Planet Hulk (2010)

SPOILER WARNING!!! This post spoils movie Planet Hulk (2010) and comic with same name.

My original plan was to do this movie after Superman vs The Elite. I planned to compare DC animation against Marvel animation. Because I did live action Superman movies and X-Men first class after animation movies that comparison has to wait. This post will end month long superhero theme in this blog. Next movie will be something else.

Planet Hulk is based on comic story arc of same name. The comic made me like Hulk character and showed what can be done with character. This animation is stripped down and more child friendly version of comic. There were couple stronger scenes left but mostly it was like regular cartoons. All subplots and themes of dying race and world are dropped.

In beginning of Planet Hulk earth superheroes send Hulk to another planet because they can't control him. Instead of planet where Hulk was supposed to enter he enters to planet Sakaar. Sakaar is controlled by Roman empire like alien society which is ruled by Red King. Hulk is captured and put to  gladiator fights. From there on our lovable green monster become unwilling saviour and ruler of Sakaar. At start Hulk only cares for himself and wants to be left alone. During story he bonds more with his gladiator friends. In comic there is more time to make this change sophisticated. Here it is quite straightforward.

Story suffers greatly from being too straight forward. In movie Caiera changes sides because Red King uses zombie epidemic like weapon called Spikes. In comic change is more complicated. There Spikes are final nail to coffin. Movie doesn't build romance between Hulk and Caiera anyway. It just comes out of nowhere. Or then I see it only because I know it from comic. Spikes lose their effect in movie because movie doesn't use dying planet angle. In comic impact is stronger because you know world is dying but that doesn't stop Red King using such destructive and uncontrollable weapons as Spikes.

What movie got better than comic is ending. Movie ends where comic should have ended. Movie ends when Red King is defeated and people want Hulk to rule them. Comic continues from there and we see problem of long running comics. Long running comics can't have happy endings. When Hulk has finally found place for himself. Ship that brought him to Sakaar explodes and causes great destruction. Caiera is killed and Hulk goes back to Earth with his gladiator friends. That starts World War Hulk. In comics Hulk couldn't get happiness unlike this in movie.

Comic is definitely better than movie. Movie suffers from poor animation and that it is aimed for kids. Story is interesting and you get more of it and more nuances from comic. Movie doesn't show Hulk as great character as comic does. In movie Hulk is just angry green monster. Comic shows him more complicated character.