Sub-Par

Rating: Null/10 (21 July 2008)

I like Will Smith and he is the only reason this film will break USD $100 million. The premise of Hancock is unique and in fact, welcome in this age where formulaic superhero films are far too readily produced by Hollywood. Let me try and find some positives: Smith's acting, Bateman was solid and some good humour scattered throughout, such as man's head rammed where the sun don't shine! Okay enough of that...
The film contains probably the most unorthodox twist I have witnessed for quite some time: C. Theron as Smith's star crossed lover super-hero equal? Geez, talk about placing an overbearing demand on audiences to suspend their disbelief. Director Berg really goes out on a limb with the audiences here. So if you can get past the silly, too convenient twist then you have to make it through the maze of how the star crossed lovers found each other, why they separated and how their unity leads directly to one another's demise. Tantamount to romantic Kryptonite for the soul. I won't call it stupid, perhaps poorly thought out? I think there were plenty of other avenues, much more interesting, the film's producer's could have taken.
As someone who works in development; I half perked up when Bateman tries to entice corporations with his do-gooder charity drive to hook LA execs. But his approach to corporate PR is purposefully over the top, and the pitch fails. Fast forward to the last sequence of the film where Smith calls Bateman on his mobile and tells him "Look up." Thank god the film was over otherwise I would have left early! What a lame rip-off of Batman! This film is really lame, period.