Hancock probably could not be considered anything more than a halfway decent scifi/fantasy movie if it weren’t for Will Smith. The concept is interesting enough, but the storyline ends up falling a bit short, even compared with your basic superhero movies. Yet with Will Smith’s performance, you almost don’t notice.
Without spoilers, I feel safe noting the premise of the movie: Hancock (Will Smith) is a sloppy, careless guy with superhero powers. Smith makes this guy truly compelling, though. He’s tragically lonely and hates his life so much he drinks heavily just to blot out the clear perception of it all. At times you almost want to cry for him. And that’s all Smith. In fact, I’d say that Will Smith’s performance is more key to this movie than Robert Downey, Jr.’s performance is to Iron Man. There’s plenty of humor in the story, but Smith actually plays it straight … which of course makes it all the funnier. Now I’ll take a moment to note that Charlize Theron is one of my favorite actresses, so it should not surprise for me to say that she brings some fun to the movie. Charlize Theron is one of those actresses who brings a lot to even the smallest role. And yet she never tries to upstage anyone … which of course makes her all the more compelling. The Blu-ray is high quality. I didn’t poke around much at the extras. If you’re a Will Smith fan, then this is one to see. He does not disappoint.