Marvel HULK definitely is Incredible!

Posted Jun 12th 2008 12:11PM by Sheldon Liber
Filed under: Rants and Raves, Media World, Film, Stocks to Buy, Marvel Entertainment (MVL)

I just came back from an advanced screening of Marvel Entertainments (NYSE: MVL) Incredible Hulk and it surpassed my expectations as did Iron Man before it.

The preview Wednesday night, two days ahead of the premier scheduled for Friday the 13th, is probably too scary for little tykes but it is a superb blend of movie technology magic and the passion of the cast and crew.

It's all in the eyes. Unlike the glib Tony Stark character in Iron Man, played fittingly by Robert Downey Jr., Edward Norton is the emotionally gamma ray charged green powerhouse that only roars, and must communicate his feeling though his eyes. This is the case when the Hulk's temper rages and when he is expressing his affection for Dr. Elizabeth Ross, played by to perfection by Liv Tyler.

While the movie trailers emphasize the Hulk as powerful colossus, Marvel has also managed to shape the behemoth into the endearing character of comic hero fame.

Once the action starts it does not let up much, and it's too loud for my middle age constitution. However, I think Marvel has another hit on its hands.

Marvel's stock closed at $36.33 on Wednesday afternoon. Prior to the opening of Iron Man it was around $29.00. A 20% return in a few weeks is great. I hope to review the current stock metrics in more detail soon and might buy some.

To buy it six weeks ago would have been a good short term investment but would have been speculative. I think that is still the case now. More so because of the stock appreciation near its all time high, but perhaps less so, given the track record and solid strategy they seem to have developed.

Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture & planning firm. He writes the columns Chasing Value and Serious Money. Disclosure: I do not own stock in MVL but I am considering it.

Tags: Hulk, Hulk movie review, HulkMovieReview, Incredible Hulk, IncredibleHulk, inthenews, Marvel Entertainment, MarvelEntertainment, movies, MVL, Sheldon Liber, SheldonLiber

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

6-12-2008 @ 3:31PM

Ed G said...

Here is what made the 2003 version of the hulk stink up the place. Some executive idiot had the bright idea to let ANG LEE direct the movie. A guy who had never even read the Hulk as a kid and had absolutely NO idea what the Hulk was even about until they asked im to direct. This is akin to getting Quinton Terantino to direct a movie like Bridges of Madison County. Its just not his thing. Anybody and I mean ANYBODY off the street who grew up reading Hulk comics could have done a WAAAY better job directing that movie. Even a 10 year old who reads hulk comics would have done better. The minute I heard that Ang Lee was directing that movie I KNEW it was going to stink. Why couldnt the high paid movie executives see it? No one wanted to see Bruce Banner/Hulk doing all that soul searching. The Hulk is not supposed to be a dramatic movie. At any minute I thought I was going to see the Hulk strolling through park as cherry blossoms filled the air around him. Save that crap for crouching tiger, hidden dragon. Dramatics me damned! The Hulk is about CRUSH, KILL, DESTROY! PERIOD. And that is what the hulk should be doing througout 98% of ANY hulk movie. The only acceptable time the Hulk SHOULDNT be in berzerker mode is when hes in the presence of Betty Ross. Shes the only thing that kind of has a calming affect on him. Other than that, CRUSH, KILL, DESTROY!!!