Hancock

Starring: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Eddie Marsan, Johnny Galecki

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Intense Sci-Fi Action, Violence, Language)

Release Date: 07/02/2008

Runtime: 92 minutes

Director: Peter Berg

Synopsis:

There are heroes... there are superheroes... and then there's Hancock (Will Smith). With great power comes great responsibility -- everyone knows that -- everyone, that is, but Hancock. Edgy, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood, Hancock's well-intentioned heroics might get the job done and save countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw-dropping damage in their wake. The public has finally had enough -- as grateful as they are to have their local hero, the good citizens of Los Angeles are wondering what they ever did to deserve this guy. Hancock isn't the kind of man who cares what other people think -- until the day that he saves the life of PR executive Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), and the sardonic superhero begins to realize that he may have a vulnerable side after all. Facing that will be Hancock's greatest challenge yet -- and a task that may prove impossible as Ray's wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), insists that he's a lost cause.

CMC Review: By Adam Lasik

There is little question that Hancock has been one of the most heavily-marketed films of the summer, at least to the point of its initial release. And with good reason - it is a very entertaining film with a unique story and a decent message or two mixed in.

Hancock is a drunk. He's mean. He's destructive. He's careless. The people hate him because his so-called "heroics" end up causing more harm than good. That is, until he saves a public relations man (Jason Bateman) from certain death.

Bateman's character, Ray Embrey, decides to return the favor by helping Hancock recreate his image, and become a better superhero, and a better person in the process. Embrey sees the nugget of goodness and vulnerability underneath the tough, uncaring, insensitive exterior.

The story takes a few twists as it teaches its lessons of character, charity, and love, and does so in a very entertaining fashion. The acting is strong and the action scenes draw you into the action with downright frenetic camera work. It seems to have the elements of a good superhero movie, but something is lacking.

This is not a classic superhero vs. arch enemy story, but it's built like one. The film puts forth a downright disappointing effort to create something of a nemesis, but it simply falls flat. As a result, Hancock essentially lacks a climax, instead coasting over some foothills as something builds, then fades away near the end. So we are forced to treat a relatively significant revelation as the climax - something that does not quite measure up to the more satisfying films of the year.

When it was all over, everyone I saw the movie with had the same almost-confused look, as if needing just a little more. And there was opportunity for the producers to create a more convincing and impactful villain. From this reviewer's perspective, they just dropped the ball.

So entertainment value is good, but not great. Then there is the language. To put it mildly, the language is not good. The "hard" profanity is thankfully limited to just one f-bomb and several s-words, but there were more than 25 instances of one particular word, ostensibly filling the role of a running gag, many of which are heard in the first five minutes, making for an extremely uncomfortable start to the movie. Some of the more shocking moments involve young children using the word repeatedly. In fact, that word becomes something of a central theme of the movie in and of itself, and there does not seem to be much reason for it beyond "shock value."

The violence is clearly demonstrated, although graphic depictions are limited. There is very little blood, and while the audience is aware of what is going on due to verbal description, sound effects, and the reaction of various actors, the violent acts generally are not directly visible for most of the film.

Alcohol is an important component of the story and Hancock's development, but it is certainly not glorified. There is also very little sexual content and no overt political commentary. Hancock does also include some non-Christian religious themes which may be objectionable to more conservative Christian viewers.

The film is certainly entertaining and, aside from the language, contains relatively little content to be concerned about.

Overall CMC Rating: 64/100

• Entertainment Value: 18/25
• Violence: 9/15
• Language: 5/20
• Sexual Content: 18/20
• Drugs and Alcohol: 6/10
• Worldview/Message: 8/10