Hancock symbolism - there is no bad film if you attempt interpret it

Rating: 5/10 (17 August 2008)

This is a story of a bored demigod (Will Smith) who, for unknown reason, acts as a policeman, sort of. His rescue operations cause as much damage as a potential good. In the process, people get killed and property destroyed on the grand scale. The problem with Hancock is mostly related to his image  he already does good but is under-appreciated because he does not make everyone around him feel good (see the difference between 'do good' and 'feel-good'), rather he ensures that bad guys' butts and heads are connected in a convoluted configurations, a device invented especially for this 'moving pictures'. This is another way to ensure that we get the power of the guy  flying and kicking ass is one thing, but sticking a fellow's head in another fellow's butt is quite another, requiring a certain degree of previously unbeknownst sophistication.
Having established the need for improvements in our hero's image, a PR man is introduced. And of course, you guessed it, it happened to be very decent PR man. He wants to shower humanity with goodness also because of some unknown to us reasons  may be it makes him feel good, or maybe he was told by Jesus to do so. Hancock saves the PR man and he, in gratitude, starts working on hero's image. They devise a plan by which Hancock voluntarily removes himself from society by going to jail (yes, this is how one is removed from society). Now, people are made to understand, how it is without our hero. Crime's up 30% and Hancock is recalled to save, now grateful, humanity.
It just feels that something is missing  the plot requires more action. It turns out that PR man's wife happens also to be a demigod, who used to be married to our hero, but had to distance herself from him because it was lethal for both of them. You see, they both loose powers in each other presence, they are poison for each other, a mutual kryptonite. You know, this thing happen to some powerful couples, who can not decide who bring home the bacon. So, the she-hero stays with the PR man, while Hancock will continue saving the world. In the mean time, we, in the comfort of our entertainment facilities, experience the sublime, safely and without any danger to our health. Do we get entertained? Do we get our money worth? Does this film relax us? For god's sake, should we see this film or not?
Let me answer the big questions in the following way. Suppose we view Hancock as a symbol, for example, as US of A. The US saves the world by acting as world policeman; unilaterally exercising its power, flying hither and dither (think Afghanistan, Iraq). US sticks bad guy's heads into bad guy's butts (think Abu Ghraib). The damage US inflicts onto 'rogue' nations, lost human lives are weighed against the potential good. Meanwhile, we experience the sublime on TV projected by CNN, comfortably resting on sofas and lazy-boy chairs with popcorn and beer.
I think, Vincent Ngo and Vince Gilligan could do much better with their plot by simply following major event of the latest US wars, using US = Hancock symbolism. And Will Smith? - yes, camera loves him. But for me, it is a memory of Six Degrees of Separation that beacons me to the movie theater to see his performances. It is regrettable, that after amassing such personal success, wealth and authority, he produces such low grade output. But I keep hoping and he's not the worst that Hollywood can offer.
Now, to answer the big question  Do I regret seeing this film? The answer is no; and not because of the film itself, not because its entertainment value, nor because it made me better or relaxed me and helped me to get through the day. Rather because of the polemic energy it gave me to write this note and share it with others. Now I can be, vicariously, a super-hero, better than Hancock, flying high in my imagination, having this discussion with Will Smith himself on the public forum, dispensing him my free advice. This is real power. And as to my vicarious experience and the lack of real super-powers - perhaps this is a good thing.