2008
'A Wasted Opportunity'
Hancock was directed by Peter Berg who was best known for playing Dr Billy Kronk on CBS's medical drama, Chicago Hope, & CBS's answer to E.R; he pumped out some not so good movies, Battleship, Very Bad Things and several Mark Wahlberg outings in Mile 22, Spencer Confidential, Deep Water Horizon.
Stubbled superhero John Hancock is loathed by citizens in Los Angeles; fueled by booze and depressed, he jumps at the chance of turning his life around with the aid of PR consultant, Ray, who helps him in his redemption - only to further complicate matters when Hancock reunites/bumps into Mary, Ray's wife - and Hancock's ex-flame.
The film also marked as Will Smith's first film of 2008, which was followed up by the much-maligned Seven Pounds that same year. Hancock is Smith's misbegotten would-be blockbuster and two movies that when combined, the end result is that it isn't very entertaining. A sub-version on the superhero action film as seen in the likes of Marvel Studios and DC Entertainment's offerings, Hancock, is sadly a huge disappointment; besides the main story being stale, Hancock is a mess and under a far more competent director, this would have been up there with other non-DC & Marvel comic book movies such as The Losers, Kingsman, Hellboy, The Crow, Mystery Men. The premise is dark, but the problem is it takes itself way too seriously with limp subplots and an utterly forgettable villain, in a bank robber played by Eddie Marsan, who never seems plausible, thus undercutting the film, and Hancock, himself, doesn't come across as a character one can root for.
Frustrating, conflicting at times, with a story that doesn't convince and the film truly wastes the cast, most notably Will Smith, Jason Bateman and former Oscar winner, Charlize Theron in what is a poorly developed and written role as the wife and ex-love of Hancock. The latter acquits herself as Mary, but Mary, as a character, is mishandled and as such, her underutilization and misplaced role in the story only exacerbates matters. I'd prefer to have Mary over Ray as the secondary character to John Hancock. It is a letdown to see a good premise being wasted on a mediocre screenplay; with a hodgepodge of ideas, these don't come together on screen as I'd expected and as such, Hancock never has a good storyline for the film to follow through. Smith gives a somewhat stronger account here, playing not quite an against-type role in contrast to his usual good guys, but who is also not the bad guy, yet his character is difficult to pin down and identify.
Hancock has had a troubled development (that it reportedly cost $150 million to produce) and though it is not as disastrous and awfully bad and the special effects are all right for a film of this type, one just wonders what a far better film this would have turned out with a more inviting, entertaining and witty script and a better director at the helm, say, Zack Snyder or somebody else, who truly knows what makes a superhero-based satire action movie work.
In contrast to Will Smith's other so-called blockbuster flop, Wild Wild West, Hancock just doesn't know how to have fun in spades and to embrace and let loose its wacky side, as well as for the film to gel and with that, this is one of those movies wherein one would expect a whole lot more and better from this film and of the concept as well. It is a shame as I had considerable hopes this wasn't going to be as terrible as it is; it isn't to the extent to which I hated it, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed and underwhelmed.
Final Verdict:
As I write this, it has been reported in June 2020 that Charlize Theron would be up for a sequel in Hancock and reuniting alongside Will Smith; I wouldn't mind this if it means a better script this time around, anyone, but for Peter Berg, who understands the action sci-fi genre well, and having both Theron and Smith as the lead stars.
But insofar as 2008's Hancock is concerned, it just wasn't cracked up to be.
Overall:
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