Ror Reviews: Planet Hulk

Ror Reviews: Planet Hulk

How does Marvel's latest animated feature hold up to the competition from DC, and their own last(and only imo) decent effort, Hulk Vs?

Review Opinion
By MarkCassidy - Jan 20, 2010 02:01 PM EST
Filed Under: Animated Features

Short answer, pretty well! In fact Planet Hulk is by far Marvels strongest animated movie yet. I realize thats not saying too much. Hulk Vs was really the only one that even felt like it was trying to make an effort to me..and even the Thor part of that movie was lacking. But, it looks like Marvel may finally be getting their animated A game together. SPOILER ALERT.

Planet Hulk stays pretty faithful to the comic..for the most part. It begins with The Hulk already imprisoned aboard a space vessel. The Illuminati(In this case, Iron Man, DR Strange..and a hint at Reed Richards in the background!) have recorded him a message explaining that he had become too powerful and unpredictably dangerous to be allowed to remain on Earth. When Hulk goes nuts and destroys the vessel, it crashes on the planet Sakkar, and not the uninhabited planet that Stark and co expected. Hulk is captured by the red skinned natives and forced to compete as a gladiator for the ruthless Red King. He does pretty well of course, and he and some of his fellow gladiators band together as The Warbound(actually, Hulk doesn't get in on that little love fest as he does in the comic, which is one change I didn't like). All of whom are present and correct except for The Brood warrior.. possibly something to do with The Brood being X Men baddies? Anyway, Hulk and The Warbound defeat everything thats thrown at them..until the Red King unleashes his most dangerous prisoner..The Silv...ah, I mean Beta Ray Bill. I wasn't too thrilled about this change and I'm not a big fan of horse face Bill, but he's pretty cool in this, and he and Hulk have a great dust up. It also fits into the story a bit better than you expect because of another cameo from a certain Marvel Superhero!..ok its Thor, Thors in it too:)



This is a pretty great movie I must say. At first I was a bit put off by the voice they used for Iron Man..he sounds like he's delivering a sermon to THe Hulk at the beginning. But then I was pleasantly surprised by the unknown(Or at least, not big name) voice actors. Some dude named Rick D Wasserman does a great job voicing Hulk once he calms down a bit. And other standouts are Liam O'Brian as Hiroim and Mark Hildreth as The Red King. But Lisa Ann Beley as Caiera, (the Red Kings bodyguard and future Mrs Hulk) steals it for me. I still think that Marvel should take a page out of DC's book and hire big names to voice their characters though, if for no other reason that promotion. The action is also non stop and pretty hardcore. All different colors of blood regularly spurts about the place. The animation is top notch too. But I prefer this more cartoony, fluid style over the more realistic but shaky styles of Marvels earlier features, maybe you won't.

There are some small..and a couple of big changes from the comics but I think it worked. If Marvel continue this quality they will be giving DC a run for their money in no time. Bring on World War Hulk!



4/5 Stars
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Pyche
Pyche - 1/20/2010, 2:53 PM
Wasserman?

Wonder if he's related to Ron Wasserman, the guy who did the original Power Rangers theme and the 90's X-men cartoon intro?
DogsOfWar
DogsOfWar - 1/20/2010, 2:53 PM
Good review RorMachine! It was a lot more bloody and violent than I thought Marvel would put out there. It was pretty well done.

ThisFan
ThisFan - 1/20/2010, 2:57 PM
great review made me more excited about it
thatiscrazy
thatiscrazy - 1/20/2010, 3:01 PM
Nice Review! Thanks =D no Surfer though :( shame on you Marvel.
jusme6
jusme6 - 1/20/2010, 3:03 PM
Great Review Ror--'cept I stopped reading as soon as I saw the "spoiler warning"

I am getting so impatient!!! When will February 2nd get here! When will May 7th get here!!! The anticipation is killing me!!!
jusme6
jusme6 - 1/20/2010, 3:05 PM
@ThatsCrazy: The surfer wasn't in the movie because of the Fox/FF4 thing. I wonder if they didn't make the X-Men vs. Avengers animated film because of the Fox/X-Men thing.
jimthefan
jimthefan - 1/20/2010, 3:09 PM
im gonna check it out i trust your reviews ror your normaly pretty spot on
vanillabear
vanillabear - 1/20/2010, 3:16 PM
as always good job Ror:)
this looks good
thwhtGuardian
thwhtGuardian - 1/20/2010, 3:38 PM
Yeah, I was put off by the surfer's absence as well, from my research though it appears that his absence(as well as the no-name brood and Reed richards) was due to some legal mumbo jumbo rather than a choice made by the writers. However I really enjoyed Beta Ray Bill's first screen appearance so I didn't feel to put off!
Spock
Spock - 1/20/2010, 3:42 PM
Dam Ror already, this hasnt' even come out yet. U must have friends on the Black Market or something, Nice work.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 1/20/2010, 3:44 PM
Sorry Grif, don't want any legal shit thrown at us for posting that...we already had to take down those vids of Jonah Hex costumes!

