For starters, the movie is underrated. Its got solid acting, pretty good special effects for 2003, a great soundtrack, and some stunning visuals. The problem comes mostly with the story. I admit that the movie earned my respect by focusing more on characters than the Hulk, but I wish it did more. There isn't a whole lot of development between the Hulk and Bruce Banner, one of the things that I really like seeing in Hulk movies. It would have mad it a lot more interesting, but unfortunately the movie bloats the runtime with a generic father-son dynamic that doesn't really pay off emotionally.
Additionally, some of the lines are pretty weird and not very well delivered, especially because Eric Bana and Jennifer Connally having very little chemistry with one another. Sometimes the acting is a little stiff, besides Nick Nolte. He comes off as a little out of place in the film, his extremely energetic and intense acting doesnt mix that well with the more stoic and reserved acting by the rest of the cast.
The editing in the film is also quite odd, Ang decided to go for a more comic book panel style. It doesn't work tremendously well except for a few scenes, and it distracts the viewer from what they should be focusing on. The film would be a lot better without it.
The villians in the movie (mainly Nick Nolte as the absorbing man) aren't very compelling, and seem very out of place. The comics never had the absorbing man as Banners father to my knowledge, even though his presence does provide us with some nice symbolism and a decent ending for Bruce. I'd honestly say that the absorbing man was probably the best choice for this movie, because even though the final battle is still a CGI smackdown, its much more about the relationship and emotions that these two characters (Absorbing man and Hulk) have for each other. Someone like Abomination would have seemed a little out of place here, especially considering the films emphasis on relationships and character rather than the action.
Speaking of the action, it can come across as lackluster. The Hulk looks ki d of off. He doesn't look bad, but he doesn't seem like the rage monster he is in the comics. He's built like a giant toddler, and his face isn't that intimidating. The action is mostly Hulk fighting the military. Ifs shot pretty well, and its entertaining enough. The best fight was definitely the last though, having some beautiful cinematography and that awesome score by Danny Elfman. Overall, I'd say check it out if your a fan of the Hulk. It may not be your cup of tea, but I'd say for the average competent viewer, it'll be worth your while.
Forgive and spelling or grammatical errors, I'm on mobile.