EDITORIAL: Norton or Ruffalo: Who's the Better Banner?

EDITORIAL: Norton or Ruffalo: Who's the Better Banner?

There has been much heated debate ever since the release of "The Avengers" as to whether Edward Norton or Mark Ruffalo best portrayed Bruce Banner in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Check out this video to hear my take!

Editorial Opinion
By cbfriend - Aug 12, 2013 03:08 PM EST
Filed Under: Other
Source: Marvel Cinematic Universe Channel

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naterator
naterator - 8/12/2013, 4:11 PM
Norton. I was really bummed when he didnt reprise as Banner.
NovaCorpsFan
NovaCorpsFan - 8/12/2013, 4:21 PM
Norton was amazing, but I preferred Ruffalo.
NovaCorpsFan
NovaCorpsFan - 8/12/2013, 4:23 PM
And you need to embed the video, not share it.
TheOneAboveAll
TheOneAboveAll - 8/12/2013, 4:48 PM
I preferred Norton's performance.
pesmerga44
pesmerga44 - 8/12/2013, 5:05 PM
I preferred Ruffalo's performance more then Norton because Norton just felt like Norton to me. Ruffalo I got the fear that he lives with having the Hulk inside him and trying to keep that control every day.
TheWolverine08
TheWolverine08 - 8/12/2013, 5:39 PM
Ruffalo.
TheWolverine08
TheWolverine08 - 8/12/2013, 5:39 PM
@Batmaniac WHAT?
BarnaclePete
BarnaclePete - 8/12/2013, 6:04 PM
I liked Ruffalo better, but Bana was the best.
TheWolverine08
TheWolverine08 - 8/12/2013, 6:21 PM
IMO, Ruffallo is the best Banner. He captured Bruce's awkwardness, fear, and sadness about the Hulk extremely well, and he was cool. Lol.

Norton was pretty good, and I LOVED the Incredible Hulk. Awesome movie.

As a Hulk fan, I found Eric Bana's Hulk laughably bad. I lol'd whenever I saw his face get puffy when he was mad.
brazilianbatman
brazilianbatman - 8/12/2013, 7:12 PM
they are a little different but i like both the same. Eric Bana was a mistake imo, he has a much more Bruce Wane strong look than Bruce Banner fragile look. That was a bad cast and i think he could have been the Batman in the triology if not Chirs Bale.
NBAfanaddict
NBAfanaddict - 8/12/2013, 7:56 PM
As far as the one I enjoyed most, I would go with Ruffalo. But I think each Banner is good they portrayed the different stages of Bruce very well. Bana had to be scared as it was Bruce's first go round as the Hulk. Norton's Banner was one that understood his condition, but was agitated, and wanted to rid himself of it. And Ruffalo's Bruce had accepted what he had, and, while at haunted by it, was able to live with himself, and the best within. They all played (IMO) good versions of the character. It just depends on which version of Banner (scared, and unsure; determined, and weary, and finally, content, and reserved) you preferred.
ThunderKat
ThunderKat - 8/12/2013, 8:20 PM
Who knows!

Neither had the proper setting to truly flesh out Banner. Ruffalo was terrific, yet his exposure was limited. The Hulk got all the screen time and was better fleshed out. Norton's version was reportedly abridged. I liked the movie though it was obviously focused on action. This is largely due to Ang Lee making a drawn out boring and hard to watch version.
Lhornbk
Lhornbk - 8/12/2013, 8:30 PM
Bana was terrible, but to be fair, maybe that's just because that movie sucked (and I do mean sucked. I think it took me about 5 tries to actually make it all the way through the movie, and I finally had to just force myself to not turn it off. I guarantee that I'll never watch it again. It's up there with Batman & Robin & Superman IV. No, actually, I made it through both of those on the first try.)

I like Ruffalo best. I think mainly because I don't see much difference in Norton's Banner and some of Norton's other performances. I think Norton mainly plays himself in most of his films.
aresww3
aresww3 - 8/12/2013, 9:48 PM
norton and ruffolo are great, but would have preffered en in the avengers
gmoney0505
gmoney0505 - 8/12/2013, 11:36 PM
Neither one. No one really remembers Bruce Banner anyway. People always call him hulk no matter if he is green or human form.

