History Recap / TheNostalgiaCriticS10E14

* ActorAllusion: [[Main/InUniverse Seeing]] Creator/JenniferConnelly's [[Main/InUniverse dull acting as Betsy Ross]], especially at the scene where Dave chews on an electric wire, has the Critic wish he could bring back the energy she had as Sarah Williams in ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}''.

* FauxSymbolism: [[Main/InUniverse Parodied with the green walls]] in the scene where Glenn tries to recruit Betsy into his project apparently symbolizing the Hulk's presence in so boring a film as this. In a more serious example, the Critic also wonders if a lonely swing at the scene where Bruce visits his since-abandoned hometown is an allegory for the film's director Creator/AngLee seeking salvation from this movie.

* JustForPun: In case someone thinks the IdiosyncraticWipes are only "mildly annoying", the Critic gives a reminder that the entire film is abundant with these such that the "m" in "mildly" will turn upside-down to read "wildly".
* {{Narm}}: [[Main/InUniverse The scene where]] Bruce sees Dave stalking him with three dogs is so not intimidating the Critic puts up a sketch of Tamara doing the same and trying not to laugh.

* PlayingAgainstType: [[Main/InUniverse The Critic]] lays part of the blame for the film's poor performance on the producers' decision to hire Ang Lee as director, a particularly jarring departure for someone whose forte is subtle social drama, such as ''Film/CrouchingTigerHiddenDragon''. He can also tell that in this film Lee is just a director for hire, whereas the latter film was a work of love.

* StarDerailingRole: Downplayed. [[Main/InUniverse The Critic]] thinks this film was a blemish in the otherwise stellar career of Ang Lee, from which he eventually recovered with such hits as ''Film/BrokebackMountain'' and ''Literature/LifeOfPi''.

* DamnedByFaintPraise: Besides Nolte, according to the Critic some of the few good scenes in the movie are TheCameo of Creator/StanLee and Creator/LouFerrigno, who played the Hulk in [[Series/TheIncredibleHulk the 1977 TV series]], as well as a joke made by Betsy about exploding frogs.

** The opening and closing sketches takes cues from the respective credits of [[Series/TheIncredibleHulk the 1977 TV series]], with the Critic labeled as "The Incredible Sulk".

** Sam Elliot's usual drawl makes NC feel like he's listening to him speak with his mouth full of food. Anytime General Ross speaks, NC shouts out "Chew and swallow!"

** The use IdiosyncraticWipes to capture a "comic-book feel" (like its source material) is compared to putting captions into ''Literature/{{It}}'', including including Pennywise's iconic "Wa-ha!" laugh.

** When the Hulk flees to San Francisco, the Critic thinks he was to stop further filmings of ''Series/FullerHouse''.

** After seeing the mutant dogs, the Critic imitates Stan Lee calling in and negatively comparing this to ''Stripperella'', another one of his comic book creations when he calls Ang Lee to say how ridiculous the scene is.

'''Tagline:''' "Before he was everyone's favorite smashing machine, Hulk had a strangely rocky start."

* DamnedByFaintPraise: Besides Nolte, according to the Critic some of the few good scenes in the movie is TheCameo of Creator/StanLee and Creator/LouFerrigno, who played the Hulk in [[Series/TheIncredibleHulk the 1977 TV series]], as well as a joke made by Betsy about exploding frogs.

* FauxSymbolism: [[Main/InUniverse Parodied with the green walls]] on the scene where Glenn tries to recruit Betsy into his project apparently symbolizing the Hulk's presence in so boring a film as this. In a more serious example, the Critic also wonders if a lonely swing at the scene where Bruce visits his since-abandoned hometown is an allegory for the film's director Creator/AngLee seeking salvation from this movie.

* ParodyCommercial: The two halves of the review is divided with a commercial for an Incredible Hulk action figure which, instead of bringing excitement, only makes a pair of children (Malcolm and Tamara) more emotional.

* WhyWeCantHaveNiceThings: The Critic blames this film for a general lack of interest in future solo movies starring the Hulk, despite the recent popularity of the Creator/MarkRuffalo version as he appears in the Film/MarvelCinematicUniverse.