Hancock

[AGateFan]

Just saw this movie.
I had read the synopsis and some review synopsis before going. Due to reading those I didnt have very high expectations. That said I came out of the movie entertained and thinking it was better then I expected. Not a great or awesome movie by any stretch, its got its issues but I still liked it. Not sure I would sit down and watch it again, but wouldnt turn it off as soon as it came on either.....so take that for what its worth.

Pros:

• Will Smith, I just like him as an actor and nothing in this movie changed my mind in that.
  
• Different look on superheros (sort of in the way Unbreakable was, but I am sure people wont think it nearly as deep or artistic as that movie).
  
• A few funny lines, not as many as I thought there would be.
  
• I actually kind of liked the story...reminded me of a video game I played this spring and really liked
  
• The tag midcredits was pretty funny at least to me.
  

.

Cons:

• OMFG who freaking directed this thing. I know the jiggily close in camera crap (like they use in BSG) is supposed to be "artistic" but its just freaking annoying. Cut it out, buy yourself a camera rig, pull back on your angles and make it look like a pro movie not like someone recording it on their camcorder. I should NOT freaking even notice the camera in a movie, let alone be annoyed by it. It was very clausterphopic and hard to see anything.
  
• Special effects... there was some cool stuff, I like the different look on how a superhero flys (and lands) but the actual in-flight special effects have been done better.
  
• The story kind of dragged. This was more of a character piece then a superhero action flick (again more like an Unbreakable then an Incredible Hulk). It didnt bother me too much, I wasnt looking at my watch or anything but my uncle did think it was slow enough to warrent a bathroom break midmovie, so it will bother some people.

So, in conclusion this is not a summer action blockbuster. If you go in thinking it is you will be dissappointed. However its not as bad as some of the reviewers have said.*


*speaking of reviewers their synopsis of what the movie is about, is not exactly correct. And the ones that say there is some type of America vs the World message (via alagory) in this movie are reading waaaaaaayyyyyyy more into this movie then is actually there. Unless the writer\directory said thats what it was about, in which case they did a bad job showing it.

[mckaychick]

I just saw the movie and i enjoyed the movie alot. I did not think it was as bad as some of these people are saying. Will Smith makes this movie good.

[The Prophet]

The Plot was rather dragged out, and didn't focus on, what my friends and I thought was, the main theme- An alcoholic superhero. The first half of the movie was good; but then the plot entirely changed and seemed like they crushed a tacky sequel onto the end.

If they'd lengthened out his reformation into the entire length of the film, with the ending focusing upon his good deed; then it would have been an epic movie.

The latter part, I felt, let it down by bringing in some unestablished back story from outa-the-blue; cheapening the entire deal.

Disgruntled Will Smith ftw.

Failing PR Guy was an odd side-plot; I didn't like him as much as I felt I was expected to.

[Morbo]

i heard there was a twist or so of sorts in the middle that just KILLS the entire movie dead. truth?

[AGateFan]

I actually liked the twist but thats what causes some people like The Prophet to not be too happy with the second half. I dont know that they could make the entire movie out of re-habilitating him as some say. I think the "twist" was needed to round out the plot and deliver a complete story. Plus when it happens its like "Woha..ok, didnt see THAT coming".... I mean I knew there was something (but thought it was something else, due to the bad synopsis of the movie I had read), just the moment they did it was kind of suprising (to me).

In fact I think I liked the twist BECAUSE of the synopsis I read which I will do a short recap spoiled here:

Spoiler:

The write up of the movie indicated the movie was about alcoholic superhero who is helped out by a PR guy whos wife the superhero then has an affair with.

[the fifth man]

Overall, I thought Hancock was a pretty good movie. It had some pretty funny moments, and some nice action scenes.

[rlr149]

OMFG who freaking directed this thing. I know the jiggily close in camera crap (like they use in BSG) is supposed to be "artistic" but its just freaking annoying. Cut it out, buy yourself a camera rig, pull back on your angles and make it look like a pro movie not like someone recording it on their camcorder. I should NOT freaking even notice the camera in a movie, let alone be annoyed by it. It was very clausterphopic and hard to see anything.

i'd suggest 'realistic' over 'artistic', its attempting to do what your eyes actually do. adds to the 'being there' feel apparently. not saying it is 'realistic', my eyes did that just fine if not better before this style came along.
wide angles do not a 'pro movie' make though.
wait long enough, and they will go back to other styles, see a lot less matrix twirly cams these days

and don't watch cloverfield if you don't like camcorder style

[Kezia]

I've got mixed reviews from people I know who've seen it... some love it, some hate it, some are just meh. I'm probably going to see it anyway cause I'm an action/scifi junkie

[AvatarIII]

it was awesome!! i thought so anyway, i mean, not the best movie ever, i expect (hope) Dark Knight to be better, but the fact it was so original is what made it great. it's also a lot more violent than most hero movies, but perhaps not as graphic as some. there's a few bit's i wasn't expecting, but the ending is just fantastic

[Traveler Enroute1]

Just caught it last night and I loved it. Will Smith is definitely the draw and the anchor, and I thought he carried the movie well enough. Smith provided emotional layering that prevented it from being as slapstick-y as some superhero parodies out recently.

