Who is John Hancock?

I wasn’t sure what to expect going in to Hancock. Critics slam it citing the story line was weak and failed to hold the audience captive, while reviewers rave about it's offerings of action, drama, romance, and comedy, all rolled into one.

Admittedly, my thoughts are that if Will Smith is starring in the movie it's going to be a slam dunk. I have yet to see a movie Will Smith is in and be disappointed. Based on that alone, I decided to see the film and draw my own conclusions.

My review of the movie is going to seem a little choppy and short. Please forgive me for this as although I usually have no qualms about proffering spoilers to movies, this is one time where I feel if I do so, it would ruin the experience.

Cause

Will Smith plays John Hancock, a drunk and wayward soul who is dubbed a nuisance of sorts even though he has superhuman powers and is able to successfully fight crime where the boys of Los Angeles often fail. Bullets bounce off Hancock as though they were flies hitting the windshield of Jimmie Johnson's car at the NH Motor Speedway; his body can can stop a moving train as if it were an anvil stopping Wile E. Coyote. He can fly faster than Superman reversing the earth's orbit without so much as breaking a sweat. No cuts; no broken bones; no bloodshed (at least, not Hancock's.)

It would seem nothing can hurt Hancock.

Except for the ungrateful inhabitants of Los Angeles. Apparently they are not swayed by Hancock's heroic attributes as his "good deeds" usually result in massive amounts of dollars LA needs to cough up for the cleanup of the destruction Hancock leaves in his drunken wake. Turns out he is not a very well liked “hero” and is actually hated by the people he tries so hard to protect, and they make no qualms in letting him know just how dissatisfied with him they really are.

Enter Ray Embrey (played by Jason Bateman), a struggling PR guy who, when saved by Hancock, sees an opportunity to re-build Hancock’s image and make him a real hero - one who the city and people of Los Angeles would respect and actually like.

Too bad he can't convince Hancock to play along.

Effect

Ray’s wife Mary (played by the beautiful Charlize Theron) doesn’t appear to share the same opinions of Hancock as her husband, yet she is not totally opposed to his PR plan, either. Is there a reason she seems so standoffish to Hancock? Something she knows but is not sharing?

Hancock doesn’t know. And quite frankly, he doesn’t care. He just likes that fact that people aren’t calling him “asshole” quite as much. And he doesn't seem to be quite as destructive to public property when his heroic acts do not involve massive amounts of alcohol. Funny how that works.

Now if only he could figure out where that damned bruise on his arm came from….

Result

Hancock landed on the map about 80 years ago in Miami, and that is all he knows about himself. He does not know his real name, where he came from, why he has superhuman powers, and why he never ages. All he knows is that he is angry, tired, and alone....

...or is he? Perhaps one of his new found "friends" knows something but isn't saying - either way, I can't won't tell you. What I can tell you is that even though this movie seems ill-formed and choppy at times, it's solid in it's delivery, with a believably competent cast and a refreshingly original story line.

Conclusion

This movie is no Dark Knight or Iron Man but for me, still entertained almost as much. The CGI and visual effects are well executed and plentiful. The story line is both heartfelt and humorous while maintaining an action filled fast pace that keeps the viewer interested.

I was impressed with the stregnth of Jason Bateman's performance (which it seems I am everytime I see him in a movie) as I usually only remember him from Silver Spoons and Valerie/The Hogan Family, both are shows I am rather embarrassed to say that I watched. Charlize Theron is always credible and amazingly beautiful (well... except for her portrayal of Monster. That was just nasty!) And Will Smith can effectively deliver just about any role, proving so again with this one.

Now that this movie is on DVD and if you have not yet seen it, I would recommend you check it out and judge for yourself. You might find you actually enjoy it almost as much as I did. And while you are at it, be sure to look for Michael Myer's cameo; you know, that snot nosed little kid from Rob Zombie's Halloween... only in Hancock, he's not as tough as he would like you to believe.