Sub-Par Superhero

Rating: 5/10 (5 July 2008)

I must admit, when I first saw the trailer I did not have much of an expectation for this film. My view did not change when I walked in to see this film. However since the film was dubbed as a "comedy superhero film" I thought I was at least going to be entertained. Despite the good strong start on this year's summer blockbuster films, Hancock is one of the most mediocre and least entertaining of all.
The plot follows an unconventional superhero by the name of Hancock. Despite his heroics, he often lays a wave of property destruction during his act. One day, he rescues a doomed PR from being hit by a train. This begin a change to Hancock's life as Ray (The PR) attempts to change the public's view on Hancock.
The film's structure is somewhat similar to the Adam Sandler's film Clicks. The first half is mainly comedy and the second part is mainly drama. I personally enjoyed this system because it prevented the film from being dragging on and kept things pretty interesting.
One of the key highlights of this film is Jason Bateman. He is one of the few actor in this film that provides a good and solid performances. Similarly, he is also one of the few likable characters in the film. This leads to the negatives of Hancock...
One of the obvious problems with this film is the special effects. Not one of the scenes where special effects are used look convincing in anyway. After Iron Man and other films that were able to present excellent and believable special effects, it is very disappointing.
Secondly, the humor isn't so great. A lot of the jokes are present in the trailer and the running gags throughout the film isn't all that funny. Considering that I didn't find this movie that funny made the much more serious second part to be a lot more enjoyable.
Finally, the plot is full of plot holes and paper thin. Many things are left unexplained and the film's attempts to create multiple story lines does not work in the slightest.
Overall Hancock is definitely not worth the 10 dollars price of admission. It is very forgettable and doesn't impress much. Save your money for The Dark Knight.