Hancock Review

Hancock-ReviewThanks for checking out our Hancock review. If you’d like to see a video version of the Hancock review you can see it at the bottom of this post.

Will Smith is one of those actors that has come to grow on me over the years, the main turning point being his amazing performance in Ali a few years back. Since then, I haven’t exactly loved all his movies, but if you’re going to try to be objective about it, Smith always brought exactly what his roles called for. The other factor is that all his movies seem to make crazy amounts of bank regardless of their quality, which makes him one of the last (if not THE last) truly bankable movie stars.

The film originally titled “Tonight He Comes” (for the record I much prefer the name “Hancock”) sounds like a straight comedy when you hear the premise… you’d even be forgiven for still thinking it’s a straight comedy when seeing the first wave of trailers and clips which pretty much painted Hancock as a laugher. Then came word that the film is actually a dark film. So which was true? Well… both actually.

THE GENERAL IDEA

The synopsis for Hancock looks something like this: “John Hancock (Will Smith) is an unhappy and reluctant superhero who is living in his own world. For some unknown reason, Hancock is depressed and has started drinking very heavily. He has saved many lives in Los Angles over the years, but in doing so, he has no regards for damaging buildings, trains, roads, cars, or anything that gets in his way to get the job done. The last time he captured several criminals, it cost the city $9 million to fix the damages. The public has had enough of Hancock, and they want him to stop or go to another city. Then one day, Hancock saves the life of Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman). Ray is a Public Relations executive who now can go home to his wife and child, because Hancock was there. Ray owes Hancock his life, and he makes it his mission to change his superhero’s image and have the public cheering him.”

THE GOOD

Hancock is not your stereotypical superhero film. As a matter of fact, you could make the argument that the movie is more of a character study surrounding Hancock and his predicament. A man without memory of who he actually is with serious issues he needs to deal with. Yeah it sounds a bit cheesy, but you know what… it works. I really enjoyed how they executed this whole premise.

Will Smith once again brings exactly the performance that his particular character needed… and believe me… getting told “you’re playing a man with superpowers who drinks too much, has major attitude and personal problems who is forced to confront them in a movie that isn’t a spoof but isn’t too serious either” would be a description that could cause a lot of actors to drink, but honestly… Smith found the zone where Hancock lives and portrayed it perfectly.

Although this is not a comedy movie… there are honestly good laughs sprinkled throughout the length of the movie… the best ones weren’t even given away in the trailers.

Has Jason Bateman ever done a bad job?

THE BAD

To me, the single biggest weakness in Hancock is the absolute lack of any adversary. Yes, I understand that Hancock is more of a character movie than a superhero one, and as such the antagonist is Hancock’s personal issues… but whether it likes it or not, Hancock IS still at least in part a superhero movie, and that being the case you need at least some semblance of an adversary. No, it doesn’t need to be a “super villain”… but all the movie gives is is random smatterings of various thugs and hoods. A couple of which get together later (after each getting their asses handed to them by the super powered Hancock) and decide to go after Hancock. This made ZERO sense to me since they already know Hancock is invulnerable and bulletproof… yet they decide to go after him with some guns… I’m sorry but even stupid criminals are smarter than that.

The second half of the film takes a downward turn in terms of momentum once a minor twist is revealed that (even after an explanation is offered) seemed a bit weak and coincidental which then dominates the remainder of the story. Now, unlike a lot of movie critics out there… the second half of the film didn’t bother too much, but it is clearly the weaker part of the movie no doubt.

Since Hancock doesn’t really have an adversary in the film that can fight him… the action is boring. I know what you’re thinking: “But John, you said this was a character study more than an action film” and that’s true… BUT… they have a lot of action scenes without any action. You can only get a kick out of seeing Smith beat up non-superpowered guys with one hand behind his back so many times. If you’re going to have action sequences… then put in some… you know… action.

