Movie Review: Hancock

We’ve all experienced it before: trailers for movies that seem fill you in on the whole plot before you set foot into the theater. Sometimes they can make you wonder what the point is of going to see the movies if you already know what to expect. So as I was sitting in the theater waiting for Hancock to start, I began running through my mind what I already knew about this movie from all the commercials and publicity.

The first trailer shows him sacked-out on a bus stop bench like a wino. Soon, a boy wakes him up and tells him that there are some bad guys causing problems. Hancock then grudgingly takes off to the save the day. From the trailers that follow we learn that his carelessness causes more damage and problems than the crimes were creating in the first place. We also see Jason Bateman playing someone who is trying to help clean up his image, which he must do successfully because we later see Hancock in a tight leather crime-fighting suit attempting to save the day in a more civilized way.


Will all of this in mind I was worried that I was about to sit through an extended version of what I had already seen, but I was pleased when the movie started and within the first 15-20 minutes just about every scene that had shown up in the trailers and commercials had gone by and there was still plenty of screen time left. It was obvious that the moviemakers had a broad enough story to tell that would go far beyond Hancock’s wayward days.

And what they come up with is exciting! It’s a really fun ride, especially for anyone who enjoys superhero movies and is in the mood for something slightly different. In many ways, Hancock is parody of many of the hero movies out there—kind of an anti-hero or a hero dealing with real world problems. Will Smith does an excellent job conveying the bad attitude needed for us to understand why the good people of L.A. would feel like they’d be better off without him, but he also is wonderful when he needs to let us see the struggles Hancock goes through as he tries to figure out what kind of person he wants to be.


There was one point in the movie, though, once we had gotten beyond everything that was shown in the pre-release publicity, that I was I wasn’t liking the direction the movie was going in. There’s a twist in the story that I wasn’t feeling too crazy about. I won’t reveal what it is because it would spoil much of the movie, but I will say that it was a seemingly implausible coincidence that they ended up explaining in a way that ended up taking away all my apprehension and getting me back into really enjoying the show. By the time the movie was over, it had won me over and I was wishing I could seem more. (By the way, don’t be so quick to get up and leave the theater once the credits start running.)


There may be some people who don’t like the direction that it goes in the post trailer movie, but just keep in mind that it is a super-hero movie and in the end it fulfills that role perfectly. Will Smith once again proves that he is an A-list movie star for a good reason. Jason Bateman is endearing and fun as the struggling PR guy, Ray, who decides to try to change Hancock’s image. Charlize Theron is perfect as Mary, Ray’s wife, who is very cautious about bringing Hancock into their lives. Together they are a great group of actors that I look forward to seeing in many things to come.


Hancock is rated PG-13 for super-hero violence and action, but what makes it inappropriate for youngsters is a large dose of foul language. Recommended for older kids and adults.

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Movie Review: The Incredible Hulk

Unlike most people, I didn't hate Ang Lee's Hulk that came out in 2003. It wasn't my favorite movie ever, but I enjoyed it enough to not feel like I'd wasted my time, although it's not a movie I feel like watching over and over. When I heard that they were making a new version of the Hulk with Edward Norton that was going to abandon what was started in the 2003 feature, I was relatively pleased because there wasn't really anywhere they could go with the Hulk in a sequel after Lee's version.

This new version, entitled The Incredible Hulk, begins as Bruce Banner, played by Edward Norton, is hiding out in Brazil as he's searching for a cure to his little green problem. We soon learn that he has good reason to be hiding because the man responsible for the experiments that got him infected with gamma radiation, General Ross (played by William Hurt), is ready to move in on him the instant he gets a hint of where Banner's hiding.

The Incredible Hulk is well enough balanced with backstory, character development and action to keep my attention riveted. Gone was all of the heady, psychological drama that dragged down Ang Lee's "find your inner Hulk" version. But If you're a fan of Ang Lee's version, you'll be happy to know that, aside from a couple of contradictory references to the Hulk's origin, there's not much in this that goes against what was developed in Hulk.

Edward Norton is great as a tormented person searching for a cure who is sincerely concerned for the safety of those around him. Liv Tyler, while being a little too pretty to be belived as a college professor, gives a touching performance as Betty Ross, Bruce's lost love. Their reunion was very moving.

This film is a definite improvement on the last and will surely please anyone from casual moviegoers to die hard fans of the comic book and 70s TV show.

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Movie Review: Spider-man 3

"This suit, where'd this come from? The power, feels good... But you lose yourself to it... "

When I was in high school, Spider-man was the comic series that I read the most. I loved how Peter Parker was just this awkward young guy who just happened to have this super secret identity—in a sense it gave me hope to face my own awkwardness. When the movie franchise started a few years ago I was thrilled with the result. The director of all of the Spider-man films, Sam Raimi, has been able to give the movies the right balance of humor and stylized film making that has made it possible for a guy clad in blue and red tights not to look ridiculous.


