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6 out of 10
When it comes to filling the pockets of the studio fat-cats they know that superheroes and a Will Smith vehicle are a cue to break out the MC Hammer trousers. Hancock then must have had them wobbling along to their nearest branch of Big & Tall in an attempt to find a bigger pair of britches as the summer's latest release sees Will Smith try and put a fresh spin on everybody's friendly neighbourhood man of steel.
John Hancock (Smith) is a superhero unlike any other. Instead of basking in the adulation his heroics should merit he is a figure of public hate. It is quite understandable when his drunken attempts at fighting crime seem to do more harm than good. When Hancock saves the life of struggling Public Relations executive Ray Embrey (Bateman), he offers to return the favour by helping Hancock improve his public image even though his wife, Mary (Theron) opposes the idea.
Unlike almost every other superhero movie little is known about the titular hero. As a result there were no fan boys to upset, no character arc to adhere to, and no anticipated climactic showdown. It's a good thing too as absent is the obligatory origin story, gone is the hero's ascendance from mere man (Or woman) to super-being, banished is the maniacal adversary. It could be argued then that this works both for & against the movie.
Most superheroes have an alter ego that enables the audience to relate to them; they live in a society not to dissimilar to our own, they reveal their emotions, and they are governed by the rules & regulations that bind us all. In superhero guise though, the shackles are off. Hancock however is in plain sight for all to see. As a man he looks as though he has been on a night out with Shameless' Frank Gallagher; dishevelled, incoherent, a bum. And as a superhero things do not get much better. Though well intentioned, his brand of heroism seems to cause more mayhem than an army of ASBOs', whilst generating more outrage than a series of Big Brother. Despite Hancock's inventive spin on the genre, the movie suffers the same fate as its superhero kin by losing track when it comes to the guts of the story.
Hancock's transition from hobo to hero is all too smooth, the only discomfort coming from his new attire. With the media inciting much of the publics' ill-feeling toward Hancock his previous actions are all too quickly forgotten following one good deed. Bateman's PR man struggles to sell his charitable ideals in what is a half hearted critique on huge conglomerates, whilst the villain of the piece, though cunning, is no criminal mastermind yet seems to attain a level of villainy his actions do not justify. And even though you will have guessed the movie's twist after ten minutes, there is still an element of superhero mythology that will take you by surprise.
Whilst Smith seems suited to the role; sharp-tongued & streetwise as a man, a physical presence as a superhero, it is difficult to generate any kind of emotion toward him, even during the emotional finale. The chemistry between Smith and Bateman generates enough laughs to sustain the running time, whilst Theron is flawless as always (Forgetting Aeon Flux of course).
Hancock is an entertaining alternative to the production line of comic book adaptations. Smith offers plenty of punch; both physical and oral, while Bateman and Theron provide him with plenty of sparring opportunities. Though Hancock loses its way like a Spider-man 2 Peter Parker there is enough action, one-liners and sentiment to keep all entertained.
Movie Website: www.sonypictures.co.uk/movies/hancock
Cast List:
John Hancock: Will Smith
Mary Embrey: Charlize Theron
Ray Embrey: Jason Bateman
Aaron Embrey: Jae Head
Red: Eddie Marsan
Tracklist:
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