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Hancock (2008)

Director: Peter Berg

Time Out rating

Average user rating

143 reviews

Synopsis

Will Smith stars in this action comedy as a Superman-like hero who, due to a series of high-profile blunders, has fallen out of favour with the public (and not, alas, a biopic of one of Britain’s best loved comedy curmudgeons). Add to all of this the storming rows he has with his wife Charlize Theron and an awkward relationship with wisecracking PR guy, Jason Bateman.

Movie review

From Time Out London

If you can remember the seismic upheaval in the superhero order that was ‘Superman III’, during which the square-jawed one grew stubble, hit the whisky bottle and flicked peanuts at barmen, you may get flashbacks when watching Will Smith’s Hancock. But the big difference between Christopher Reeve’s trad hero and this latest lazy, drunken member of the caped fraternity is that Hancock was never a Samaritan in the first place. He looks like a tramp, he kips on benches, and he leaves behind him a trail of destruction wherever he tries to lend a hand. He doesn’t even
own a cape.

He’s a selfish layabout in need of some old-fashioned movie redemption. Which is exactly what we get. Oddly, it takes a suburban PR executive called Ray – played with charm by Jason Bateman – to correct Hancock’s behaviour, even if Ray’s wife Mary (Charlize Theron) is strangely wary of their friendship. As Ray gets to work on Hancock’s image, the film offers some humour and Smith, as ever, is fairly charismatic.

For the first half, there’s a laidback, knowing vibe to the script and Smith has some fun with the whole bizarre idea while director Peter Berg swings his camera about as he did for ‘The Kingdom’. It’s a very modern conceit: that behind every successful man lies an even better publicist. And it’s no coincidence that Hollywood, with its reliance on a well-oiled PR machine, has come up with a fictional publicist who’s more angel than svengali. But then the rest of the film – after an hour – flops spectacularly.

The big problem is that the script tries to have its cake and eat it, first ribbing us with nods and winks emanating from this sideways view of a superhero and then abandoning this detachment in favour of a traditional comic-book showdown that feels out of place, rushed and squeezed into the film’s remaining minutes. Put simply, the filmmakers bottle it.

Hancock’s reinvention as a good guy coincides with the emergence of a super-criminal played by Brit actor Eddie Marsan, who in the facial hair department looks like he’s stepped off the set of ‘Happy-Go-Lucky’. He’s a lame villain. There’s an unexpected twist that throws some weird, distracting logic into the mix, followed by a crisis, a fight, a spurt of apocalyptic digital larks – and it’s over. The film bows out not as a wink-wink pastiche but as a straightforward superhero movie – and a bad one at that.

Author: Dave Calhoun 2008-07-01 12:52:18

Time Out London Issue 1976, July 3 - 9 2008

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User reviews of this film

n said...

Posted on Jul 03 2008 00:27 The movie turned out better than I thought it would be.. It was funny and intriguing. Will Smith was as entertaining as always... Storyline was a bit weak but it was still a very entertaining movie... The most engaging one I have seen in a very long time... Nice one over all! :)

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Anna said...

Posted on Jul 02 2008 21:42 Despite all of these bad ratings, i think that this film was absolutly amazing, one of the best films ive seen in a while.
will smith is a legend, and whatever film he is in is great!
this is one of the best!

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SLEEPWALKER said...

Posted on Jul 02 2008 19:16 This is an insult!
The plot twists and change in tone running throughout this film is laughable. I did well to last just over 1 hour, and then I walked out. A ridiculous hero and a ridiculous film. Bow your heads in shame (writer and director)

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Al said...

Posted on Jul 02 2008 12:49 the 'lame' villain adds to the comedy so its all good!

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Barcode said...

Posted on Jul 02 2008 08:52 Oh dear, just when I thought the hipe might be right this is THE summer block buster, the only thing you are likley to bust is out of the cinema, starts well and then is lame until a final quick hobble american type ending. Vote for Hancock 2 - no way one term was more than enough. Sorry Will not your best work

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Simon said...

Posted on Jun 21 2008 12:59 Went to the premiere on wednesday and met will smith but unfortunatly this film is rubbish porr blotchy story some funny moments but nothing to grasp you out of your seat . !! Will smith is the name that will prob keep this film in the top 10 for about 1 month . But very very poor by his standards !

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pj said...

Posted on Jun 20 2008 22:08 it looks like the best ever

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Anderoo said...

Posted on Jun 19 2008 12:41 Unfortunately not Will Smiths finest hour - film stumbles between being a comedy, then get a bit dark, then serious - starts off great you think won't test the grey matter but a drunk superhero causing chaos where ever he goes will be laugh and keep the special effects boys busy - but that last about 10 minutes and then slides downhill fast, shame as Will is a great actor, made some top ten films, even better singing and will always be the fresh prince who can do no wrong to all us late thirties something’s but this will be one he won't want on his cv - go see the hulk or batman if you want a superhero frankly this is dull, does nothing, goes nowhere and has you looking at your watch after half an hour it one of those films you watch and think why make this and Will why did you do it your better than this - really disappointed in what could of been so much more - and Will please Ben in Black 3 or i Robot 2 even independence day 2 ' the aliens return' but please please no Hancock 2, will still be playing your records in the ‘summertime’ though. and will still be there to see your next movie no worries!

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