Movie Review: “Hancock” (2008)
The moment I heard about Hancock and found out Will Smith was starring it, I’ve wanted to see this film. It looked funny, it had great stars in it and the superhero element was perfect.
That was pretty much the high point. As the release date grew closer and closer, the bad vibes started to rise within me. The news of re-shoots were akin to huge warning bells ringing in my head.
Well, I’m happy to report it’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be.
However, it’s not great either. It’s just slightly better than my pessimistic mind was anticipating.
Hancock is about a lone superhero (also a drunkard bum) who does nothing but destroy millions of dollars worth of property while trying to fight crime. An early attempt to stifle a car chase results in $9 million in damages, a personal record for John Hancock.
Yes, John Hancock is his name, of which the origins you find out later in the movie.
Jason Bateman is a Public Relations guy trying to make his mark in the world. That becomes ironic later on, but I digress. He sees Hancock as a hopeless man, thought of by the rest of the world as an A-Hole.
From there, the movie progresses. I wont go into too much detail, because there is a big twisty-turny-thing in the middle and while I smelled it and saw it coming from a mile away, some of you may not.
The problem with the movie was that it wasn’t a comedy like I had hoped for. There were some funny parts, but I honestly only laughed a few times. It was partially intended to be a drama as well, because of Hancock’s self-loathing which stems from some long lost origin.
(let me say this though - there was a line during a dinner table scene which I thought was one of the funniest I’ve heard all year. I’ll let you find it.)
And even if it wasn’t a comedy, the dramatic part didn’t feel right. The story was actually very cool. When you get some questions answered about just WHO Hancock is, the explanation and idea is pretty awesome. I really dug it.
But the execution and delivery felt rushed and cheap. The special effects were really unspectacular.
I wanted to like this film, and I did actually ENJOY myself a bit, yet just felt something was missing. It reminded me of Jumper earlier this year. A noble effort with a pretty awesome story, but poorly done.
Mike’s Rating: 6.5 out of 10
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I mean, it's good summer fun, but just not up to the potential it could be.
Will it be a big hit? I think it will make a TON of cash this weekend, but likely drop off fast. People wont talk about how awesome it was. Heck, for a superhero movie, the special effects weren't that amazing. Iron Man, the Hulk, etc., all has monstrous special effects.
I also think the previews don't really give people a good idea on whether it's a comedy or a drama.
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I KNOW I'm funny :)
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Can anyone say steak? It's what's for dinner.
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So we ended up eating at Red Brick Pizza - it was ok, but not even close to steak.
By the way - Wall-E was AWESOME!!!! Man, what a terrific movie.
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Without him, the movie probably wouldn't have even been made, lol. It's like it was made FOR HIM...he fits Hancock to a T.
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Woot!!!
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