Film Review: Hancock

by Pat Johnson

This movie made me sad, which made me angry. As I walked out, I was sad because the movie had let me down. Like a child slapped with disappointment, the prospect of a flawed superhero paled next to the horribly flawed characters and story. The more I thought about it, the more convinced I was that Hancock was the sloppiest and most ill-conceived superhero movie of the decade (and I've seen both Fantastic Fours). The only thing that saves Hancock from being a complete embarrassment is Will Smith. While his grumpy charm works for the first thirty minutes, both the humor and novelty wear off once you get out preview country. This is one of those movies where if you've seen the trailer, you heard all the best jokes; the rest of the movie has about as much depth and character development as its 90-second counterpart. If you're a movie-goer with low expectations (or if you really like Will Smith) you might enjoy yourself. However, beware the second half where unexplained character decisions, lead to a tone and narrative tail-spin before landing at an unaffecting conclusion. 4/11

Contact: pat at king-sheep.com