Hancock

Finished watching the movie now, what seems like months after everyone else. Considering that when I first saw the posters I thought this was gonna be a biopic of Herbie Hancock, you can probably tell I didn’t hear very much about this movie, and went in knowing nothing more than that it was about a less-than-heroic superhero. So I was pleasantly surprised by how funny it is.

The unsuitable, antisocial yet awesomely powerful hero is nothing new. From Yojimbo to Wolverine, the idea has enduring popularity, and I feel sure Captain Jack Sparrow may have been influential in this film’s greenlighting too. It makes for a plot that writes itself, and allows for a spotlight on a flawed character, giving opportunities for redemption as well as the fun of a character abusing his power, not playing hero.

It could have been an annoying postmodern irony-fest along the lines of Buffy, but Will Smith makes Hancock so world-weary that his world completely works, and a single line about McDonalds simply makes all of Whedon’s pop culture references seem trite and unfunny (or, perhaps, even more so).

I think I’d’ve liked and respected this film a little more if it had stuck with the focus on the character and his growth, because introducing a key to his past and a nemesis was just far too obvious. They kept the story rolling, though, and allowed for some good setpieces and a satisfying ending. I feel it could have been a little better, but it was still good. Probably the best superhero film of the year…until Batman?