But as each summer schedule fills with super-hero spectaculars it can't be long before the formula runs dry.

The Incredible Hulk is the latest offering from Marvel Comics' new film studio, and an suitably epic list of films under production does not bode well for things to come.

The film is written by Zak Penn, the hand behind a string of disastrous comic-book films including Elektra, The Fantastic Four and X-Men: The Last Stand, and the generic, money making blue-print shows through here.

The newest incarnation sees scientist Bruce Banner on the run trying to find some substantial anger management to deal with his unique problem.

Predictably, however, he soon gets spotted and a crack squad of soldiers is commissioned to catch him, led by the gratingly dull Emil Blonsky, played by Tim Roth.

The Incredible Hulk then spends its 114-minute running time hurtling through a string of dull, computer game-like action sequences which only get longer and more uninspiring as the film progresses – culminating in an overly long battle between The Hulk and a Hulkified Blonsky which mainly revolves around them running into each other and making a mess.

Edward Norton reaches a new low as Banner, putting in a typically uncharismatic performance which fails even to meet the low standard set in Ang Lee's 2003 version of events by Eric Bana, who at least got bonus points for having a similar name.

Comic-book fans may well appreciate Marvel's attempts to link its latest spate of films, with a sneaky reference to Stark Industries and a cameo from Robert Downey Jnr as Iron Man's Tony Stark.

Although the fact that it is leading to the release of probable multi-super hero fiasco, The Avengers, has all the commercial subtlety of a sledgehammer to the face.

In all, The Incredible Hulk is a generic and boring outing which pioneers no new ground in a well-worn mould –– a monster failure that really leaves nothing to marvel at.

1/5