Hancock

I went into this movie not expecting much; just hoping for something entertaining enough to keep me awake after a long week of work. And although there were some disappointments, I got exactly what I wanted. Overall the dialogue was hilarious and the story was solid. I'm a fan of all three major actors in this film, and they lived up to expectations. Although the real scene-stealer was Jae Head, a young actor who plays Aaron, the son of Jason Bateman's character. He was absolutely adorable in every scene he was in.

The main factors holding Hancock back from being a major favorite were the effects and the directing. A lot of the film's stunts revolve around Hancock's ability to fly and unfortunately the blue screen effects were just too obviously fake. Although I can overlook bad effects to a certain extent, it's impossible not to notice the color differences between Will Smith and the background he's supposedly flying over. I was also really disappointed to realize that Hancock's director is Peter Berg, the same man behind The Kingdom. Although I have some problems with the overall plot of The Kingdom, it was still a great film. Berg didn't live up to that standard in Hancock, mostly because of an overuse of closeups on characters and poor camera angles. With the quality of actors in this film, the audience can easily pick up on the characters' thoughts and undertones without resorting to camera spins and closeups that detract from the flow of the story.

Despite these drawbacks, Hancock was still a fun and entertaining film. My friend and I walked out of the theater satisfied and re energized. Will Smith brings his usual charisma and comedy, while Charlize Theron lends her Oscar-winning talent to a lighter character. Ultimately, if you've seen every other comic book, super-hero movie out there and you still haven't had enough, there's always Hancock.

Recommendation: Entertaining