As for critics, I give them their opinions and I'll make up my own mind. If I've ever been disappointed in a Will Smith movie it's been quite a while since I don't remember!

The story, as mentioned, did veer sharply in the second half. But I'm certainly of the mindset that this was a pretty original take on super hero-dom. Gatefan, your comparison with Unbreakable was interesting; that hero's power was unknown even to himself; Hancock knew he was a superhero but not who he was.

I also thought the second half gave fuller meaning to Hancock's problem. I guess I'll use spoiler tags just in case:

Spoiler:

Hancock's reaction to the wife was an instant flag but I didn't know why; both actors conveyed a neat rapport. I was thinking OMG, Hancock's not gonna seduce the guy's wife! Is he a past lover, but how?? And then the reveal, hilarity and near tragedy ensued. Left me in the dark about who 'they' were that wanted to get at him through her; observant criminals? A band of 'watcher' types like in 'Jumper' who hate and hunt them?

Just sayin', it worked well for me. Most importantly, I was entertained and felt I'd gotten my (NYC's astonomically priced ticket) money's worth. Fun. Definitely recommended.

[AvatarIII]

Just caught it last night and I loved it. Will Smith is definitely the draw and the anchor, and I thought he carried the movie well enough. Smith provided emotional layering that prevented it from being as slapstick-y as some superhero parodies out recently.

As for critics, I give them their opinions and I'll make up my own mind. If I've ever been disappointed in a Will Smith movie it's been quite a while since I don't remember!

The story, as mentioned, did veer sharply in the second half. But I'm certainly of the mindset that this was a pretty original take on super hero-dom. Gatefan, your comparison with Unbreakable was interesting; that hero's power was unknown even to himself; Hancock knew he was a superhero but not who he was.

I also thought the second half gave fuller meaning to Hancock's problem. I guess I'll use spoiler tags just in case:

Spoiler:

Hancock's reaction to the wife was an instant flag but I didn't know why; both actors conveyed a neat rapport. I was thinking OMG, Hancock's not gonna seduce the guy's wife! Is he a past lover, but how?? And then the reveal, hilarity and near tragedy ensued. Left me in the dark about who 'they' were that wanted to get at him through her; observant criminals? A band of 'watcher' types like in 'Jumper' who hate and hunt them?

Just sayin', it worked well for me. Most importantly, I was entertained and felt I'd gotten my (NYC's astonomically priced ticket) money's worth. Fun. Definitely recommended.

how much is a cinema ticket for you in NYC?, i live in a medium town and the ticket was £6.50, which equates to about $13

personally i liked the way the movie veered off

Spoiler:

it was like a trad super movie, except instead of a genesis, it was sort of a re-genesis, making him into a hero instead of making him super. then the secong half was like the traditional super villain second half, but it was actually not an enemy, just someone that turned out to be his weakness. i thought the end in new york was funny, lijke the guy in LA said "new york can have him" then they all go to NY in the end

[Traveler Enroute1]

how much is a cinema ticket for you in NYC?, i live in a medium town and the ticket was £6.50, which equates to about $13

personally i liked the way the movie veered off

Spoiler:

it was like a trad super movie, except instead of a genesis, it was sort of a re-genesis, making him into a hero instead of making him super. then the secong half was like the traditional super villain second half, but it was actually not an enemy, just someone that turned out to be his weakness. i thought the end in new york was funny, lijke the guy in LA said "new york can have him" then they all go to NY in the end

Yep, tickets are $12 (if it's not IMAX which is about $18) and yipe, you top us! I guess I'm still getting ticket shock because prices rose so rapidly so fast. Add that my job no longer gets discounted tickets and I shed a tear every time I pay full admission (yeah I was a bit spoiled, mea culpa ).

Just sayin', and I thought

Spoiler:

the NY line was neatly tied up with the final scene, too. I liked the way the two super people chose in the end. They were fated to be together but decided to be what they'd become apart from that; like she said, they had the ability to choose. "Genesis vs re-genesis" is an interesting term/view, btw.

Just sayin' I think the film worked on a number of levels, and a good time was had by all resulted.

[AJZ]

I saw it and thought it was bad. Not terrible but bad.

Without spoilers of course:

Con's

- Too short

- The writers/directors didn't know if they wanted it to be an action movie, romance, mystery, thriller, super hero movie, Comedy or what.

- Not enough main character development (we never got to know who the person we is/was).

Pro's

- Some decent laughs.