Hancock - In cinemas July 2008 - Sony Pictures Home Ent. UK

It's average, nothing more or less

One star and five star reviews for this film should be laughed at, as you will many great moments in the first half of this film.

At some point the laughs had to run out, there is only so much script in an alcoholic super hero.

When that happens and the plot twist occurs, which many will see coming, you've just got to enjoy looking at the tunning Charlize Theron and patiently await the end of the film.

Good rather than excellent

Film in which Will Smith plays John Hancock, a Los Angeles based superhero who despite his using his super powers to fight crime is despised by the public because he is a drunkard and clumsy in the use of his powers, often causing millions of pounds of damage to public and private property in his efforts to bring criminals to justice. One day Hancock saves the life of PR executive with a heart Ray Embrey (played by Jason Bateman), and to show his gratitude Ray decides to take Hancock under his wing to help him to rectify his public image problem. With Ray's help Hancock starts learning how a superhero should behave - and look - and how to endear himself to the public. Through his relationship with Ray Hancock gets to meet Ray's family - wife Mary (played by Charlize Theron) and his young son - and when Ray and his family query Hancock as to his origins Hancock reveals something that no one until that point knew: he has no memory of his past. But everything will change for Hancock when it transpires that Mary has a secret of her own and Hancock gets involved in a love triangle with her and Ray. And when some dangerous criminals that Hancock helped put behind bars come after him looking for revenge when Hancock is at his most uninvincible will Hancock survive?

Comments: I enjoyed this film. Will Smith plays the role of superhero Hancock well, both as the interesting uncouth and unpleasant drunk he is at first and the more polished - and familiar - type of superhero he becomes after his makeover by Jason Bateman's PR exec. The special effects are first-rate, Bateman makes for excellent support and Charlize Theron is suitably mysterious as the wife with a secret. There are also a number of moments of wry humour (although the film is not a comedy). Personally I never get tired of seeing superheroes fighting against crime or the forces of evil - as long as it's done well, which it is in this film. However although the enjoyment factor in this film is high Hancock's back story is not developed enough or given enough detail in the film, weakening the end product somewhat. Smith and Theron's charisma and star power carry the film but the lack of sufficient information about the character Hancock's origins means that this film is good rather than excellent.

Should be called cock-up not Hancock

Sorry to be disparaging, but this movie is disappointing. A brilliant idea, the flawed superhero comes good, is let down by a convoluted storyline and even more mediocre storytelling. i got bored half-way through because the whole movie ran out of steam. it almost seemed as if the director didn't know what to do next. Will Smith was spot-on as always, so was Jason Bateman and Charlize Theron, but even great actors need decent material. For all that, however, the special effects ARE impressive. I love the whale being tossed back into the sea. But all the best bits were pretty much featured in the trailer.

meh

This film had sooooo much potential! I saw the advert on TV and immediately thought "what a great idea, a flawed superhero who acts just like a normal guy". A normal guy that has super strength, invulnerability and can fly that is.
The first half of the film is great fun, with some great humour. Unfortunately, the second half just doesn't follow suit. I won't ruin the plot but the film goes from a good giggle that doesn't take itself too seriously to something completely different: a piss-poor weak storyline that makes absolutely no sense and quite frankly bored me so much that I fell asleep. Will Smith (for whom I have a lot of respect as an actor) just isn't given the opportunity to shine, which is a real shame because he could have played the character so well given the chance. Charlize Theron is in the same boat but at least her character is given a little more depth.
All in all, a completely wasted opportunity. If you're thinking of buying it, trust me, rent it first to avoid disappointment.

[3.5]--Only Will Smith Could have Pull this Off

I don't know what others expect of this movie but I thought it was good! Will Smith rarely disappoints and 'Hancock' is certainly no exception. Is it because there is a great story but it's not necessarily a non-stop action flick? This movie delivers on so many fun levels and I think it is really balanced well. It's not perfect but perfection is quite rare. Regardless, this movie is fun entertainment.

Director Peter Berg, who last brought us The Kingdom, dip into with plenty of technology to bring us a man who can fly, possess incredible strength and being invulnerable to bullets. What I'd enjoyed about his take on this superhero movie, is that he didn't find a need to explain everything in verbatim, i.e. what are the powers he possess, where did he come from, and so on. sure they are addressed, but there's no need for putting it in your face, which I suspect lesser directors would have filmed flashbacks, origin subplots, enemies who are megalomaniacs who want to conquer the universe, and so on. They can be mentioned in passing, or a glance, or to let it work it out in your imagination, which of course is a powerful tool. And keeping it simple helped too, as I was really thrilled at how effective, and deceptively simple, its crescendo was developed, that it's tough to fight back tears as it goes for the juggernaut to reach out for your emotions.

Will Smith and Charlize Theron being their full spectrum of experience to the screen and definitely do not leave this film lacking in emotion. Hancock contains an even mix of comedy, romance, and action and fully delivers as an unorthodox action superhero film. The one annoyance to the film is Jason Bateman's similar acting style in Hancock to his character in Arrested Development. Though his acting is fitting for his role in Hancock, it is also very stereotypical for Bateman and comes of a bit irritating when the movie includes stills of Bateman's facial expressions that are identical to his expressions in Arrested Development.

Hancock is fun, anti-cliché movie with some crude elements to make people like me smile every now and then. Don't judge it as a masterpiece, because it never tried to be one in the first place.

In many ways, this ecological horror epic is one of the single nastiest and downright terrifying pieces of popular entertainment I've seen in ages. In others, it is an unfocused jumble that's too on the nose featuring stilted dialogue bordering on the Lucas-ian that's often times unintentionally hilarious. Overall, it leaves a decidedly sour taste in your mouth when all is said and done, yet the pieces that work do so with such amazing brilliance that much of the bitterness only lasts about the time it takes to get inside your car.