Hancock
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Cast: Will Smith, Jason Bateman, Charlize Theron, Eddie Marsan.
Directed by Peter Berg.
Story: Drunken superhero.
Running Time: 1hr 32 minutes.
UK Certificate 12A. |
This one's getting a bit of a kicking in some quarters. Don't listen to them, it's great fun.
Critics are knobheads. People don't go to a superhero movie expecting anything other than a bit of fun, a jaunt through
imagination, so it doesn't need to be thought-provoking or technically accomplished. In fact, when they are, like Ang Lee's
Hulk, they rail on that too. Hancock's plot is holier than my socks, but that doesn't stop it from being hugely enjoyable.
Fabulous CGI helps with the laughs as Will Smith's drunken superhero bumbles through another building wall and, although
the best bits have all been trailered to death already, the main plot development came as a complete and welcome surprise.
Will Smith's star quality ensures a watchable lead character, and Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman (from Arrested
Development) both give excellent support as PR man Bateman tries to improve the boozy hero's public image - which involves
more press conferences and fewer snotty children being tossed into the stratosphere.
It's almost a shame when the inevitable baddies get involved, but credit is
due for avoiding the usual superhero cliche of a baddie coincidentally arriving who's just a little tougher than our hero.
That particular dramatic hurdle is cleared with a relatively new tack, and it's much more satisfying that way. When the
obligatory will-he-won't-he-survive scene rolls around I was, for a change, genuinely rooting for the good guy.
Hancock is flashy nonsense, but it's highly entertaining flashy nonsense and really funny in places.
I want to be a superhero a little more now.
I enjoyed this film: 5/5
I think the average moviegoer will enjoy it: 4/5
Testosterone Satisfaction Rating: 3/5 - light swearing, lots of very cool
special effects.
To enjoy this film you should: try not to think about how the plot should've developed.
Hancock was released in the UK on 2nd July 2008.
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