Will Smith forced to pandhandle after "Hancock" bombs. Kidding. The guy could carry an infomercial about thigh cream to a $100+ million opening weekend.
There is just certain things we have come to expect from a Fourth of July Will Smith vehicle. We look forward to the special effects (everything from alien spaceships to Salma Hayek acting), things blowing up and an accompanying song rapped by Smith.
But as Smith continues to secure his role as the world’s largest superstar, $2.2 billion lifetime gross and counting, he seems to be secure enough in his place in Hollywood to make films that don’t solely rely on familiarity.
After starring in sure things such as “I, Robot,” “Independence Days,” and “Men in Black,” Smith has taken a bit of a gamble, admit a calculated gamble, on his latest films.
First there was “The Pursuit of Happyness,” which didn’t include one single explosion or alien. Then there was “I am Legend,” which seemed like a typical Smith flick on the surface (Smith vs. zombies) but turned out to be more like “Cast Away” then “Independence Day.”
Now there is “Hancock.”
Again, looks like another film that follows the footsteps of “Men in Black” and “Independence Day” but I think moviegoers are going to be in for a surprise – whether that is a good or bad thing is debatable. The movie sold to audiences in its trailers is only the first half.
By now everyone has some idea what the movie is about. Smith plays a superhero without a cape, costume and from the look of it, a home. He has a drinking problem and begrudgingly helps those in need only to be chastised for his tactics, such as destroying buildings and throwing children into the stratosphere. He saves Jason Bateman’s character, a public relations guru who takes up the task of improving Hancock’s image. Then the movie takes a twist, leading those in the theater seats on an unusual and awkward route. The result is an uneven flick that makes me think that its stars and director were uncomfortable with the unorthodox script.
In “Hancock,” it seemed like Smith wanted his own superhero movie and why not, if Robert Downey Jr. can land one surely Smith can. And credit should be given to Smith in that he is probably the only movie star who can carry a superhero movie without a nerd comic book following. It seems Smith and the movie’s director, Peter Berg, didn’t want to make remake “MIB” or its sequel, so they sought to give audiences a different movie.
I saw the movie at 11:50 p.m. Tuesday night at the Cinemark theater in Fort Collins. The turnout was light but the movie did start showing at 7 p.m. so I assumed all the diehards went to the earlier showings. Unlike other tentpole movies, I couldn’t gauge other’s perspective on “Hancock.” No applauses or real big laughs. My roommate liked the movie but agreed it wasn’t what he expected.
Apparently, the studio could afford to make Smith fly but couldn’t cough up enough money for a tripod. The shaky camera look in this movie was completely unnecessary. I blame “The Bourne Ultimatum’s” Paul Greengrass heavy use of steadicam for this recent surge of moviemakers who for some reason think not using a tripod makes their films look raw and cutting edge. The special efforts were plain and ordinary and this movie had to have had the most forgettable, most throwaway bad guy I can remember in a superhero movie.
Smith was dependable as always in the movie and for the first time the token hot chick, played by Charlize Theron this time around, had a bigger role than just eye candy, which was a welcoming change in the world of superhero movies.
But “Hancock” is definitely not a family pic. It’s filled with a particular “a word” and graphic scenes of gunplay. I particularly don’t mind the curse words and violence but I’m sure a lot of families will. With a running time of 92 minutes, the pace of the movie felt rushed. And am I the only one tired of seeing Bateman play second fiddle in every movie he is in? The guy deserves his own movie!
I ended up liking the movie, despite the missteps and miscalculations of the script and action scenes and the lack of character development until the final five minutes. But with that said – Smith and Co. could have delivered your typical summer popcorn movie that we have all seen a million times and knocked it out of the park. But they attempted something a little off-kilter and though it stumbled a lot, it still delivered.
Ultimately, I think a lot of people are going to be disappointed with “Hancock” because it doesn’t deliver the movie most people expect from Smith on this holiday weekend. This movie is probably not going to give you what you want. I guess it’s up to you to decide if that is a good or bad thing.
Grade B-
Go see it if you liked: “I am Legend”
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