Hancock – Movie Review

If Hancock had been a Bollywood movie the critics would have trashed it and given it one star. Maybe I am exaggerating, because the technical finesse in Hancock was evident and if present in a Bollywood movie, critics might have gasped. But the movie has to have something more. Some good action perhaps? After all this movie is supposed to an “Action” movie!

What’s it about? (no spoilers)
The idea itself is a wonderful one – about a superhero (Hancock, played by Will Smith) who has personality problems. It’s an idea that could have been taken to great heights but this was a case where the idea ended here. The only heights that it went to was showing Hancock take off like a rocket into the sky.

Yet, the beginning is alright, although we have to turn a blind eye to Will Smith’s continuous pouting (which we are supposed to believe is the demeanour of a disgruntled soul). Charlize Theron plays the female lead and after seeing her expressions when she meets Hancock, we think the movie is going somewhere.

Unfortunately, the story unfolds into a silly tale which a five year old could have imagined better. The story reminded me of C grade movie where events happen in quick succession without the director taking the trouble to build up to it. I usually don’t like flashbacks, but this was a movie where a flashback was sorely needed as we have to imagine what happened through a few sentences thrown our way by one of the protagonists. The story also reminded me of a convoluted television soap where the director who has started off with a grand idea has no idea what to do next.

If a Hindi movie had had a story like this our critics would have torn it apart. But the Times of India has given the movie three and a half stars! That confused me.

In its home market, America, the critics have rated it below average although the movie opened well for two reasons. Because it released on the 4th of July, a holiday weekend, and second, because of Will Smith’s star presence. It might interest you to know that “every Will Smith movie has been a hit or smash, earning at least $100 million in North America and another $100 million or more abroad. Sometimes lots more.”

Will Smith is a star that directors consider “bankable” and that is something that we in India our familiar with as our Bollywood directors often use the same tactic – bankable stars and a bankrupt storyline.
If I had to draw any sort of conclusion about the movie I would say it’s time pass, if at all. The special effects are kind of cute and Smith is kind of cute too. But forget trying to make any sense of the movie!

(p.s. I wasn’t going to post today (even though I saw the movie last night) but then I thought I would write a quick review as I guess a review needs to be done on the week-end it is released)

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Sarkar Raj – Review
The Dark Knight – Review
Other Movie Reviews (English and Hindi movies)