Every Headline MCU Protagonist Ranked From Worst To Best

20. Bruce Banner - The Incredible Hulk

The Hulk has been one of the most beloved supporting characters of the MCU with his depiction by Mark Ruffalo ever since the first Avengers movie; sadly, the same can’t be said for the only protagonist role the character has had in The Incredible Hulk.

Edward Norton is not a bad actor, but the superhero movie he’s in does not do him justice. The visuals are bland and colorless, while the script is problematic and fails to explain the plot to the viewer correctly. As a whole, it's boring, with the only saving grace being the massive Hulk vs. Abomination fistfight in the third act.

The movie also fails to characterize Bruce Banner; we don’t get to see much about him or his life before becoming the Hulk. Making it hard to get an idea of what the character is going through and, in the term, growing some attachment for him.

At the same time, his struggles with his love interest Betty Ross feel like a romance done millions of times before and doesn’t bring anything new to the table. This is even more disappointing considering the fact that this is the only thing the character has going for him outside of the conflict with the Hulk itself.

Mark Ruffalo might have brought Hulk's most beloved live-action incarnation to the MCU, but his original film needs much work.