Rating of
2.5/4
Hancock Not Quite Superheroic
Chris Kavan - wrote on 07/07/08
A surly Will Smith is a change of pace and for an hour I was quite enjoying myself. Then the film took a twist (one most people will see coming) and just ran out of steam.
Hancock takes the idea of a superhero and turns it on its head. Will Smith is the titular hero of L.A. that no one really wants. His wanton destruction while saving the day, along with being drunk most of the time, don't really make him the toast of the town. In fact, at just about every turn, someone is calling him an a-hold, and, for the most part, it's pretty well deserved. With a bout of amnesia going back about fifty years, Hancock is also a lonely man.
However, as fate would have it, there is one person in town that appreciates him, a nice PR man, Ray Embrey (now there's a stretch) played to perfection by Jason Bateman. After saving him from a messy meeting with a train, he invites him to dinner with his family. His son thinks Hancock is pretty much the best guy ever, while his wife (the picture perfect Charlize Theron) seems cold and distant to the new addition. With a real chance to make a name for himself, and hopefully give his struggling heart campaign a much-needed boost, Embrey seeks to give Hancock a makeover.
So we're treated to a few funny clips on YouTube of Hancock at some pretty low points, Hancock going to prison and, after asserting his place inside with authority, finding out a little about himself. Sure enough, there's soon a problem in the city and a newly-reformed Hancock is brought in to save the day. Shortly after is when the whole film falls apart.
I can't give too much away, as it would ruin the big twist. Needless to day, Embrey's family comes into play, secrets are revealed and sacrifices are made. The surly hero turns into a nice guy and general love and family rule the day. The generic villains don't help things out much. It ends on kind of a happy note, though I still feel bad for Hancock. If the ending had been a bit less mushy, I would have liked this one more. As it is, this is a good film, but it could have been better.
