I might have actually been the first person to have seen these films. Why? I was at BJ's, one week before it came out. I was browsing the DVD section for fun, and imagine my astonishment to see the cover of the film I would be purchasing the following week. There was only one copy, so it must have been a mistake. (A pretty darn awesome mistake.) So that's why I might have been the first to witness this double feature.
Anyways, these films are rather different than the other Marvel animated films at the time. Instead of being fully based upon something, it tells two original stories. First is my review of
Hulk vs. Wolverine.
Hulk vs. Wolverine is based on a tale when they first met, back in Incredible Hulk 181. By far the better out of the two, this one shines in that we can finally see Wolverine do some damage with his claws. I mean, let's face it, I love the 90's X-Men show and
Wolverine and the X-Men, but the clawed Avenger is always watered down for his animated appearances. So it's nice to watch him go all-out in this.
Based on the title, you would expect both Wolverine and Hulk to have big roles. Well, really Hulk is just a backdrop device used in both films. This film is a Wolverine story with Hulk thrown in. With that said, the actual fight between them is epic and brutal, everything you'd expect from this kind of fight. I loved every second, one of the best fights Marvel has thrown at us, shame it's way too short. (The title IS
Hulk vs. Wolverine, I expected a lot more in terms of them fighting.) Bruce Banner is pretty pathetic in this film sadly, though Hulk looked pretty....incredible. (No pun intended.) Wolverine was great, loved the costume, (I like the current anime on G4, but why that jacket and not the great costume?) and his voice by Steven Blum is fantastic. (Again, why couldn't the anime guys hire this guy to voice Wolverine?)
Back to the story, instead of fully adapting the comic, (Wendigo appearing) things turn far different with the inclusions of Wolverine's most known villain gallery: Sabretooth, Lady Deathstrike, Omega Red, and everyone's favorite now overused in the comics Merc with a Mouth, Deadpool. This was a pleasant surprise, it's one of those moments where you say, "Hey, that's pretty cool to see these guys on the silver screen."
What follows is a flashback of Wolverine's origin. How about that, we get some good fights, a detailed origin, and....more fights squeezed in for 37 minutes of footage. The final fifteen minutes is basically an escape-and-fight. Deadpool is pretty awesome, he might be a Spider-Man wannabe, but in this film he brings great humor to the dark tale.
In closing,
Hulk vs. Wolverine is a pretty awesome film. Though it's only a bit longer than an episode you would watch on Saturday morning, it packs a lot of punch. It could have used more of Hulk fighting Wolverine though.
8.5/10.
Hulk vs. Thor
This film actually follows the title more in that we get some satisfying Thor vs. Hulk action. The film follows Loki, who frees Bruce Banner from the Hulk. Now with the beast under his control, Loki sends the monster to Asgard where Thor comes and does a battle for the ages.
Ah, sounds just like something you would read in a comic book. This one is the complete opposite of
Vs. Wolverine. While that one was very dark and gritty, this one has Asgard as the setting, complete with a great orchestrated soundtrack. The script is really, really well-written too. Animation, as with the last, is triple A plus.
Now, for my, and a lot of fan's major gripe with this film. While the Hulk vs. Thor fights were plain epic, Thor looked way too weak. These two have always been rivals in the comics, but in this film, they portray Hulk as far stronger. When I showed my dad this film, (he's a big Thor fan) he was outraged at how easily Thor lost. It's just inaccurate, especially for the Thor fans.
Being a little longer than
Vs. Wolverine, there are some great character moments. Lady Sif does really well here. It's kinda sad how she does more in a forty-seven minute animated film than a two hour live action film. For comic fans, there are lots of great fan service. Frost Giants and trolls, even Hela gets an awesome appearance.
In closing, this film is really good, up front and to the point. Epic action sequences, though Thor looked pretty weak, which brings down the film just a bit.
8/10.
Overall, this double feature is definitely a must-have for any comic fan. It's kinda sad when you compare these to the current Avengers show, the fights feel like such a downgrade there.
Hulk Vs. will satisfy any comic fan, or people who are looking for brutal, no holds-barred fights. If you haven't bought it yet, what are you waiting for? A true highlight in Marvel's animated career.