Hancock

Will Smith OWNS the 4th of July box office. That--we already know. Not only have his movies grossed millions worldwide, but his appeal (both foreign and domestic) has made him one of the most recognizable stars of today. Combine that with the fact that he's been fairly consistent and what you have is a bonafide star. However, with such a long list of accomplishment, comes a false sense of security; and for Will Smith, Hancock not only represents a near brush with commercial disappointment but [possibly] the beginning of the end.

I know what you're thinking. Pretty bold statement, huh? Well, by all means, I apologize for being blunt, but that's just how disappointed I was with this movie. Instead of getting a superhero movie filled with action, adventure, and wonderment--I helplessly sat through one that was [seemingly] juiced up on estrogen. And that's just being nice.

I guess most of my frustration(s) stem from the fact that this movie couldn't really make up its mind of what it wanted to be. Was it a superhero movie? A comedy? A drama? Far be it from me to decide, but I [mostly] blame the producers for trying to play all sides. No clear cut direction was taken in the thought process and it really shows. Therefore, Will Smith and company weren't really given much to work with; however, when presented with something of substance, it comes off more cheesy than anything.

So, therein lies a problem among many but mostly everything centers back to the plot. No origin of Hancock is given, nor is anything explicitly stated about how he came to be; but in not doing so, it kind of works as a gift and a curse. From one standpoint, it allows the viewers to interpret for themselves; but it also leaves them in the dark as well. So, like I was saying, it kind of goes both ways and only furthers that notion of indecisiveness that I spoke of earlier.

It's simple. Hancock is not only a microcosm of what a superhero movie should be, but also a microcosm of what a Will Smith movie should be [as well]. In no way does Hancock compare to any of his previous summer blockbusters, nor does it represent anything he's ever done. Hancock is Hancock. There's no other way to explain it. So, instead of investing your time/money on a bi-polar superhero. Ask yourself, who's really being saved here?

Rating: 2 inkblots out of 5