Hancock

Hancock is the story of a reluctant superhero who has feelings of isolation and loneliness due to his unique superhuman speed and strength. His major character flaw however, is the emotional barrier that he has created after unsuccessfully trying to be the hero that the people of LA desperately want him to be. That, and he is an alcoholic.

This is truly a different take on the typical superhero genre, with an added element of compassion and humanity. There is still the suspended disbelief, good comedic scenes and excellent special effects (although a little shaky at times), but this is something we haven't seen before. The tight leather outfit is openly mocked, and Hancock's slovenly drunkard for all intents and purposes creates a visual antithesis of a traditional superhero.

Hancock woke up at a hospital with no memory of how he got there and upon signing out was told to put his John Hancock on the release papers. Thus, his identity was created. Will Smith plays the character wonderfully with exceptional physical presence and attitude. He is a master of comedic timing, and coupled with Jason Bateman, this film kept a smile on my face...until the end.

It's a great idea and story, a brilliant cast (I can't say enough about how great Bateman is - he may be the funniest actor alive) with the addition of Charlize Theron, it has all the makings of a true summer blockbuster, and the eventual box office gross will corroborate that statement. There was a feeling in my gut that I couldn't quite get over near the end though. Peter Berg is a great filmmaker, but he bucks the system with his non-conformist approach. He did that with Very Bad Things, and he did it with the Kingdom. I think the problem is that he is trying to create a comedy, a drama, a bit of suspense and some audience-shocking tragedy all at the same time. It is an unfamiliar feeling, and I kind of wish that he had stayed on the course before the plot twist.

The plot twist. I won't spoil, but it changes the direction of the film completely and even though there has to be the formulaic protagonist personal growth through conflict and resolution, this particular one didn't seem to fit the mold that the first 3/4 of the film created.

Although the title suggests that Smith is the main character, I would argue that it is more of a buddy picture with he and Bateman adding value and reassurance to each others lives from start to finish. I can't complain about that though, the two of them had a very natural dialogue and interaction and made it entertaining and watchable.

I have to give Berg credit for the originality aspect of the story and for landing an outstanding cast and using them wonderfully. I just had some minor issues with the way that the climax played out. Excellent acting all around, great idea and story, and the effects were pretty good (a little shaky and at times on the cheap side). 7/10