Hancock (2008)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Peter Berg

Writers:

Vincent Ngo (written by) and
Vince Gilligan (written by)

Release Date:

2 July 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Fantasy | Thriller

Tagline:

There are heroes. There are superheroes. And then there's...

Plot:

A hard-living superhero who has fallen out of favor with the public enters into a questionable relationship with the wife of the public relations professional who's trying to repair his image. |

Plot Keywords:

Hostage | Male Nudity | Basketball | Thrown Through Wall | Love Triangle

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Will Smith	...	John Hancock
Charlize Theron	...	Mary Embrey
Jason Bateman	...	Ray Embrey
Jae Head	...	Aaron Embrey
Eddie Marsan	...	Kenneth 'Red' Parker Jr.
David Mattey	...	Man Mountain
Maetrix Fitten	...	Matrix
Thomas Lennon	...	Mike
Johnny Galecki	...	Jeremy
Hayley Marie Norman	...	Hottie
Dorothy Cecchi	...	Woman in Dive Bar
Michelle Lemon	...	Girl at Bus Bench
Akiva Goldsman	...	Executive #1
Michael Mann	...	Executive #2
Brad Leland	...	Executive #3

Also Known As:

John Hancock (USA) (working title)
Tonight, He Comes (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and language.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Malaysia:U | South Korea:12 | UK:12A | Australia:M | Ireland:12A | Hong Kong:IIA | Finland:K-13 | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Germany:12 | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Norway:15 | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | USA:PG-13 (edited for re-rating) (certificate #43295) | USA:R (original rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Netherlands:12 | Brazil:12 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:13 | Chile:Y7 | New Zealand:M

Filming Locations:

105 Freeway, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures

Trivia:

Shipped to some theaters under the name "Speak Publicly".

Goofs:

Continuity: In the beginning of the film, during the car chase when Hancock is in back of the suspect's car and breaks the bottle, the next shot has him holding a different looking, very obviously fake broken bottle.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Police Officer: All units. All units. Code 3 pursuit of 2-11 white SUV heading east on Alameda service road. Suspects: three Asian males. Request back-up immediately. Be advised. Shots fired. Shots fired.

Movie Connections:

References "Nancy Grace" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Tippi-Toes

I guess some people just can't take a switch in tone.

I've read a lot of the reviews here complaining about the film flagging in its final act. I respectfully disagree.

Hancock is most definitely DIFFERENT in it's last half - it drops off the comedy significantly and introduces some fascinating superhero mythology that is almost like an ancient Greek myth in its context. It also introduces some pretty tense and violent moments that really made me wonder if they should be marketing it as the kid-friendly summer blockbuster that they are. However, both halves have their own merits - the first being the humour, and the second being the (almost tragic) origin mythos. I suspect if you are prepared for the switch in tone, rather than shocked when it arrives, you might enjoy Hancock as much as I did.