There are many criticisms of Ang Lee's Hulk that hold water, but in fairness, it was a product of its time. Sure, the dialogue and pacing felt off, but there were decent enough performances from Eric Bana as Bruce Banner, Nick Nolte as Bruce's deranged, dad, David, and Sam Elliott as Thunderbolt Ross. However, it just didn't live up to potential, and there were things the Marvel Cinematic Universe corrected with Ed Norton and Mark Ruffalo. But even as polished as the MCU's Hulk is, one thing Lee's movie did a lot better was give the titular character a more nuanced, meaningful love story.
Sure, The Incredible Hulk was heartfelt at times, with Liv Tyler's Betty Ross spending time with Bruce and trying to heal the monster inside. But things quickly change when they went on the lam and realized they can't be physical. And, as is par the course with superhero films, Betty ends up being endangered in the war between Bruce and her dad.
Things didn't get any better when the Avengers movies dropped Betty and pushed Bruce into a relationship with Black Widow that lacked emotional connection. There was some chemistry at first, but it got strange when Bruce abandoned her after she confessed her tragic past in the Red Room. And to make matters worse, when Bruce came back from space, there's not much in the way of reconciliation. They greet each other in an awkward moment but end up having to refocus on the battle against Thanos.
That's not the case with Lee's Hulk movie, however, as Bana's character comes off as more caring, compassionate and filled with raw emotion. Sure, he's angry, but he's still devoted to Betty because she doesn't just represent romance -- she embodies the concept of family. He saw Thunderbolt be abusive to her, and it reminded him of the abuse he and his mom endured from David. This failed parenting also informed his tragic mindset, to the point where a part of him felt like maybe he'd fail at being a parent if ever given the chance.
Lee's Hulk holds a much deeper conversation than the MCU films, with it addressing abandonment and love outside of romance. It didn't make Betty a romantic crutch, and the relationship doesn't come off as the cliche will-they/won't-they dance. Lee removed the superficial element of romance and built on the emotional maelstrom that made Hulk, well, Hulk.
Had Marvel Studios recalibrated its Bruce and Natasha to explore their familial tragedies and dive into the human condition, the relationship would've resonated better. Instead, the MCU treats its relationship as disposable, whereas Lee's movie made them essential, whether it's via friendship or having Betty be by Bruce's side as something more.