MESSAGE IN THE MOVIES

Hancock Rated PG-13

Directed by Peter Berg .  Starring Will Smith, Jason Bateman

Photo © Sony Pictures
Movie Review by Rev. Bruce Batchelor Glader

Will Smith is the only movie star that can guarantee over $100 million in ticket sales by just having his name above the title, and he is probably (along with Tom Hanks) one of our most likeable stars.  So I guess he deserves some props for being willing to play Hancock, a superhero-as-alcoholic-street person (and a major class jerk, as well).  Hancock shows up regularly to save the day, but his cocky attitude and constant inebriation leaves a trail of destruction in his wake.  Even the police would appreciate it if he didn’t show up quite so often.  One day Hancock saves Ray, a hotshot public relations man (Bateman) from a train accident, and Ray offers to give Hancock an image makeover.  Step One: Since the authorities have several criminal charges against him, Ray suggests that Hancock agree to go to prison. After a few weeks in the slammer, the crime rate will increase and folks will appreciate him more.  The first half of this film is boisterous (although somewhat mean-spirited) fun.  But then there’s a major plot twist that is earnest and ludicrous at the same time and the movie never recovers.  This is a rough PG-13 film, with little to recommend to children (and not much for adults, either, come to think of it.).  At about 90 minutes, the film is merely a minor time-waster, but hardly worth the price of a bargain matinee ticket.  Where’s the hero to rescue us from this dreck?  Oh, yeah, that’s right!  THAT WOULD BE ME!

Pitchfork Rating: Two halos. (A film at war with itself – half-comedy, half-superhero angst – with both sides losing.)  Two pitchforks. (For some intense violence and a lot of crude language, with one expletive used as a running gag!)

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