OVERALL

Hancock is getting worked over pretty good by the critics right now (last time I checked it only had a 35% on Rotten Tomatoes) but I’ve got to tell ya… while I didn’t “love” Hancock, I’m really not sure what their beef with the flick is. For me, it delivers on what it suggests it will, the story was a good one, some decent laughs and a strong lead performance by Smith make this a watchable film despite the shortcomings I mentioned above. Overall I give Hancock a 6.5 out of 10

YOU CAN SEE THE VIDEO VERSION OF THE HANCOCK REVIEW BELOW

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49 thoughts on “Hancock Review

  1. Hancock was overall Smith’s worst film ever, I think he must have been in the mood his character seemed to be in at the beginning of the film to even have accepted the role.

    While the premise of Angels/Greek-gods/Superhero-Immortals was a good one, the initial concepts don’t make up for the lame, unfunny, attempts at comedy, this film needed to make up its mind, either be superhero or be comedy.

    Don’t get me wrong I’m not bashing Will Smith, the opposite in fact! Smith is the only thing that remotely redeemed this absolute atrocity. But his choice to have anything to do with this director/production after viewing the first 10 minutes of playback was obviously not his own. Will Smith is better than this, smarter than this, and I am ashamed of him for this.

    It jumps back and forth with the next thing even more unbelievable than the last, first his jizz cuts holes through steel-trailer-roof, then the train crashes into him and STOPS? Come on, I don’t care if he is immortal/unable-to-be-damaged, does that mean he weighs 2,000,000 lbs? Do you know what his weight would have to be for him to not be pushed back a step by a moving train? If he even weighed enough to stop a train he’d not have been able to stand on the ground above any given city street without breaking through the sewers and a greater distance into the ground before stopping, much less LANDING HARD on the street. And another thing, if the woman in the film had spent who knows how many odd years in the same city seeing him on the news and whatnot, she knew he was around, why didn’t she get her husband to move? Why after seeming to be completely capable of keeping her husband 7 or 8 years in the dark about her powers does she suddenly decide out of NOWHERE to through Hancock through a wall? Seems bad policy if trying to keep things a secret. I guess my REAL beef is with the writer of this freaking screenplay, I MEAN COME ON!!!

    I really could go on for hours and bit by bit break this thing down showing how UTTERLY LAME every single moment was, but it is SO no worth my time, suffice to say I’m upset that a great actor like Will Smith would touch this thing with a fifty foot pole, bad form!

  2. haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa what do u say to this hahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………i like hancock. Im out of breath haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa oh merry christmas haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa please reply 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this review will never end sike

  3. Next time you watch the movie, pause throughout the twister scene. There’s a long shot across a crowd and you’ll notice a large bi-ped “robot” (think Transformers) cross from left to right.

    What’s that all about?

  4. (Type your comment here. Make sure you’ve read the commenting rules before doing so)
    film is so bad that am very sad for will smith for acting or accepting the role.real its high time he stopped taking all roles.he has a reputation.

  5. mmm.. today i watched the film,,with my class..and really I couldn’t understand what they wanted!!
    and I didnt like the way that they were kidding,, it didn’t make me laugh,,,and it was oexaggerated at all,,I’m Arab and I used to watch the arabic movies but sometimes I watch some English movies,, and it was disappointed.. although it wasnt my idea about the english movies..but what I liked in this movie was the songs, and the sound effects.. hope there are no grammer mistakes!!! :)

  6. I just saw the movie tonight, and I really liked it. I have to put in the obligatory disclaimer: it ‘had’ to be better than I Am Legend, and I expected a good film after that one’s mediocre run.

    Pluses: The premise was fresh, and the idea of a superhero volunteering to go to jail was something that intrigued me. The villain that so many people seem to be clamoring for, to me, was just Hancock’s image and his attitude. I like that the film delivered what the previews promised–a flawed superhero cleaned up his image. The action didn’t lag, and that was also a plus.

    Now for the minuses: the romantic angle seemed to be a tiny bit obligatory, “He’s depressed because he’s alone; we need a heroine for our hero. We have two to choose from: the happily married woman and the wounded cop. Toss the coin, gentlemen.”
    Also, how simple is it to break out of prison? And why would any sane individual want to have a rematch with a guy who can easily fit a head up…nevermind. Ask any escaped criminal what their plans are, I doubt they’d opt for going at the superhero who put them in jail in the first place head-on.

