Sidewalks On The Corner

“Hancock” explodes on the screen with Will Smith as the title character.

Follow up:

HANCOCK
Columbia Pictures

Directed by: Peter Berg
Written by: Vy Vincent Ngo and Vince Gilligan

Cast: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Eddie Marsan

STUDIO SYNOPSIS:
There are heroes… there are superheroes… and then there’s Hancock (Will Smith). With great power comes great responsibility – everyone knows that – everyone, that is, but Hancock. Edgy, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood, Hancock’s well-intentioned heroics might get the job done and save countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw-dropping damage in their wake. The public has finally had enough – as grateful as they are to have their local hero, the good citizens of Los Angeles are wondering what they ever did to deserve this guy. Hancock isn’t the kind of man who cares what other people think – until the day that he saves the life of PR executive Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), and the sardonic superhero begins to realize that he may have a vulnerable side after all. Facing that will be Hancock’s greatest challenge yet – and a task that may prove impossible as Ray’s wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), insists that he’s a lost cause.

J.P.'s TAKE
What is the definition of a superhero: One who -- when call to duty -- is able to employ superhuman abilities, skills or powers which exceed that of a normal human being. With Marvel Comic Studios pumping out the action packed thrill ride movies one right after another, “Hancock” sets itself a part from the norm. We've all seen the typical superhero movies, where high flying, laser beam shooting superhuman crime fighters scour the Earth fighting crime, ridding the planet of evil doers, as people watch in amazement. And at the end, they are thanked and worshiped for their efforts. And Hancock, he's....well.....um....a different story. You know the upside -- now witness the down side of being a superhero. Unfortunately, John Hancock (Will Smith) is the hero everyone loves to hate; you may ask yourself why wouldn't anyone love him (besides villains)? Here's a list of reasons: he's belligerent, he drinks, he swears like a sailor, and he's simply destructive.

I have to admit from the looks of the trailers, “Hancock” seemed like one of those Saturday morning cartoon-type films with a thin plot and stupid acting. They've since changed the trailers with a better look at what you can expect. “Hancock” is the film "Jumper" should have been. The story was a plausibly one and went from point A to point B without many hiccups or holes in the plot, without leaving the audience wondering what just happened and why. With “Jumper” you weren't really sure whether or not Hayden Christensen's character was a superhero or a villain in the making. On top of that, the ending of “Jumper” lacked real impact. In “Hancock,” his story was straight forward, he's a down and out superhero who has a serious "image problem," whom no one appreciates very much. This film isn’t so transparent; it actually kept me guessing as to what will happen next. When the second act came around, the plot thickened that I actually cared about the characters and their roles in how the story came together. I thought, however, the ending was a little rushed and moved along somewhat quickly. That's O.K., because I'm hoping for a sequel that will dive deeper into Hancock's true identity.

There are some notable moments of comedy and action, which will keep you in stitches. There's a hilarious scene where Hancock is in prison, and he get pissed at two prisoners. He says to them, "I'm going to shove your head up his (explicative)." The two prisoners didn't believe him at first, until the unthinkable happens. There are also scenes that remind me of those old western films, where the lead character has a word that triggers an “angry” response. It's the equivalent to westerns where a character is called "yellow" or "chicken." Those scenes where Hancock is called an a** h*** numerous time throughout the film are hilarious. Some of the action scenes are somewhat cartoonish and “bust the gut” funny. It’s cool to watch as Hancock -- with "Superman" like abilities -- as he stops a train from hitting Ray Embrey (Jason Batman), whose car was stuck on the tracks.

Will Smith has been very fortunate when finding good roles and good scripts. I find his role as the title character a refreshing change. Smith plays Hancock like "Oscar the Grouch" meets "Superman," he's belligerent, grumpy, and practically careless. TV veteran Jason Bateman plays Ray Embrey, a struggling PR executive trying to make his way up in the corporate world. Bateman is natural, realistic and pretty down to earth as he helps Hancock clean up his act and self image, at the same time, trying to change his own life. Charlize Theron is Mary Embrey, wife to Ray and devoted stepmother to his son Aaron. Theorn plays the typical caring mother figure, however, there is an interesting twist to her character.

Look for brief appearances by Johnny Galecki (Rosanne, The Big Bang Theory) and Thomas Lennon ("Ball of Fury," Reno 911). They are only in the film for such a brief time that you're not sure why they are there for; the writers could have given them both more significant roles, but, unfortunately, they are forgettable.

“Hancock” is a unique approach to the average superhero film. It's an amalgamation of sci-fi/drama/comedy/action, and if you add them all up, it equals a film that is sure to be a crowd pleaser. So if you're craving something other than the super-serious superhero movie, “Hancock” is a break from them all. I got a big kick out it.