Believe it or not, superheroes are all around us. Children everywhere tap into the gee-whiz center of their brains daily to become them. The costumes are as easy to create as a towel wrapped around the neck, and maybe a mask. Flying is as simple as boldly leaping from couch to bed to floor (against mom and dad's better judgment). Superheroes are the epitome of childhood fantasy, right up there with cowboys, spacemen, and ballerinas. But a recent spate of movies suggests that, like many fantasies realized, being a superhero might really, really suck.
The Dark Knight shows us that being a superhero means hiding in the shadows, risking freedom, and working around the law just to uphold it. Most recently, in Watchmen, superheroism itself is outlawed. The ones who still practice it are inherently disturbed, morally sketchy, and vastly unfulfilled by what they do. And in Hancock, we see that having powers can be just plain depressing.
Hancock Synopsis
Will Smith plays the title hero, a mysterious man with super-strength, invulnerability, and the ability to fly. The novelty of all this has long since worn off for him, however. He's become a dour, alcoholic layabout who begrudgingly stops crime only between binges, with little concern for the collateral damage he causes or the innocent bystanders he puts in danger. Numerous lawsuits follow him wherever he goes, but no one tries to bring him to justice because really, who could?
One day he saves the life of Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), who is, of all things, a surprisingly altruistic, down on his luck public relations consultant. Ray suggests to Hancock that he help carve out a better image for the beleaguered hero, if he'll allow it. They strike a deal, and begin putting Ray's unconventional ideas into play.
Performances
Will Smith, usually so charismatic, goes effectively against type, as we really are meant to dislike him at the outset - and it works. It's tricky to play a character so down on life and monumentally careless that we have to ultimately root for, but he does it well.
Jason Bateman is one of those rare actors who has such an ease in his own skin that it's tangible to the audience. It's impossible to watch him and not feel in good hands. Think Michael J. Fox (and even Will Smith to an extent) for the same kind of comfortable vibe. His character is more straight-laced here, with little funny to say or do, but he is still winning.
Only Charlize Theron, as Mary Embrey, Ray's wife, seems out of her league here. Not by much, but she does stick out next to the rest of her cast. She is also saddled with some strange reactions for the first half of her screen time that don't get a full explanation until much later, so perhaps this isn't all her fault.
Direction
Peter Berg does a very good job early on making us feel Hancock's pain. His work always has a slight, hard edge, and this is a good match for a character as gloomy as Hancock. An early scene with an amorous groupie comically gives a hint as to why he's so downhearted; physical intimacy with regular people is just too dangerous for them. Superman II this ain't. And the impossibility of sexual contact is just a microcosm of Hancock's main problem; there is no one else like him, and he is dreadfully alone. Berg and Smith work well in tandem to bring this across without being too on the nose.
Great Action
The action sequences are pretty epic. It's hard these days to pull off the big battles and destruction seen in this film without too much cartoony CG ruining the excitement, but the staging of the sequences and the effects team do a great job keeping it real, so it succeeds here as well.
A Change in Tone and Focus
The biggest controversy about Hancock is its third act, which, without spoiling anything, takes a kind of turn, plotwise. This in itself is not so terrible; plot twists are a good way to keep things interesting and exciting. The problem is that just a scene or two after the big reveal, the movie changes from what was, up to that point, a fun action comedy, and becomes considerably more serious. It loses the prior jauntiness and develops a weight that doesn't feel entirely warranted, and was certainly not expected.
However, this is not to say it wasn't entertaining. Whether or not this final sequence makes or breaks the film pretty much depends on the viewer.
Overall, Hancock was a lot fun, with one or two minor flaws, making it a great, offbeat entry in the superhero genre. Though the powers may not be original, the character and the movie definitely are, and for that we should be thankful.