    For me, the film was well-balanced, had a wonderful plot, and worth the ride. The cons didn’t outweigh the pros, at least–and everybody but a few of the bad guys lived happily ever after.

  7. This was by far the worst movie i have ever seen. A moron must have wrote it, the badguys come after him a 2nd time with guns i mean wtf. How many times does handcock need to test the girls super powers (stabs with knife, hits with stool, hits with frying pan i mean wtf) then to top of the stupidity why does the female hero just tell him what there history is instead of fighting a fight that neither one can get hurt in. Stupid movie… another to add to Smiths resume.

  8. I really liked this movie. I did a review about it, too, which wasn’t as long and well written as yours, but I did like it. :)

    I really like your blog. I plan on referencing it often. Thanks for writing good interesting reviews!! :)

  9. To me it fits in the same camp as ‘The Happening’ or ‘Cloverfield’ (I realise the stories are completely different). I mean that I could enjoy it but when it comes to actually anaysing the story and trying to pick out the depth of the film, there is very little. These types of films now play more on our emmotions by invoking fear, tenseness, joy, empathy etc. and they deliver this stuff in spades, but when you really look at the story that was delivered there is bugger all too it.
    I liked all of these, but I recognise that maybe the world isn’t ready to be dished up such intangible things as emmotions against a tangible element as a super hero. Others have done it and done it well, Superman returns, Spiderman 3 to name a couple – but what these have, to return the viewer to normality, is the villain.

  10. I was so excited to go to the movies as I have a new baby and this was our first time out in five months alone. It was our sixth anniversary, and I have to say what a disappointing one thanks to Hancock. I go to the movies a lot and have barely ever had a problem, but due to the “bumpy” filming of this movie I got so motion sick I had to leave within the first 20 minutes. I do not understand why film makers have to move the camera all over at all times. Perhaps they are trying to make it seem real, but to me, this is just ridiculous. I had the same problem with The Kingdom, where even in my own house I got sick. Shame on the film makers who film this way and who ruin movies for a lot of people! Thumbs down!

  11. While I enjoyed the first hr of Hancock I have to admit I was stunned at how off course the last 30 minutes were. I personally hated the twist. How could all involved think that was the way to go. For me it sucked out all the good will the film had up until that point. I expect a sizable drop off at the box-office in weekend #2 and no sequel.

  12. Listening to Smith recently he’s evidently strolling down “Scientology Avenue”, and his career is going to suffer ala Tom “th’ Couch” Cruise because of it. Mark my words….yapping about “spiritual perfection” this past week was the big clue that hit me in the head. Have fun Will…..his career might just be titled, “He is Legend”. We’ll see…

  13. They never indicated that there would be an adversary in the movie so I didn’t expect one. I don’t know if it’s the movie should lose points because they left out something that they never pretended to have.

    I wouldn’t hold it against a romantic drama if they didn’t include a love triangle and only had two characters in the drama instead of three. I think you’re criticizing the movie for writing outside the formula. I prefer to encourage that, and I also liked this movie more than 6.5 out of 10.

  14. it’s not quite bad is the movie, I mean the story..pretty good..- but in other side, the twist is not enough to cover up what is the point of it?

  15. Take Dramamine before you see this movie—half way through it I was so motion sick that I had to get up & wait in the lobby. I don’t normaly get motion sick so beware–the first half that I did see was pretty good for whatever it’s worth!

  16. First, I want to say that I really enjoyed this movie. Unlike several people who seem to have a problem with the picture’s second half, I thought it was a fresh twist to the typical Super Hero story and a welcome change for this day and age.

    I suspect that those reviewers who found this part of the movie questionable, probably had more of a problem with the interaction of Will Smith’s and Charlize Theron’s characters than the “surprise” storyline.

    I saw a very well performed “second half” of the movie. I found myself engrossed in the relationship of Smith’s and Theron’s characters. I felt their longing and genuine concern for one another. I think the keyword here is that I “felt” for these characters.

