Ang Lee's 2003 Hulk failed to set the film world alight, so unsurprisingly there was a great deal of pressure resting on the shoulders of Louis Leterrier, for his version, The Incredible Hulk.

Being the second Marvel comic release on the big screen of the year, The Incredible Hulk really had to pull out all the stops to compete with the superiority of Iron Man, and unfortunately it doesn't quite measure up to the enormity of the Robert Downey Jr. flick.

Boasting an eclectic cast including Edward Norton as Hulk/Dr. Bruce Banner and Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky, the film does the best it can at enticing the audience to brace themselves for something out of this world to happen, but it begins to confuse itself as to who the actual star of the film is; Banner or Blonsky?

After an initial action-packed opening, with fugitive Banner (who is in hiding in Brazil, trying to find a cure for his Gamma-infused bloodstream) being chased around the favelas of Rio by a crack team from the US military, we witness him morph into the monstrosity that is Hulk and destroy everything and everyone that dares to cross his path.

For sheer adrenaline-pumping on-screen antics, it's awesome, as Hulk launches a barrage of missiles towards General Ross's (William Hurt) team.

Inevitably, he escapes and becomes a drifter, attempting to remain anonymous in Mexico, which is easier said than done when you're the only white American in town.

Banner's life is ruled by his condition. He aims to control it, but his attempts aren't as effective as he'd like.

He longs to return home to Virginia to see the love of his life, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), daughter of General Ross.

Miraculously, without a passport or any finances, he manages to get back to Virginia, only for Betty to be dumbfounded by his sudden reappearance after his stint south of the border.

Aiding a fugitive, especially when you're the offspring of an authoritarian military General, isn't going to win any brownie points, but Betty's love for Banner is never in doubt.

This is magnified after he saves her from annihilation from an onslaught of attacks from a military operation.

Emil Blonsky becomes centre of attention as General Ross agrees to an experiment where Blonsky is given a course of Gamma to see if he can withstand a Hulk attack. But it's clear that he can't as Hulk smashes him across the park into a tree, breaking nearly every bone in

Blonsky's body. But, it's the recovery process that is remarkable.

After a day in intensive care, he walks away from his hospital bed as if nothing has happened.

Blonsky's determination for more Gamma proves to be his downfall as he is driven by power and distances

himself from General Ross. We begin to see less of Hulk and more of Blonsky and his Hulk-like presence, The Abomination.

The biggest disappointment is the final battle scene with Hulk and The Abomination. Granted, the duration would suffice any action-hungry fan, but the outcome is painstakingly drab. The killer blow everyone is waiting for doesn't ever materialise, which is not only infuriating, but it makes the whole experience rather flat.

That is until the final scene when Mr. Stark, yes, the Iron Man himself meets with General Ross to make a professional proposition, leaving the whole film open to intersect with all future Marvel releases.

Expect more open-ended climaxes from Marvel, as closure isn't on the agenda for the time being.

6/10