Likable, though lightweight, superhero send-up

Rating: 6/10 (1 July 2017)

This film came out the same year as "Iron Man," which started off the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I think this clever send-up of superhero films should have come out later, when it could have been a commentary/satire of the now very played out superhero film. This story has Will Smith as an grungy, alcoholic superhero who will fly in to save the day for various situations, but does so drunkenly, haphazardly, and always with wild amounts of property damage. That is until he saves the life of PR man Jason Bateman who offers to help Hancock with an image makeover. It's a clever script by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, from an earlier script by Vincent Ngo, though at it's heart it's still a lightweight summer comedy. Smith and Bateman are both quite likable, and Charlize Theron is good, though underused, as Bateman's wife. Directed by Peter Berg, who did the terrific movie and TV versions of "Friday Night Lights," but who also the insipid board game film adaptation "Battleship," delivers solid action and likable characters, which is better than you get in most summer blockbuster films.