Hancock is a mysterious figure. His past is unknown, even to himself, and he has no close friends or allies. When Hancock (Smith) saves Ray (Jason Batemen; “Juno“), a struggling public relations agent, Ray decides to try to repay him, taking Hancock into his home to meet his wife, Mary (Charlize Theron; “Aeon Flux”), and his young son, Aaron. Hancock reluctantly goes along with Ray’s scheme to change his image into something more publicly acceptable. Part of the plan involves changing Hancock’s attitude, as well as what he wears, and to fix his highly destructive landings. From the beginning of the film, you can see Hancock has a long way to go.
Smith drops his nice guy routine for this film, successfully coming across as rough around the edges. Even with this character, you can see in Smith’s eyes a loneliness and a disconnectedness that gives you sympathy for him. Batemen’s PR guy is just the right comic elixir for the story. He is the ultra-committed nice guy, who uses subtle humor to change Hancock’s attitude and behaviors. The movie really rests on his shoulders, his interactions with Smith being the highlight of the film.
The bad guys in the story are your standard money-obsessed criminals, who seek revenge on the hero who busted them. Without a particularly compelling villain, the story depends largely upon the revelations in the middle of the film. A later battle in the city has no real justification or emotional resonance, other than to show off some nifty special effects. The power of Smith’s personality helps bring the film back from the brink, as you find yourself rooting for the new and improved Hancock. While “Hancock” is mostly successful as an action comedy, its fall from greatness makes me wonder if Smith’s box office muscle will continue to be indestructible.
Rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and language.
