Dr. Venkman Reviews: Hancock
So my question is why are most critics hating on Hancock? It's not the best movie of the summer for sure, but it isn't really all that bad either. Its like in the movie, everyone hates Hancock! Sure Hancock doesn't have that Superhero Finesse everyone wants, but in the end he ends up getting the job done regardless. This goes for the movie as well. It delivers to the audience what it is meant to deliver, which is a good time at the movies. Hancock is a fun Will Smith popcorn action flick. What did you expect, an academy award winner?
In a world where comic book / Superhero movies reign supreme, Hancock is an original idea that is not based on a comic book or graphic Novel currently in print. Sure it takes on allot of the elements but Hancock is an original kind of superhero that we have not seen on the big screen. A guy with super powers that is an asshole and a drunk who needs to find himself.
Our own R.P. McMurphy recently wrote a review that pretty much summarizes the first part of the movie. You can read that review here. I am going to focus more on what wasn't said and if you haven't seen the movie There are going to be major spoilers in this review.
After Hancock (Will Smith) saves a struggling PR rep name Ray (Jason Bateman). Ray takes him under his wing to try and change Hancock into the Superhero everyone wants to see. The first time Rays wife Mary (Charlize Theron) meets Hancock there are strange looks from her. It is obvious she knows something, but what? There is a twist in the movie I really didn't see coming and I am so happy that this twist was not revealed through the movies marketing campaign because it left the audience with a surprise. I though that was great. I knew something was up but I didn't know Mary was going to destructively throw Hancock through the kitchen wall when he tried to kiss her! That's right people I ruined the twist but I did warn you. Mary is a 3000 year old superhero that was Hancock's wife back in the day before he lost his memory. I thought this was a great little twist!
Oh! And if you ever wondered what it would look like to see someone's head shoved up another person's ass you finally get to see it in this film, and its pretty disturbing.
I thought Hancock's story was pretty solid. There are a few holes and some things that are unexplained but it doesn't ruin the movie experience. I also thought the movie had a good amount of humor in it. There are some great one-liners delivered by Will Smith in classic Will Smith funny style. The special effects looked a bit on the cheap side but you don't really care because I think the story is enough to keep the audience interested.
There was no problem with the acting everyone played their parts really well. Will Smith brought his A game, so did Charlize Theron. I found it funny though that through the first part of the film the character Mary was a very normal beautiful looking housewife, then once we found out she was a superhero she all of a sudden started to sport the dark eye liner, new clothes, hair do, and looked slightly hotter than she used to be. Jason Bateman was great in this film though, and I thought he was the best actor in the movie.
Like I said this is not the best movie of the summer, but it is much better than a lot of crap that is being released. It's also not the best superhero ever made. It isn't the worst either. I don't think it is a waste of your money or time to see this movie. There are obviously people out there that won't like it. If you like a good action packed, funny, movie, starring Will Smith you can't loose. What ever you decide to see remember to enjoy your time at the movies!
-Dr. Venkman