Stick to the story, keep pushing forward
Hancock is a superhero with a unique set of problems. First, he could care less about being a superhero. Second, he is a careless superhero. Third, he’s an alcoholic superhero. The combination of these problems defines Hancock. His life changes though when he saves a PR up and comer named Ray Embrey. Embrey can’t seem to catch a break as a PR fellow, but thankfully catches a break when Hancock saves his life when Embrey is trapped on train tracks with a speeding train coming at him. Embrey makes it his life goal to start cleaning up Hancock’s public image, despite the objection from Embrey’s wife Mary (who does not like Hancock for some reason), and encourages Hancock to go to prison (to make up for his careless misdeeds). Hancock agrees and the movie continues.
*SPOILER ALERT (highlight to view)*
The movie gets strange from this point on as we find out that Mary is Hancock’s wife of 3,000 years. Yes, you read that right, 3,000 years. Apparently the ‘Gods’ had made a slew of superhero’s in pairs and Hancock and Mary where husband/wife. Mary is stronger than Hancock in power and when the two are together for a large amount of time they lose their powers. To say the least, there is some fighting between the two (in the streets of L.A.) until finally they agree to be civil, after Ray finds out of course. The story takes a bit of turn when Hancock begins losing his powers and some criminals he did bad things to get back at him when he’s down. Of course, all ends well.
*SPOILER ENDS*
For a movie that clearly had enough time to cultivate, the only way I could think of this failing is because the story could not be nailed down correctly. That’s exactly what the downfall of this movie is, the story was broken. The first half of the movie is great, you’ve got a superhero that is trying to get his life together and is doing his best to cope with his loneliness, and wretched public image. You, as the audience, begin to feel for him. When the second part of the movie begins, the story completely shifts gears and disregards everything that was built up to that point. It literally turns into a second movie. The second half of the film is much weaker, less emotional, than the first. Because of the quick, drastic change in the story, it literally breaks the movie in half. That is a screenplay issue. Neat special effects and comedy really can’t patch that break. It truly is a sinking ship of monstrous proportions. It’s a real shame considering that the story had nearly five years of developing under its belt, makes you wonder how many hands were in the cookie jar.
The real shame of it all is that Will Smith gave one of his greatest performances, so much so that you forgot you were watching Will Smith. He wore the costume as if he was a real superhero. He did everything right to make this character believable. Bateman and Theron did a fabulous job as well. Bateman’s innocent PR good-guy role of Ray Embrey was brilliant. He was shy, good-hearted and really wanting to make a change in the world, you felt for him. Theron’s role as Mary was just as good, a strong house-wife that stood up for her family in front of a dangerous/drunk superhero. All the main actors in the film did their best to make this movie work, the story failed them.
At the end of the day you simply cannot compromise a story and hope for the best. 10 out of 10 times a failing story equals a failing movie. This might garnish a ton of money, but for true movie lovers this will seem like a movie that ‘could-have-been’, rather than a movie that is good. Good performances, but a bad story, see Hancock at your own risk.