WARNING: This post contains minor spoilers for the film Hancock.
In the last few weeks both malcolmchaos7 and vaultdweller13 have posted articles about Hancock. Ironically enough though, I am the first and to date only Press The Action Button writer to have seen the movie. So what do I think about it?
Well I enjoyed Hancock and I am not afraid to admit it. I know many, including certain parties at this very site, where firmly of the believe the movie would suck. When criticizing the film, many panned the concept of a superhero battling to up his PR. Though interestingly that is only but a piece of this film. There is quite a great deal more to it then that.
If you go into watching Hancock armed only with the information provided in the trailers and tv spots then you will be in for a huge suprise. The whole plot of a superhero with a bad attitiude trying to get his public image turned around is present. However about halfway through the movie the plot takes a completely out of nowhere turn. The turn is quite suprising and I can easily see how it would turn many people off. But on whole, the turn works in positive ways for the film and I think the bulk of the audience will be willing to go along with it.
In terms of acting I felt all the performances were well done. Will Smith did a nice job of fleshing out a conflicted character and it was nice to see how he transformed from an unlikable bum into a quintessential hero. I've long felt that Smith has the unique ability to play a very serious scene yet still maintain in it an underlying element of humor. Hancock has many such scenes, so having Smith in the title role was a real benefit for the film.
The level of action is what one would except in a summer superhero flick. If anything sets the action apart from all the other superhero pandemonium gracing theater screens this summer it would be the portrayal of a hero doing massive amounts of collateral damage to a city. All to often in action films, heroes destroy an area while fighting against baddies and we the audience think nothing of it. Hancock makes you stop for a second and say "Hey, I never realized it before, but some poor sap has to clean all that up."
While being primarily an action movie, Hancock delivers much in the comedy department. The humor is present in such in degree that I will go so far as to say that even if action ain't your thing, Hancock might just be worth checking out solely for some good laughs.
Final Verdict: If you are looking to see a summer action flick that brings a solid dose of humor and plays around with the superhero archetype in an interesting fashion then go see Hancock. I can't guarantee you'll love it but I'm almost positive you'll will find it entertaining.
A wonderful film. Hancock presents a thematic counterpoint to "My Super Ex-Girlfriend" from a few years back.
ReplyDeleteIf that twist in the middle hadn't happened, I could have seen it taking a MUCH darker turn into a completely different movie. As it was, that stolen kiss was so uncomfortable I had to turn my eyes away from the screen. If it had done that, I would have expected an "R" rating instead. But it remained a Big Concept film to the very end, and for that, I give them a hearty "Good job. Good job."
I loved the eagle imagery throughout; I thought it was a great visual element to keep coming back to, even during the bank sequence, and at the end. I also enjoyed the jailbreak sequence; that, and the meatballs, were the moments that made the man.