Anyway, Spock, you can watch it..on a place that rhymes with..blue-pube.
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 1/20/2010, 3:45 PM
SPOCK @ (cough, Tube, cough)

ROR @ great review man, im happy it sounds as good as HULK VS thats for sure!

Its about time MARVEL tried to catch up with DC!!!

Looking forward to it!! Cheers.
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 1/20/2010, 3:49 PM
GRIF @ Ya back!! ; D
Spock
Spock - 1/20/2010, 4:02 PM
Funny Ror & Leee!!!! talking in code but i get it!!
comicb00kguy
comicb00kguy - 1/20/2010, 4:20 PM
I'm going to have to check this out. Thanks for posting this. I wish we'd get more of these animated films. They seem to generally do a much better job of capturing the characters correctly than the live ones do.
ASSASSIN666
ASSASSIN666 - 1/20/2010, 4:41 PM
Another solid review Ror, looking forward to this bad boy.
superdog
superdog - 1/20/2010, 4:42 PM
blue pube.....thats funny, some ointment will clear that up.
superdog
superdog - 1/20/2010, 4:46 PM
i dont read hulk comics so this is probably a stupid question....but how is hulk talking? i thought he just yelled and groaned
thwhtGuardian
thwhtGuardian - 1/20/2010, 5:03 PM
They never really state it specifically superdog, but it's commonly assumed that it has something to do with the "talk bots" that get injected into him.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 1/20/2010, 5:08 PM
He goes through phases in the comics anyway. Sometimes he's semi intelligent..sometimes totally in control and talkative, but still an angry nutcase!
Hawksblueyes
Hawksblueyes - 1/20/2010, 5:11 PM
I was planning on checking this out, but now I'm stoked about it. Nice review Ror.
cookfreeordie
cookfreeordie - 1/20/2010, 5:37 PM
Just finished it and basically totally agree with Ror. I was fairly pleasantly surprised with Beta Ray and I normally can't stand him.
thwhtGuardian
thwhtGuardian - 1/20/2010, 5:59 PM
aw Beta Ray Bill never gets any respect!

I still love you, you big talking horse you.
thwhtGuardian
thwhtGuardian - 1/20/2010, 6:13 PM
yeah, I've been wondering if they'd do WWHulk after this since I finished watching it.
I mean, I guess they could still do a follow up. But the way they did the story leads me to believe that it's a one off thing, and that they're doing something new next.
thwhtGuardian
thwhtGuardian - 1/20/2010, 7:04 PM
It is, I don't want to spoil the movie, but after watching it this afternoon, it felt like that they chose to tell the story the way they did so that the movie could exist on its own with out the need for a sequel.

They could do one, but it just seems like they wanted closure rather than leaving it open.
Betty
Betty - 1/20/2010, 7:24 PM
Looks Great! How you see it already?
Imran
Imran - 1/21/2010, 5:20 AM
So I've got the graphic novel in front of me and I assumed he talks fluent because of the technology developed on Sakaar.

As soon as he lands on the planet, one of the governers says:

(QUOTE)
"Judging by the comically moronic expression of surprise spreading over your face ---- I assume the talkbots have reached your brain. So hear ye, hear ye: I am the governer of the Wukar Province."

Just my interpretation. By the way Planet Hulk is an AWESOME comic, hope this lives up to it. Thanks for the review Ror, seems promising.

**ABOUT SPOILER**
Also, I don't suppose Thor is really a surprise appearance as he does appear in the comic. Just wondering, are they just retelling a story (like the graphic novel) or does he actually come on Sakaar??.. Hope it's the latter! If so that is definitely a special appearance.
Imran
Imran - 1/21/2010, 5:20 AM
Ooh and the talking thing: That's just my interpretation of it.
StephenStrange
StephenStrange - 1/21/2010, 7:53 AM
!!! this looks SO class!

Gonna rush out and get it now Ror! Thanks!!!!
Shaman
Shaman - 1/21/2010, 8:36 AM
AH!!!!!! That is how i like my mornings, hot coffee, gelly donut and a Rormachine Review!!!! BREATH TAKING :)) Can't wait to see this! BLUE PUBE... BOUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA... *gasp*... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA... aaaaaaah... *teer*.
BillyBlack
BillyBlack - 1/21/2010, 11:24 AM
Looks like this may be the only medium where they can do the HULK most justice. Since they got both live action movies half right (to most), just an opinion I guess.

However, it is good to see Marvel finally coming to the table with an animated feature worth the time and money.
Nemesys
Nemesys - 1/21/2010, 1:58 PM
I can't wait to see this! I too wish they'd do more animated features. I really don't care if the voice talent is big name, just as long as they do a good job, and their voice fits the part.

Also, @Imran: I have a picture of your avatar on the wall of my cubicle at work. I got it from Six Flags Over Georgia as the folder for the photos I took with my family. My kids thought I was joking when I said it was for my desk! Helps me make it through a long day to get my superhero fix!
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