I'll take Bana over both and take TIH Hulk. Looked better in TIH and had a better voice than Avengers Hulk.
JorEllinator
JorEllinator - 8/13/2013, 12:59 AM
I prefer Norton, I was angry when he didn't come for Avengers!
YOU WOULDN'T LIKE ME WHEN IM ANGRY!!!!
marvel72
marvel72 - 8/13/2013, 4:04 AM
best banner i actually liked them all but i think ruffalo by a slight margin.

best hulk the avengers joss nailed it.
Highflyer
Highflyer - 8/13/2013, 5:40 AM
I love them both.
Highflyer
Highflyer - 8/13/2013, 5:41 AM
@persmegga, didn't you see how norton was using meditation, breathing techniques to keep the hulk inside?
Highflyer
Highflyer - 8/13/2013, 5:44 AM
Neither of them failed to capture how bruce would react to the situations he was in during the events of TIH and the Avengers.
Highflyer
Highflyer - 8/13/2013, 5:49 AM
If you were to ask me who was closer to the comics though, I would have to say Edward Norton.
Highflyer
Highflyer - 8/13/2013, 5:53 AM
@Lhornbk, have you watched american, history x, fight club, the illusionist, moonrise kingdom and many others? Norton is a freaking chameleon!
Highflyer
Highflyer - 8/13/2013, 6:16 AM
One of the many things I love about Bruce in the comics is the way he BEGS his enemies to stay away so the Hulk won't come out. I liked how Norton behaved the same way in TIH.
MrDonut
MrDonut - 8/13/2013, 7:32 AM
Ruffalo = Best Hulk
Norton = Best Banner

Ruffalo was boring and annoying as [frick] as Banner, Norton was interesting n engaging
Newbus
Newbus - 8/13/2013, 7:32 AM
Ruffalo.
ralfinader
ralfinader - 8/13/2013, 7:41 AM
Best Banner to date was Bill Bixby (RIP), and neither Norton or Ruffalo captured the spirit of Banner for me that Bixby did. Ruffalo, however, came closest to capturing that humble, hopeful, and cursed feeling I got from the TV show during his stay on the helicarrier and his conversation after Hulk landed in the abandoned warehouse.
SoundWave
SoundWave - 8/13/2013, 7:48 AM
Of course Eric Bana. Best Banner, best Hulk (but as remember mo-cap of Hulk played by Ang Lee himself... not Eric...), best Hulk movie. Best Thunderbolt Ross and best Betty also, Connelly forever!
nonserviam
nonserviam - 8/13/2013, 8:02 AM
Definitely Bixby.
Ancar
Ancar - 8/13/2013, 8:06 AM
ERIC BANA, motherfrackers!!!
TheEqualist
TheEqualist - 8/13/2013, 8:10 AM
I think Norton had the best of the three. His portrayal of Bruce was perfect and his hulk was gritty and fricking realistic as hell.

Ruffalo's Banner/hulk was made for kids and IMO Hulk a hulk on the TV/cartoon fine but Hulk on the big screen needs to be raw and savage, with a dark chaotic touch

Bana's was ehhhhhh, best part about that hulk movie was Jennifer Connelly.

I would've liked to see her with Norton.
ohsoserious
ohsoserious - 8/13/2013, 8:26 AM
Norton had down the best banner rufflo was ok nothing great.
FantasticSpidey
FantasticSpidey - 8/13/2013, 8:28 AM
I think Norton looked more like the scrawny, wimpy, and desperate to get rid of the Hulk type Banner. I didn't really buy Norton as a genius.

But Ruffalo nailed the intelligence, the anger, and the acceptance of the Hulk.

They seem to be 2 separate arcs in Banner's story. I like them both for what they brought, but the combination of the intelligence level Ruffalo brought along with his motion capture performances for Hulk's Face... Make him my favorite by a long shot.
Highflyer
Highflyer - 8/13/2013, 8:29 AM
@Godzillafart, Have you noticed something about, RDJ, Norton and Ruffalo? They are almost like a replica of the comic book characters they were portraying. RDJ seems like the same guy he plays on screen. Funny, charming and charismatic. Now look at Norton and Ruffalo. Ruffalo's Banner has the same swag Ruffalo has off screen while Norton seems like a quiet person off screen just like he was in TIH. And why does Norton have to channel Bixby? While I loved Bixby, his character was loosely based on the banner from the comics. Shouldn't every actor portray a character slightly differently? Brandon Routh recieved criticism for imitating Christopher reeve so while Henry is praised for being different from reeve. Why should Norton be put down for being different from Bixby and more like the Bruce Banner from the comics?
vtopa
vtopa - 8/13/2013, 8:46 AM
NORTON
SageMode
SageMode - 8/13/2013, 8:52 AM
Norton had no spark or charisma in his performance. Ruffalo was more entertaining to watch.
TheEqualist
TheEqualist - 8/13/2013, 9:01 AM
@sageMode
Jer3miah
Jer3miah - 8/13/2013, 9:02 AM
Norton all the way. Although I loved all the portrayals, Norton felt the most convincing as a scientist with a big problem on the inside. He was just more convincing IMHO.
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