Superhero films are ten to the dozen these days, with both Marvel and DC ensuring that, when it comes to summer blockbusters, nothing remotely original will be showing in cinemas for the next century or so. Subverting the superhero genre is always a good thing - it's why the first Kick Ass movie was so successful, since it knew exactly which genre conventions to prod at in order to get a laugh. Hancock, starring Will Smith as a vigilante superhero who can't help but inadvertently cause millions of dollars in damage every time he sets out to fight crime, had just as much potential to offer an amusing twist on the superhero format. At least, it did on paper. On screen, unfortunately, Hancock ended up failing to maximize on both the basic idea and Will Smith's potential to craft a truly rounded character, exacerbated by a completely out of place tonal shift around half way through the film. It was as if the filmmakers lost confidence in breaking new ground and ended up trying to please everyone in the audience, which is never a good thing. What other potentially great high concept movies failed to deliver the goods? Why not let us know in the comments below?
