Ray can only handle half of HANCOCK!

Every fan of comic books and movies has probably wondered what it might be like if a superhero was really just a regular guy in the real world. It's easy to imagine the isolation one would feel as the example of their kind; the power they easily wield shields them normal human contact and interaction. Such is the promise of HANCOCK, and the first half of the film flies so close to capturing such an atmosphere that the disastrous second half becomes unforgivable. Perennial Fourth of July wonderboy WILL SMITH stars as Hancock, a drunken, rude, and indestructible man prone to sleeping off hangovers on park benches in between saving the world. He doesn't much care for his enviable position as savior, and the general public doesn't particularly enjoy Hancock's destructive saving techniques. One of these rescues involves a charming public relations manager named Ray (JASON BATEMAN), who wants to return the favor by helping Hancock to rehabilitate his public image. Hancock isn't thrilled by the proposal, and neither is Ray's curiously angry wife Mary (CHARLIE THERON). It's easy to see why the first half of this screenplay became such a hit as it made the rounds in Hollywood years ago. Satirical and loaded with attitude, the script crackles with sharp dialogue and fun ideas. However, the storyline hits a massive brick wall about halfway through with a highly-touted twist that is just as bad as everyone has been saying. And then, saddled with this improbably ridiculous set-up, the film has nowhere to go and nothing to pit against an indestructible hero. To try and ramp up the action, the screenwriters - all of whom need to really meditate on their crimes here - decide to create an action sequence out of nowhere that involves several tornadoes descending on the city for no apparent reason. Basic narrative threads established by the writers to justify the twist are then ignored at various points, creating plot holes the size of Hancock's ego. Even worse than the disjointed screenplay is the misguided direction of PETER BERG. What type of film did Berg think he was directing here? HEAT 2?BOURNE'S FURTHER ULTIMATUM? Berg unwisely chooses to emulate gritty crime drama photography and constantly employ Shaky-Cam for this superhero popcorn flick. Again and again we have shock-zooms onto racing cars, although someone will need to explain the constant panning and zooming during a business meeting scene early in the film. I get it; Berg is trying to whip up a sense of urgency. However, superhero films need a certain larger-then-life quality, a capturing of wonder and awe; waving a camera around at people does nothing but disorient. The film is shot more like an episode of E.R., rather then a big-budget special effects extravaganza. Speaking of special effects, there are many, many shots here that do not work in any way. For instance, it's amazing to me that, thirty years and a computer revolution later, they still have no way to convincingly portray a man flying. In fact, the SUPERMAN effects from 1978 are more believable than seeing a rubbery Will Smith avatar fling around like a rag doll. Beyond that, almost nothing here looks remotely real, which destroys any semblance of reality that Berg was trying to capture with his over-used Shaky-Cam techniques. The performances are generally pretty good, with all three leads flailing valiantly against the self-destructing script. Smith gives 100% in everything he does, and here he plays against type as an unlikeable anti-hero. Theron is completely wasted in a ludicrous role that she will regret for a very long time. But it is Bateman who provides this film with any meaningful heart, playing a genuinely nice man caught in an unenviable position. The fact that this film had some true talent behind it leaves the end result a mystifying mess. How could so many people not see the inherent problems of this script and approach? Ultimately, HANCOCK suffers defeat at the hands of two powerful villains - the screenplay and the direction - and that is a battle too great for even the most indestructible hero.