Now that we're on the third installment, the series is becoming quite comfortable with it's characters and storytelling. As I was watching, it struck me how much like a continuing series on television this franchise was becoming, and in light of shows like Lost and Heroes, I think a TV show about an established super hero would do very well. So it was with that thought it mind that I started evaluating Spider-man 3.

As part of a continuing series, I thought this "episode" fit in very well. We're continuing the personal relation ship drama that Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is having with Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) and Harry Osborn (James Franco). We're seeing characters show up that are important in the comic books like Dr. Curt Connors (Dylan Baker) who eventually becomes The Lizard and Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard) who fills her comic book role of being a love interest in a romantic triangle with Peter and Mary Jane.


There were problems, however, when I began thinking of this movie as a stand-alone story. My biggest problem with it was a storyline involving Harry Osborn following in his dad's footsteps as The New Goblin. I'll try not to give away too much, but let me just say there's a short-lived change of heart that does nothing more than take up time in the story because by the time the climax to the movie happens, they had ended up at the same stage the began at.


The other problem that I had with this installment is the fact that there were 3 villains in this movie. I thought we'd learned years ago in Batman Returns that when you try to cram too many villains into a 2 hour movie, someone besides the hero gets the shaft—the audience. As a childhood fan of the Spider-man series, I was really excited to see the Venom villain realized on film and I felt a bit disappointed at how lightly that character was handled.

Will all of this being said, I don't want anyone to think that I didn't like this movie—there are many things to love about this film! It has a great message. In addition to the standard themes of "with great power comes great responsibility" and putting the needs and safety of others above your own personal satisfaction, there's an additional message to this movie that we all of the potential for good or evil in our lives, and it's up to us to choose.

All in all, I would recommend this movie. It might not be the best of the series, but it definitely fits in well will the overall story of the trilogy and I for one hope that this is a series that's nowhere near finished running its course.

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NEWS: Spider-man 3 Final Trailer Now Online!

Comcast now has an exclusive site featuring the final Spider-man 3 trailer. In this trailer we see a quick glimpse of super-villain, Venom, who sprange from the comic book series about the time when I was in high school and still buying the series regularly.

I have to say, that of all the super-hero movies that have been made lately, the Spider-man series has been the most satisfying. Maybe it’s because they could stay very faithful to the look and feel of the series without having it become too campy. Maybe it’s because Peter Parker, played by Tobey Maquire (Seabiscuit, Pleasantville), is such an “everyman” that there’s a little bit of something that everyone can relate to. In either case, I’m really looking forward to seeing it and excited for the great start to the summer blockbusters.

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Movie Commentary: Superman Returns

New Superman Returns trailer (View Here)

The new Superman Returns trailer was recently released and it has risen my anticipation for the film 10-fold. Yes I know there has been some guff about this film for some time, but I have a hard time not looking forward to it. Are the lead actors too young? Perhaps. Is Kevin Spacey merely “channeling” Gene Hackman? Possibly. Do I really care? Not at all. You see people, this is a re-imagining of the Superman films which intends to pay homage to and respect the first 2 Superman films but also restart the franchise. Or, you could just consider it a film being made by someone who loves the material and felt it was a movie he had to make. I’m speaking of course about Bryan Singer, a talented and capable director who has proven his ability to craft a great story (The Usual Suspects) and handle a sci-fi / comic book film (X-Men 1 & 2). When given the opportunity to direct the new Superman movie, Bryan walked away from the X-Men film franchise that he helped to establish and took on the story of The Last Son Of Krypton. This was a project very close to him and one that he could not turn down. Some people are not fans of Bryan’s work, especially the X films, and that’s to be expected. There’s nothing wrong with people not liking an artist's work, that’s why there are many different artists.

I have a lot of faith in this film being what it has to be. The original Superman film, and it’s less than perfect sequel, will always be favorites of mine. The first film took a very dramatic look at a story filled with fantasy and superpowers. But Superman has stood for very human things for as long as he’s been around. While his abilities are the things that set him apart from the rest of humanity, it’s his human qualities, and his conviction to adhere to the homespun qualities instilled in him by his adoptive parents, that make him special. But we can aspire to those same qualities as well. We cannot fly, but we can be truthful. We are not bulletproof, yet we can stand for the things we believe in. We do not have x-ray vision, yet we can see the injustices in the world and have compassion and understanding for those having awful things done to them. Our love and caring for our fellow man can be as powerful as Superman. Of course we all know this is a fictitious tale, yet the lessons we can glean from it are all too real. This is a film, and a story, that is filled with truth and justice, “The American Way”, and for a few hours this summer, that’s a story that’s worth hearing, and one that can’t be told enough. I look forward to having fun at this film, and feeling good about what it says to me. I hope you all find the same message in this film. Have fun!

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