Hancock

Review by Anthony Morris

Usually the problem with blockbusters is that their foundations are shaky.

All the expensive CGI and giant explosions in the world can't make up for a lack of ideas. Hancock is different.

There's a rock-solid basis for a really good movie here, but somewhere along the way things don't quite work out as they should.

Will Smith is John Hancock - basically, a super-powered wino whose attempts to fight crime and right wrongs usually cause more trouble than they solve.

Then he rescues a well-meaning PR executive (Jason Bateman), who decides to return the favour by rescuing Hancock's public image. 

Stage One : front up for prison like the Los Angeles DA wants him to, both to show that he's willing to play by humanity's rules and to give the public at large a chance to realise how much they'll miss him. 

In a surprising development in today's movie climate, the trailers and advance press don't give away a fairly major twist, so let's just say that the story takes a somewhat more serious turn at around the halfway mark, and Charlize Theron's slightly odd performance as the PR guy's wife eventually makes sense. 

The basic concept and story structure is sound (who's not going to laugh at a surly drunk super-hero?) but as things develop the film loses focus thanks to a slightly unsteady hand from director Peter Berg, who occasionally misjudges the material's shifting tone as it moves from outright comedy to something a little more serious.

It doesn't help that while it's a comedy at heart, the numerous (and well-executed) action scenes build up an expectation of an all-action punch-on climax that (and this isn't really a spoiler) the film doesn't quite deliver.

Fortunately the performances (especially Smith's) are consistently good throughout, ensuring that this never is less than enjoyable and at times very funny.

Hancock has it's flaws, but it's definitely a more interesting take on superheroics than anything else we've seen this year.

3.5 out of 5

Hancock
Australian release: 3rd July, 2008
Official Site: Hancock
Cast: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman
Director: Peter Berg