Most people don’t make their way to a job just to do the least amount of work possible, especially if they’re expecting to have something to do that requires their utmost concentration and will test their skill set in a very profound manner. The strange and less than satisfying (to some people anyway) movie what was Ang Lee’s version of Hulk, took a lot of liberties with the green-skinned goliath, and in the process, it became one of the least effective versions of the superhero to be released since Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno tore up the small screen so long ago. It wasn’t just the fact that the CGI was horrible, it was also the realization that Ang Lee took over the role of the Hulk when it came time to utilize the motion capture suit. At that point, one has to wonder why Bana was even brought to star in the movie in the first place, though it’s easy to wonder if giving him the motion capture suit would have made a difference. The big green rage monster looked like he was made out of playdough most times, and lacked so much definition compared to the Hulks that came along after that the image felt unfinished. Plus, the swelling that occurred when the Hulk either felt the need for it or when someone was trying to hurt him was kind of odd.
But Eric Bana was frustrated since he wanted more to do. After coming from Black Hawk Down, which gave him and his fellow actors plenty to do when it came to interacting with the set and their fellow actors, being asked to just act in a dramatic fashion, and mostly indoors, was a change he didn’t really enjoy. It’s hard to blame the guy, especially since working outdoors is often more enjoyable to a lot of people. It can be just as irritating and bothersome at times, but working outdoors is far more liberating and offers much more freedom than working inside all the time. This is why most of those who work in an office building can’t wait for the day to be done and might spend a lot of time walking through a park or perhaps even just anywhere so long as it’s outside.
So really, it’s not hard to sympathize with Bana on this one, since a lot of us probably have to step away, when we can, for a moment to find a way outside, if it’s possible, just get a breath of fresh air. Those that work outside don’t always appreciate it as much since taking anything for granted is very possible. But for Bana, who enjoys working outdoors, this was no doubt rather frustrating to be restricted in the part he was supposed to be playing, especially since he was supposed to be the Hulk and Bruce Banner. That’s almost like telling an actor they can be Jekyll but not Hyde, it simply doesn’t work as well, and while it wasn’t the only reason why this movie had a decent story but horrible execution, it was definitely one of them. Allowing an actor to take on the entire role is important since as Bana stated it’s kind of like being forced to take part in a mini-movie while another movie that’s a part of the same project is being acted out by someone else.
There’s no surprise to learn that he was fully ready to get started on Troy when the time came around since he was back outside and getting to stay active once again. There are quite a few people that don’t like being bottled up when they’re acting and tend to want to take on movies that are more open and set in the outdoors or at least in areas that are far less confined than anything Bana had to do for this movie. The idea that some still think that it’s a worthy addition to the Hulk’s story is hard to understand since the movie wasn’t that great in the eyes of many people, but for some, it was actually a pretty good movie. Everyone has their own opinion after all and it’s fair to say that some folks like pretty much anything that has a little bit of action in it.
But it was never likely that Bana was going to play the Hulk again since he didn’t enjoy the experience apparently. That’s all well and good since it’s likely that it’s better that he stick to live-action as much as possible since he’s not a bad actor and still has a lot yet to offer. But taking on roles that one can agree with and enjoy is important since it tends to affect the kind of performance a person gives whether they want to admit it or not.
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