    To me, their’s was just a normal interaction of a man and a woman who really loved each other. I didn’t get a sense that this was some kind of in-your-face-guess-who’s-coming-to-dinner type picture with a point to prove. It’s unfortunate that people in this world still aren’t “colorblind.” If they were, I think they would have Will Smith’s and Charlize Theron’s tender performances.

  17. Correction

    (I hit the submit button by mistake)

    Great Review John

    I had to say I liked most of the film I think the execution of the concept was done rather well although. I felt there was a deeper story to be told here that was made more comedic to make this a popcorn summer affair, but it didn’t bother me in fact I like how Smith played the character. I think he did a good job but I have to say the minor twist did ruin it for me not only the twist but. The tonal shift the story takes seems out of place with the rest of the film had they just kept the same pacing as the first half. I would of said it was a better film over all but instead it all fell apart in the third act. Which is sad cause I was ready to say this was a pretty decent film now I just think it was a wasted (no pun intended) opportunity.

  18. Great Review John

    I had to say I liked most of the film I like think the execution of the concept was done rather well although I felt there was a deeper story to be told that was made more comedic to make this a popcorn summer affair but it didn’t bother in fact I like how Smith played the character I think he did a good job but I have to say the minor twist did ruin it for me not only the twist but the tonal shift the story takes and seem more like what

  19. Yesterday I saw Hancock and I must say that I did sneek into a better film afterwards. It is not the worst Will Smith movie I’ve ever seen but it is not even worth a rental. The problem I had with this film is that it had a cool premise but the story devolved into a 3rd act mess. It started off as a PR campign to help Hancock then went way off-course in towards the end. Avoid this one at all costs

  20. Film was hilarious laughed almost the entire time but the only thing i would have to say was a downside was Peter Berg’s “style,” the guy is a good up and coming director but holyshit enough with the extreme close ups and handheld shots….The characters are not that dynamic to have that many EXTREME close ups. Overall a good film but damn Pete ease up with the handheld.

  21. (Type your comment here. Make sure you’ve read the commenting rules before doing so)
    I could have strapped a camcorder to my cat’s head after letting her roll in catnip for an hour and the footage would have been filmed steadier than this movie. I threw up in my popcorn bag. Want to find out if you get seasick before you invest in a cruise? Go see this movie. If you don’t throw up during this one, you’ll make it in a canoe hit by a tsunami!

  22. Did someone with Parkinson’s Syndrome film this movie? Holy mackerel. I haven’t been that motion sick since I was five years old and riding in the back seat of a station wagon with no air conditioning on a 110 degree day after eating a huge bag of M&M’s for breakfast!

  23. i’m surprised, and disappointed HANCOCK didn’t make your “worst of 2008” list. how disappointing the film was, will smith has made his own “last action hero”. a twisted live action INCREDIBLES.

    he should have made MIB3 instead.

    thanks

  24. The antagonist in the film was ridiculously lame. Why the fuck would she even attack him and then say “Don’t tell him I’m like this” when she could just carry on pretending she was a normal woman? Absolutely NO reasoning whatsoever.

    The film seems to just lose momentum after the first 15 minutes and the pointless home-away-from-home American dream was just garbage. The comedy aspect was just stupid ass-related jokes and totally unnecessary. It tried to push it so much and it just WASN’T funny.

  25. Having watched this movie with several friends this evening, I have to say that nobody walked away disappointed. Quite a few of them had no idea as to what the storyline was, which can often be a good thing because you have zero expectation. The session prior to the one we attended was sold out, as ours became so too – not always a sign of a killer movie, but one that stirs the public’s curiosity enough to spend their money on the movie in the first place.
    I was pleasantly surprised, and did find myself laughing along with many of the jokes. Yes, it does have sprinklings of a darker side to the plot and characters, but it just touches the surface – which is good thing because considering how upbeat it was, it would have been a bad choice in my opinion to focus too much on the ‘back story’ so to say.

    Having said all of this, there is a word of WARNING…..I got so motion sick whilst watching this that I had to close my eyes for half of the movie for fear of throwing up there and then. Not a good thing! So, if you do get motion sick, then pop a few motion sickness pills before venturing in.

