Show Hancock crash lands Diana Joy Jones Arts Reporter This summer super hero flicks have dominated the box office at a dizzying speed Iron Man The Incredible Hulk As these films' films have legitimacy for their success it can be refreshing to look at the same story in hi a different light Hancock attempts to put a twist on the superhero super superhero superhero hero movie Instead of highlighting the pristine qualities of a superhero and his large following of fans Hancock looks at the of man who possess super superpowers powers John Hancock Will Smith takes the definitive qualities of a super hero and rejects them in favor of the complete opposite Hancock sleeps on a park bench and is arrogant to a child who alerts him of a crime in progress He dresses like a bum and polishes off his reputation with a foul mouth Hancocks Hancock's persona isn't the only thing citizens despise Unlike costume clad super heroes before him Hancock is expected to pay payback payback payback back the debts he causes to the city He owes a bundle in damages due to his violent and uncouth techniques t i j A He flies to a crime scene with a bottle of booze in hand Instead of soaring over the top of a highway sign Hancock crashes through it He smashes a acar acar acar car filled with offenders into building after building Hancock redefines the artof art artof artof of landing Each time he does the road caves in under his feet and portions of pavement fly When gooder do-gooder Ray Embry Jason Bateman finds himself stuck in traffic on a railroad in front of an on-coming on train Hancock derails the train and tosses Embry's car Embry is alive but is still the victim of a car wreck as a result of Hancocks Hancock's methods Embry a glass half-full half man he works in public relations figures all Hancock needs is a little reform Embry's wife Mary Theron is obviously wary of Hancock and her husbands husband's scheme Despite his wife's surface concerns Embry convinces the unwilling hero to cleanup cleanup clean cleanup up his act Hancock checks himself into the big house discards the bottle and takes on lessons in superhero super superhero superhero hero ethics Rather than maintaining its course Hancock loses direction What starts out as a slightly amusing and inventive narrative gets bogged down in an alternate plot line The explanation for Hancocks Hancock's origin feels strewn together and makes little sense As Hancock makes his life change the laughs die down and lengthy dramatic scenes begin If there is any enjoyment to be had from Hancock it is found in the opening sequences and within the concept of the film The movie gets heavier as it moves along Hancock is only an hour and a half long but even in that time timeframe timeframe timeframe frame it begins to drag Children may lose interest quickly On a side note Hancock isn't exactly family fare It is heavier on the language and adult jargon than Spiderman and Superman Parents accustomed to taking their kids to the latest super hero flick may flick may want to view this one first It never hurts to havea have ve a little originality on the agenda Hancock has the promise of bringing a unique twist to the super superhero superhero superhero hero movie Unfortunately it loses its focus and fizzles out into a con confusing sing melodramatic mess Hancock Hallcock is rated PG 13 for violence and language J |