Hancock
Directed by: Peter Berg
Starring: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman
Rated: PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and language.
Parental Notes: This film had to work hard to get its PG-13 rating rather than an R. This is pretty edgy stuff for its rating, and is likely not appropriate for youngsters. You’ve got hands being chopped off, gunfights, beatings — all without too much in the way of spurting blood or disgusting sound effects, but still likely to be inappropriate for some kids.
Director Peter Berg helmed both the hilarious “The Rundown” and the epic “The Kingdom,” and there are elements of both films tones in his newest flick, “Hancock.” It starts off as an action comedy and about halfway through takes a sharp turn into action melodrama. The previews only offer a look at the first half, probably because the changeover is precipitated by a huge twist. It gives the movie a very uneven feel and if viewers don’t hang on for the ride it will probably lose them.
The story begins as a straightforward tale of redemption. Hancock (Will Smith) is a reluctant superhero — he lives in Los Angeles, spending a lot of his time in a drunken haze and fighting crime in a manner that seems to cause more damage than it prevents. Everyone hates him — everyone except public relations agent and idealist Ray (Jason Bateman), who sees the potential in him for true heroism. When their paths cross (Hancock saves Ray from being crushed by a train, and derails the entire train in the process), Ray helps Hancock turn his life around, persuading him to do his time in jail for the damage he’s caused and coaching him on how to behave like a real superhero when the city realizes how much it needs him and lets him out of jail to go back to fighting crime.
This whole section of the movie is packed with comedy. Hancock is depressed and angry while Ray is upbeat and idealistic, and they play off each other very well. There’s plenty of action without too much gore, and lots of laughs. Then the twist comes, and everything changes. I’ll be fair: “Hancock” gets credit from your humble reviewer for not having two separate plot elements that I did not see coming. But the startling change in tone and plot direction makes the film feel fractured, and it doesn’t wrap up in a way that works with the lighthearted first half. There isn’t even a proper supervillain for our superhero to fight.
“Hancock” has all the basic cinematic things that superhero movies require: decent special effects, solid acting, snappy dialog. What it doesn’t have is an overall feel that really gels. It seems like somewhere in preproduction, two radically different drafts of the story got spliced together and the seam was never smoothed out. It’s a fun movie for the first half, and it’s an unusual superhero film, so if you’re looking for something a little different from the common mold, check it out. If you just want a fun ride that lasts from lights down to closing credits, go see “Iron Man” again.