasha: Andreas Katsulas

Zed: John Novak

Betty: Chilton Crane

Brenn: Dwight McFee   

REVIEW:

Given the title, it’s no wonder that Bill Bixby & Lou Ferrigno’s last Hulk adventure is so melancholic.  Ironically enough, the plot’s dire vibe draws closer in spirit to producer Kenneth Johnson’s TV series than the previous two reunion flicks.  Instead of pushing flashy Marvel super-heroes for their own backdoor TV pilots, this finale reverts to the classic Bixby/Ferrigno formula and a decent supporting cast … yet, with middling results. 

The inherent problem is that neither star/producer/director Bixby nor screenwriter Gerald DiPego can overcome a lackluster espionage angle that is near-unwatchable without Lou Ferrigno’s Hulk.  Case in point: a lame effort at comic relief — revealing a comatose Pratt’s dubious old nickname – should be deemed the less said the better.

Further, it’s readily evident that Death was filmed on the cheap (in Vancouver, Canada) – i.e. as few as they are, Bixby’s patented Hulk-outs are now conveniently relegated off-screen.  In one instance, a worked-up Bixby simply tilts over and, seconds later, comes back up as Ferrigno’s Hulk (whose spot-on performance is, at least, reliable as always).  Death’s penny-pinching cheats viewers, as the two prior reunion films (one with Thor and one with Daredevil) tried harder pleasing its target audience, no matter how ultra-cheesy the special effects looked. 

Ultimately, per Banner’s foreshadowed hint earlier in the script, Death’s poignant final moments briefly display Bixby’s best acting in the reunion trilogy.  It’s just unfortunate that this film’s measly production values (and lack of fun in any nostalgic sense) would end Bixby & Ferrigno’s thirteen-year Hulk franchise with a disappointingly weak Death. 

Perhaps fans ought to take some solace that the proposed fourth film – The Revenge of the Incredible Hulk was never produced.  From the insipid premise DiPego has publicly discussed, one might have seen depicted a resurrected Hulk now possessing Banner’s intellect and/or Bixby’s powerless Banner being compelled to re-irradiate himself to save the day.  Frankly, such desperate genre clichés makes Death’s definitive end (instead of its intended cop-out to justify Revenge) sound almost good by comparison.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:              3 Stars

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