Hulk vs Wolverine   Starring (voice): Bryce Johnson, Fred Tatasciore, Steven Blum, Matthew Wolf and Kari Wahlgren Distributor: Lionsgate Home Entertainment RRP: £9.99 LGD95045 Certificate: 12 Release Date: 08 July 2013

From the extensive vault of Marvel, and released by Lionsgate Films, comes this animated feature from 2008 pitting two of the strongest and angriest comic character superheroes against each other. The Hulk has been rampaging for more than a week across the Alberta region of Canada. Logan, also known as Wolverine, is called in by Department H to stop him at all costs. After tracking down the Hulk, the pair clash in one of the fights of the century. However, there are very soon new concerns as they are both captured by Weapon X – a sort of X-Men group of bad guys led by a professor who wants to experiment on the subjects in order to turn them to do his bidding. But Hulk and Wolverine cannot be held for long, and they are pretty resentful of their incarceration, momentarily forgetting their vendetta against each other.

Essentially good superheroes are often set against each other in special event graphic novels and on screen for very little valid reason other than to showcase popular characters and sell more produce. This mini film is based on a Marvel comic series storyline. You would get bored very quickly with this spectacle if it wasn’t for the distraction of the villains. Sabretooth, Wolverine’s main nemesis, is along for the ride, as is Deathstryke, but most notable is the presence of Deadpool, represented on screen for the first time. Deadpool is an exaggerated wise-cracking deadly killer with absolutely no remorse. He makes numerous puns whilst dispatching his victims. In character, imagine a wicked Spider-Man with verbal diarrhoea. He keeps on to the point that even his fellow villains get annoyed and attack him.

While Hulk and Wolverine save the day, they end the story as it began by continuing their personal battle. So it’s a little niggling nothing is really resolved. With a running time of only around half an hour, it’s over seemingly before it has started. The mini making-of documentary mentions a companion piece to this called Wolverine Vs. Hulk, but there is no sign of it here.

Just a note on animation. Although it’s absolutely fine, Marvel’s animation doesn’t appear to have progressed that much in the last decade or so. In comparison, DC has adapted and used a number of different styles, particularly for their Batman animated films. They have also targeted a more adult audience for many of them. Check out Batman: Year One, Batman: Under the Red Hood, Gotham Knight, and The Dark Knight Returns. Come on Marvel, keep up! No complaints about Marvel’s many fantastic live-action films though.

5

Ty Power