13 Times You Lost Respect For Your Favourite Filmmakers

4. Ang Lee - Hulk

Ang Lee's brief and misguided foray into the unstoppable madness that is superhero cinema was not a complete waste of time - but it was close. One could however make the case that Lee's Hulk is actually one of the more interesting entries into the canon; with Hulk parsing complex thematic material like the ephemeral, mysterious nature of identity, and dysfunctional father/son relationships with a surprising amount of effectiveness. Still, the film eventually begins to fall apart due to the demands of the genre. The director displays a clear lack of understanding on how to integrate the big, loud moments of spectacle. Also, the climax of the film - a completely incomprehensible punch-up between the big green guy and his wayward father - is a failure. The general unevenness of the film is unfortunate because Lee, with something like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, has shown that he is capable of making something emotionally evocative and exciting from an action movie perspective. Hulk however fails to find that critical balance. And, let's be honest, the constant use of split screens (while a noble experiment) eventually just became abrasive and distracting.