  26. I got to see it today…and I doubt that anyone there (including the friend I went with) besides me actually liked it.

    For me, in a nutshell, the film should have been more of what it had going for it, which was as a ‘NOT action film’ take on a super hero. A film that dealt with the existentialism that almost all super hero films deal with, except that with ‘Hancock’, it was front-and-center, whereas with Spiderman, Batman and Superman, it’s a side-order.

    I understand some of the jabs being taken at it, the unevenness, the lack of a villain…but maybe because I read the original script, I was prepared for something that I’m willing to bet most North American filmgoers wouldn’t even WANT to see. (Because really, here, ‘facile’ sells, as long as it’s loud and fast.) I’d love to a) see a Director’s Cut, because I bet there was a lot of eviscerating going on, and b) see this done by a non-American director. European, please. To fully explore the ‘dark side’, something that has to be done just right to appeal to the audience in this part of the world. And this just wasn’t. Berg has a good brand of kinetic energy going for him, but it wasn’t enough to give this the oomph it needed.

    Even though I’m going to be applying my usual post-viewing screenwriter’s template to it to take a better look at what didn’t work and why, I really enjoyed it. Despite the lack of a true villain (not necessary in this case) and that it changed its tone several times (again, not a problem, because this ain’t a cut-and-paste action flick). The unfortunate thing is that those people who wanted a black-comedy, piss-take on super hero flicks as well as those who would have appreciated an even more lacerating approach are probably going to be disappointed.

  27. I have to agree with the other critics John. I went into this movie with really no expecations but then I was won over by Will Smith and Bateman. I was enjoying myself then the whole “twist” came along and I was pissed off. It just felt hollow and weird. The writers had a good movie going along and they ruined it. So maybe that’s why it’s doing so terrible (Review-wise) Everyone was liking it and the second half just turned the whole movie on its head. I wouldn’t give it more than a 4 because I was so disappointed.

  28. i actually liked it, but as a will smith movie, no. i just had so low expectations for it that i liked it. but it was like there wasn’t even a bad guy exept those stupid thugs! sure there were laughs, but it was sill dissapionting, so a give it a low b

  29. John,

    I agree almost 100% with your grade of this movie. There are a few solid laughs and the action was decent. The movie does run out of gas in the third act, but all in all its not a half-bad movie.

    The premise was outstanding and could have been really great if the script were a bit stronger. I actually didnt mind the whole “lack of adversary” but it was the explanation of who Hancock was that left me wanting.

    I wish there was more detail there or even some flashback scenes with the “others”. To me that would have made this movie more of a 7.5-8/10 and could have eevn left the door open for more good stories.

    Anyway, great job as usual and thanks for the reviews.

  30. This is one of the greatest So-So films I have seen. I like it but at the same time it did nothing for me, here’s why: The lack of action. There was action but no real good action sequence. There was maybe one good one if you want to count the fight between Handcock and Mary. Bad lore/ mythology/ back story of Handcock and Mary Embrey. The back story was literally here is the back story, any questions, no, ok moving on. No connection to the genre of superhero/ comic book movies. No real villain. Well, the there was three “villains” inner demons (Handcock’s), thugs/criminals, and they/them (past “villains”). Even thought it had some major flaws it was unusually entertaining and quite funny (in parts), mainly the one liners and Jason Bateman. This could be hard to believe but I think the rated-R version would have been better. Until next time happy hunting and God bless.

  31. i seen it and i know what people dont like about it…the first half is will bieng the fresh prince of bel air…then the second half is all serious……ok so either its a comedy or its not dont just switch in the middle of it to be some serious life changing movie…..and this is what people where saying as we left the theatre.

  32. Pretty much agree with the review, John. However, liked how there wasn’t an adversary to fight against (though the point could be made that Hancock is his own adversary)

    I think that superhero films too often bring in supervillians for our hero to face. Hancock is a refreshing take on the genre, focusing more more on the main character.

    I wouldn’t necessarily call this an origins story, because his origins really weren’t covered that much in the film. (Prequel? Sequel?)

  33. Looking forward to seeing this tomorrow, even knowing that it’s bound to disappoint.

    Read the screenplay and I’m assuming they changed a whole lot, because they sure couldn’t have filmed THAT.

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