Hulk 2003

As the tumultuous decade of the 1960s drew to a close, scientist David Banner (Nick Nolte) was consumed by an ambitious project: manipulating human DNA to supercharge the immune systems of soldiers, allowing them to heal at an unprecedented rate in the midst of battle. Despite his groundbreaking research, Banner’s efforts were met with skepticism and ultimately denied permission to conduct human trials. Undeterred, he turned his focus inward, experimenting on himself in a desperate bid to push the boundaries of human potential. As time passed, David became increasingly aware that his altered DNA had been inherited by his son, sparking a quest for a cure. The military, however, remained unconvinced and shut down Banner’s research, citing its reckless and dangerous nature.

In a fit of rage and despair, Banner triggered a catastrophic gamma explosion, releasing a tidal wave of radioactive energy that would have far-reaching consequences. As the dust settled, he sped back to his home, driven by a primal urge to protect his son from the monster he was rapidly becoming. In a tragic misstep, David fatally stabbed his wife in a misguided attempt to prevent their child’s transformation, and then arrested for 26 years for his crimes. Meanwhile, young Bruce (Eric Bana) grew up in foster care, unaware that both his parents were alive, having been abandoned by the authorities after the explosion.

Twenty-six years later, Bruce had grown into a brilliant researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, with a newfound focus on Nanomeds – microscopic robots designed to repair and heal damaged tissue. The military took notice of his work, dispatching Major Talbot (Josh Lucas) to investigate its potential applications. Simultaneously, David Banner re-emerged, assuming a new identity as a janitor at the lab and keeping a watchful eye on his long-lost son.

As Bruce’s research continued to gain traction, Thunderbolt Ross (Sam Elliott), now an esteemed figure in the military, became increasingly concerned about the potential implications of his work. He paid a visit to his daughter Betty (Jennifer Connelly), who worked alongside Bruce at the lab, only to be rebuffed by her anger and resentment towards him.

In a freak computer malfunction, Bruce was unwittingly exposed to a lethal dose of gamma radiation, which combined with the Nanomeds in his system to produce an extraordinary effect. As he awakened in a hospital bed, Betty revealed that he should have perished in the ordeal, but instead, he had emerged stronger and more resilient than ever before.

That night, David finally confronted Bruce, revealing himself as his long-lost father. He implored his son to temper his emotions and quietly stole some of his hair for further study, using it to conduct experiments on animals with his own mutated DNA. As the days passed, David’s work produced a pack of twisted creatures – a harbinger of the monstrous transformations that would soon beset his own son.

As Bruce’s pent-up emotions reach a boiling point, his transformation into the Incredible Hulk becomes inevitable. The lab around him is reduced to rubble as he unleashes his fury, tearing apart equipment and furniture with reckless abandon. When Betty finds Bruce the next day, passed out from exhaustion, she’s met with a General Ross who’s determined to keep him under lock and key. But before long, David’s machinations set off a chain reaction that sends Bruce hurtling into a rage once more. This time, it’s Major Talbot who bears the brunt of his wrath, suffering a gruesome injury at the Hulk’s hands.

As the dust settles, Betty finds herself in the crosshairs of David’s latest scheme, prompting her to track him down and confront him. The result is a desperate phone call from David to Bruce, informing him that three massive mutant canines are now on his tail, hell-bent on taking out Betty. This time, it takes only Major Talbot’s prodding to send the Hulk into a frenzy once more, leaving destruction in his wake.

In the aftermath of this chaos, General Ross sees fit to tranquilize Bruce and spirit him away to a remote Arizona research facility, where Major Talbot is hell-bent on exploiting the Hulk’s incredible abilities for his own gain. Betty, meanwhile, is desperate to help Bruce regain control over his transformations, but Ross remains convinced that he’s doomed to follow in his father’s footsteps.

As tensions simmer and plots thicken, Major Talbot seizes an opportunity to milk the Hulk’s strength and regenerative powers for personal profit. He subjects Bruce to a series of torturous experiments, but the Hulk refuses to yield, eventually breaking free from his restraints and wreaking havoc on the research facility. In the chaos that ensues, Major Talbot meets a grisly end when his own gun turns back on him.

The escaped Hulk flees into the desert, pursued by an army of reinforcements sent to bring him down. But as he leaps across vast distances with ease, it becomes clear that he’s not going down without a fight. His path takes him to San Francisco, where he seeks out Betty, only to find her waiting with open arms.

Meanwhile, General Ross unleashes a fleet of helicopters and tanks to track down the Hulk, but each attempt ends in failure as his minions meet their maker at the hands (or feet) of the raging behemoth. As the dust settles, it’s clear that only one force can bring this madness to an end: Betty, who stands firm against her father’s wishes and confronts the Hulk, eventually coaxed back into Bruce Banner by her presence.

In a shocking twist, David breaks into the lab and uses Bruce’s Nanomed technology to grant himself the power to meld with any substance he touches. With his newfound abilities, he makes a bid for freedom, offering to turn himself in on one condition: that he be allowed to see Bruce once more.

As General Ross grants permission for David (character) to engage with Bruce, a poignant encounter unfolds. David implores Bruce to unlock his true nature, the mighty Hulk, but Bruce resists the urge, only to have David seize a nearby power wire and undergo a metamorphosis into a gargantuan, energy-absorbing monstrosity. The transformation catalyzes Bruce’s own primal instincts, and he surrenders to the might of the Hulk. The two titans take to the skies, clashing in a spectacular display of strength and fury as they hurtle towards a secluded forest. The battle rages on, culminating in a lake-side showdown where David attempts to provoke Bruce into releasing his full potential. Finally, Bruce yields to the Hulks’ immense power, unleashing a force that overwhelms his father and precipitates a transformation of his own – David’s body contorting into an unstable, mushroom-like form.

Meanwhile, General Ross’s decision to detonate a gamma bomb has devastating consequences for David, whose monstrous form is obliterated. Bruce, however, lies unconscious at the bottom of the lake, where he is met with a poignant flashback of his childhood: David tucking him in, whispering “sweet dreams” – a tender moment that suggests his father may have harbored a deep affection for him.

The passage of time sees Bruce reemerge as a doctor in a lush rainforest. One fateful day, a group of soldiers attempts to pilfer medical supplies from the camp, prompting Bruce to issue a stern warning: “Don’t make me angry! You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry!” As he speaks, his eyes take on an unmistakable green hue, and the sound of the Hulk’s mighty roar echoes through the air as the camera pans out and the screen fades to a deep shade of green.