With the plethora of superhero movies now, it is kind of refreshing to re-watch Hancock (2008).  It came out the same year as Iron Man (2008), the film that launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).  While not every one of their heroes are perfect, including Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), I would not say they are self-destructive like John Hancock(Will Smith).  It also might seem strange for a practicing Catholic to label a film about such a character as “refreshing,” but nearly two decades of Marvel material will do that to a cinephile.  I also say that as a fan of the MCU.  Indeed, I was appreciating Hancock’s novel approach to its subject matter until it got strange, but we will save that discussion for the synopsis.

What is also strange is for a superhero like Hancock, with incredible strength, the ability to fly, and indestructible skin, to do nothing while gunmen lead police on a violent chase through Los Angeles.  The reason for a lack of immediate action is that he is drunk from the night before, sleeping it off on a bench.  He is nudged to action by a little kid, who angers the inebriated god (more about this later) by calling him an “asshole.”  Hancock does not like that term, so he jumps into action, whiskey bottle in hand.  Following a destructive sequence to public property, the escape ends with the bad guys in their car, the vehicle impaled by a building antenna on top of a sky scraper.  The public is not happy about this outcome, but all he cares about is his next drink.  A person who does care is Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman).  He works for a public relations (PR) company, and he specializes on rebuilding the image of businesses.  We meet him pitching his services to a drug company, suggesting they should give away their new product.  They are not happy about this idea, and it is the beginning of a bad day for him.  On the way home, he gets stuck in traffic on railroad tracks.  With cars blocking him in front and behind, and his door handle breaking when he cannot move the vehicle, Hancock appears to stop the oncoming locomotive to prevent Ray from being killed.  Though Ray is saved, the train engine is wrecked and the cars it had been pulling pile up behind it.  The crowd that gathers around Hancock begins to yell at him, though he does not help matters when he calls them idiots.  It is Ray who comes to the rescue this time, emphasizing how he would not be alive without Hancock.  As a form of thanks, Hancock flies Ray back to the PR man’s home.  There they are greeted by Aaron Embrey (Jae Head), Ray’s son, who is excited to meet a superhero.  With Aaron’s enthusiasm, Ray invites Hancock to join the Embreys for dinner.  The person who is not as thrilled by this prospect is Mary Embrey (Charlize Theron), Ray’s wife.  Though there is more to her disapproval, for now she cites Hancock’s infamy as the reason why she does not want to get mixed up with the superhero.  Nonetheless, before Hancock leaves, Ray offers representation for Hancock.  After a night of thinking about it, Hancock returns and already Ray has some ideas.  The first is for Hancock to accept a jail sentence, which might not seem like the right move, but Ray assures it will show that the mighty are answerable to the meek.  Hence, Hancock goes to prison where he tries to keep to himself, but is tested on his first day.  I will not detail how that goes.  He also submits to group therapy, though he remains silent throughout all the sessions.  He is also not thrilled when Ray visits, adding that the sentence could be up to eight years.  Hancock is about to batter his way to freedom, but Ray begs for trust in the process.  As crime goes up in the city without its protector, Ray reasons, they are bound to ask for his services.  In the meantime, with some further encouragement and a superhero suit, that opportunity comes.  The chief of police calls upon him to end a violent bank heist.  The robbers’ leader, Kenneth “Red” Parker Jr. (Eddie Marsan), has several armed men and has rigged explosives on all his hostages.  Hancock solves this problem by separating Red’s hand from the detonator and seeing the criminal is taken into custody.  Hancock also shows his appreciation of law enforcement, albeit in a gruff manner, but it is enough for him to be back in the public’s good graces.  He goes out to eat with Mary and Ray to celebrate, putting Ray to bed after the night is over.  Hancock goes downstairs and tries to kiss Mary, but she throws him through the front wall of their home.  This is also when the movie goes off the rails.  Returning the next day, the hole in the house is explained by Hancock and Mary as an effect of him sneezing.  The two agree to talk and this is when we learn that they are immortal gods.  There are a bunch of other things made up later, but I might as well say them now.  Initially, she claims they are brother and sister, but we eventually find out that they had been created as lovers.  Finally, when they get close to each other, they begin to become mortal, which is how others like them died.  This is all explained as they fight one another, which ends with Ray seeing them together outside his office building.  Hancock is angry about not being able to remember his past, and heads to a liquor store to purchase booze.  Instead, he stops a robbery, but the bullets manage to penetrate his skin.  He is visited in the hospital by Mary, who fills in the rest of his story.  Aaron and Ray come too, but not before the is attacked by Red and some thugs.  It comes as Mary and Ray are weakened by their proximity to one another, and she is shot a number of times.  Once Hancock manages to stop them all, with some help from Ray, he is able to get away and Hancock and Mary are restored to their powers.  We end with Mary and Ray staying in Los Angeles, and Hancock fighting crime in New York City.

If Hancock is a crime fighter, then it is only because of his experiences in the film that made him so.  Though the public might have identified him as such before meeting Ray, there are plenty of infamous examples captured on YouTube, among other places, that record him as being more of a menace.  The movie never makes it clear as to why he is so bitter.  There is a subplot about amnesia and thinking he was the only one of his kind, until he is apparently reintroduced to Mary.  Of course, I am not thrilled as a Catholic about the notion of gods.  If you look at their mythology, they are human projections onto the divine, and we should be thankful they are not real judging by their stories.  In Christianity, it is the divine that is projected onto us insomuch as we are made in God’s image.  Again, we should be relieved that it is only in His image that we are made, and that we are given no more of His substance than our humanity.  I doubt humanity would still be around if we possessed even a fraction of His power.  What is also divine is forgiveness.  The phrase that comes to mind is a famous one, first conceived by English Catholic poet Alexander Pope: to err is human, to forgive divine.  True forgiveness only comes from God.  Hence, when you forgive, you are being like God, which is sort like having a superpower.  It is no less impactful, anyway.  Before watching this film, I thought I would be spending more time on this topic.  Afterall, what could be more powerful and resuscitating than a person forgiving themself for whatever responsibility they heaped upon their own head.  Yet, I am not sure there is much of that in the film.  It appears to be a missed opportunity.

Actually, there is a lot missing from Hancock, like a better explanation of how his and Mary’s powers work.  For example, when they are fighting one another, a major storm develops that brings snow to Los Angeles.  Is that because of her?  At the same time, there are worse movies.  Thus, make of this one what you will.