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Bookmark this pageHancock (2008)
Director: Peter Berg
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 evenown 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
Time Out London Issue 1976, July 3 - 9 2008
User reviews of this film
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- gilly said...
- Posted on Aug 23 2008 09:39 fantastic lots of enjoyment and full of action
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- Lisa H said...
- Posted on Aug 13 2008 17:18 I've just read the previous reviews & was surprised by some peoples' comments. Please don't let the negative comments put you off seeing this film. This film has a great story with a great twist to it. Will Smith plays a great part - his character is funny, sarcastic, moody - has many layers, I easily 'switch off' watching films, but this one kept me entertained. Anyway, it sold 10,000 tickets in the first weekend - I went mid week circa 2pm, & it was full!
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- Lisa H said...
- Posted on Aug 13 2008 17:09 This film is great, & well worth viewing. Many times I was laughing so loud, it's a wonder I didn't get removed from the premises (my 15yr old daughter was not impressed with me!), & near the end, where the twist starts to unfold, I was actually in tears (to this my daughter laughed at me!), Basically this fim brings to the fore many emotions - but disapointment won't be one of them, Great story & great acting by all - as for Will Smith.....he's still got it!
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- Maya said...
- Posted on Aug 12 2008 12:48 I delayed seeing this movie because of the bad reviews. One week when there was nothing on, I decided to see it anyway. I'm glad I did. I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed it. It's a mix of action and romance. A feel good movie. One thing though, the film could do with a little more explanation of the history between Will's & Charlize's characters. Go and see it, don't listen to the negative press & just form your own opinion.
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- BruceMcDougall said...
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Posted on Aug 11 2008 09:01
The publicity departments of movie studios always have people try to promote their movies because they have a lot of money involved and even if the movie is a stinker they want to break even-at your expense. Some of those people are writing reviews here.
This movie is boring, unfunny, crude, unoriginal and a complete waste of your money and two hours of your life.
It was completed during the strike in Hollywood and it shows. It is a complete mess. Ironman and Batman are special effects movies as is this but they were entertaining. Don't be fooled because Will Smith is in it, this movie is very, very bad. - Report as inappropriate
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- brianey said...
- Posted on Aug 09 2008 18:15 this film was great i really enjoyed and i shalll be buying the dvd so i can enjoy it again
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- Gr8yxx said...
- Posted on Aug 08 2008 18:18 I read all the negatie reviews on here before visiting the cinema and almost didn't go to see the film because of them. I'm so glad i decided to see for myself what it was like because it was an excellent movie. Very funny and also almost heartbreaking. I enjoyed this film immensly and to think i almost didn't see it because a lot of reviews were negative. Each to their own i suppose, but the 5 of us that went to see it all loved it. Not a boring moment, it didn't fizzle out after 40 minutes. Go find out for yourself.
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- adair said...
- Posted on Aug 06 2008 19:59 It was simply Terrible. I will quote it for its shitness... just like i do Swat.
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- zoe said...
- Posted on Aug 05 2008 22:23 i hope this film is good because it looks mager exilant lol im going to see it soon i think
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- Lauren said...
- Posted on Aug 04 2008 09:58 AMAZING
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- ROB said...
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Posted on Aug 03 2008 16:11
i have to say this, and i havent said it many times, but this is the worst film i have ever see. awful, awful, awful plot........i cant believe people enjoyed this film, i was cringeing throughout! dont know how the people who made this film sleep at night
i advise everyone DO NOT EVER WATCH THIS FILM! 2 hours i will never get back! - Report as inappropriate
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- TRUTH TELLER said...
- Posted on Aug 03 2008 10:08 This film was obviously made during the writers strike in Hollywood. It really is boring. The plot is just plain ridiculous and the direction of the film defies belief. Very old jokes and the stunts have been done before and much better. Will's last film was excellent, this one is a waste of your money. The Dark Knight and Ironman were, like this, films centered on special effects but were great entertainment. This is just absurd and boring.
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- timtom said...
- Posted on Aug 02 2008 17:01 Saw the movie last week, its not bad but neither is it great. Worth going to see it in the cinema? No, would rather get the DVD.
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- Karen said...
- Posted on Aug 02 2008 14:04 We all really enjoyed this film, especially my son. Wasn't what we expected, but action packed and a good story. Would recommend
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- roger rabbit said...
- Posted on Aug 01 2008 18:54 Seen worse to be honest ,but also seen 100 times better ! Just another summer so called blockbusters that if you watch the trailer you've seen the movie . Unlike The Dark Knight which is 1st class . Does beat a night in watching some TV Soap shit ,or X factor bollocks .
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Cast & crew
Director: Peter Berg
Cast: Will Smith, Jason Bateman, Charlize Theron full cast
Genre(s): Action/Adventure
Rated: 12A
Duration: 92 mins
UK Release: Feb 7 2008
US Release: Jul 2 2008
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