'Hancock' - just for action movie fans
Rating: **
The glut of super-hero summer movies coughed up by Hollywood continues
with "Hancock". Comparisons with the likes of the already
released "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk" and
the yet to be released "The Dark Knight" and "Hellboy"
are unavoidable; though it is clear that "Hancock" falls short
of all these movies.
The movie is a wasted opportunity. Will Smith, the most dependable
Hollywood actor right now, with his last nine movies topping the box
office, plays an unlovable superhero who goes through a transformation.
It is a very promising premise, but the writers Vincent Ngo and Vince
Gilligan along with director Peter Berg seem to lose their bearings
half way and allow the movie to take one of the most bizarre and wholly
boring twists in any Hollywood movie this year.
Not even the talented Oscar winning actress Charlize Theron and the
dependable Jason Bateman can rescue or clarify this muddle of a movie.
Smith is Hancock, the superhero with good intentions but bad PR skills
and even poorer hygiene. He cannot resist helping anyone in need, but
much to the annoyance of the residents of Los Angeles, he does more
harm than good. His rescues end up costing the city millions of dollars
in damages.
One day Hancock rescues an altruistic but failed PR man Ray who offers
to refine him and make him presentable as a superhero. This takes up
the first 20 minutes or so of the movie and is actually pretty entertaining.
The wheels start coming off when Hancock starts taking an interest in
Ray's wife and the movie proceeds to explain this attraction.
Since it is a blockbuster, the movie has the luxury of money and does
a good job with the action sequences and special effects. But the true
thrills in the movie are the scenes where Hancock is making efforts
to be nicer and presentable.
Smith, with his wholesome reputation, asks the audience to stretch
their imagination in having to believe his crass attitude early in the
movie. Fortunately, those scenes are few and brief and it is not long
before he goes about smashing things.
Smith cements his reputation as the most dependable action if not superstar
in Hollywood right now. This movie will not have quite the shine as
"Independence Day" or "I, Robot" and he displays
much better acting skills in "The Pursuit of Happyness" and
"I am Legend". He was able to surprise us with his acting
range.
"Hancock" sadly doesn't even put up any acting challenge
before him and that is another reason the movie is a wasted opportunity.
"Hancock" never forgets that it is a summer blockbuster action
movie, and in many ways it delivers in the way action movie fans would
expect. They will not be disappointed. For those who can put up with
a digressing plot line but not at the cost of some action and special
effects, "Hancock" delivers.
