Hancock (film)
| Hancock | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Peter Berg |
| Written by | Vince Gilligan Vincent Ngo |
| Produced by | Akiva Goldsman James Lassiter Michael Mann Will Smith |
| Starring | Will Smith Charlize Theron Jason Bateman Eddie Marsan |
| Cinematography | Tobias A. Schliessler |
| Edited by | Paul Rubell Colby Parker Jr. |
| Music by | John Powell |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date | July 2 2008 |
Running time | 92 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $150 million |
Hancock is a superhero film directed by Peter Berg and starring Will Smith, Jason Bateman, and Charlize Theron. The story was originally written by Vincent Ngo in 1996 and had languished in Hollywood for some time. The project has had various directors attached, including Tony Scott, Michael Mann, Jonathan Mostow, and Gabriele Muccino. Hancock was originally intended to be filmed before I Am Legend, also starring Will Smith. Hancock was filmed in Los Angeles. In the United States, the film was rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America after changes were made at the organization's request in order to avoid a "restricted" (R) rating, which it had received twice before. The film was released on July 2 2008 in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Plot
John Hancock (Will Smith) is an unhappy, alcoholic superhero who is living in his own world. He has saved numerous lives in Los Angeles over the years, but in doing so, he has caused widespread damage to buildings, cars, and other property. It had cost the city $9 million to fix the damages Hancock had caused during his last criminal catch. The public has had enough of Hancock and his disregard for property, and want him to either stop or move to another city. Then one day, Hancock saves the life of Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) from being run over by a train. Ray feels he owes Hancock his life, and he makes it his mission to change Hancock's public image and have the public cheering him.
He persuades Hancock to go to prison so that the public will miss him and see that they need him. He reluctantly agrees and after a month the Chief of Police calls him to help save an officer who is pinned down in a bank robbery. Hancock saves the officer, removes the gang then cuts the hand off the leader (Eddie Marsan), as he is holding a dead man's switch on a detonator.
After the rescue the crowd begin to cheer Hancock, as Embrey had predicted. Embrey and his wife Mary (Charlize Theron) go out to lunch with Hancock and afterwards, while Ray is asleep after passing out from drinking too much, Hancock discovers that she is like him.
Mary reveals that they are members of an ancient race and are at least 3000 years old. The race eventually died out because of their weakness which causes them to lose their powers when in close proximity to one another. Members of this race were created in pairs, and are inevitably drawn towards each other.
Ray's wife is revealed to be the other half of Hancock, and that they are 'fated' to be together. Ray's wife and Hancock have a brief fight scene and during this scene tornados and other weather disturbances wreak havoc on the city. Hancock starts to lose his powers, and is attacked by the one handed bank robber. But when he is about to be killed Ray chops the robber's other hand off and saves Hancock. The movie ends with Hancock accepting his role as a hero, and letting Ray and Mary live a normal life, while remaining their friend.
Cast
- Will Smith as John Hancock, an alcoholic, down-and-out, incredibly sarcastic superhero.[1] He is invulnerable, does not age, possesses superhuman strength, and can fly at supersonic speeds.[2] To give a realistic appearance of superhero flight, Smith was often suspended by wires 60 feet above the ground and propelled at 40-50 miles per hour.[3]
- Jason Bateman as Ray Embrey, a corporate public relations consultant whose life Hancock saves. Bateman said, "[It] was a fun thing to play, a very idealistic guy that's trying to build up this suicidal, homeless alcoholic that then ends up hitting on my wife. It was a fun thing. To play the victim is funny."[4]
- Charlize Theron as Mary Embrey, Ray's wife, who initially does not think Hancock can be made likable, but really wants him to succeed for her husband's sake. She is later revealed to be a superhuman as well, sharing Hancock's powers as well as some degree of Weather control.
- Johnny Galecki as Jeremy, Ray's co-worker.
Production
Development history
Screenwriter Vincent Ngo wrote the spec script Tonight, He Comes in 1996. The draft, about a troubled 12-year-old and a fallen superhero, was initially picked up by director Tony Scott as a potential project.[5] Producer Akiva Goldsman came across the script, which he had considered a favorite,[6] and encouraged Richard Saperstein, then president of development and production at Artisan Entertainment, to acquire it in 2002.[5] Director Michael Mann was initially attached to direct Tonight, He Comes, but he instead opted to direct Miami Vice (2006).[6] Eventually, Artisan placed the project in turnaround, and it was acquired by Goldsman.[7]
Screenwriters Vince Gilligan and John August performed rewrites of Ngo's script,[8] and Jonathan Mostow was attached to direct the film. Under Mostow's supervision, a 10-page treatment was written to be pitched to actor Will Smith to portray the lead role in the film. Both Mostow and Smith were not yet committed to make the project an active priority at the time. Several studios pursued the opportunity to finance the film, and Columbia Pictures succeeded in acquiring the prospect in February 2005. A second draft was scripted by Gilligan following the finalization of the deal with Columbia. The film was initially slated for a holiday 2006 release.[7]
In November 2005, Mostow and Smith committed to Tonight, He Comes, with production slated to begin in Los Angeles in summer 2006.[6] Smith had set up a pay or play contract to film I Am Legend (2007) under Warner Bros. after completion of Tonight, He Comes.[9] Mostow eventually departed from the project due to creative differences.[10] Italian director Gabriele Muccino filled Mostow's vacancy in May 2006. Since Muccino was busy editing The Pursuit of Happyness starring Smith, which Muccino had directed, Smith switched projects to film I Am Legend first for its December 2007 release, and then film Tonight, He Comes afterward.[11] Later in the month, Muccino left the project because of an incompatibility with filming the story. Since Muccino was preparing The Pursuit of Happyness, the studio had delayed the production start for Tonight, He Comes to summer 2007, enabling Warner Bros. to begin production of I Am Legend with Smith.[10]
Filming
In October 2006, Peter Berg was attached to direct Tonight, He Comes with production slated to begin in May 2007 in Los Angeles, the story's setting.[12] Berg was midway through filming The Kingdom when he heard about the film and called Michael Mann, who had become one of its producers.[13] The new director compared the original script's tone to Leaving Las Vegas (1995), calling it "a scathing character study of this suicidal alcoholic superhero". The director explained the rewrite, "We thought the idea was cool, but we did want to lighten it up. We all did."[14] Before filming began, Tonight, He Comes was retitled John Hancock.[1] The film title was eventually shortened to Hancock.[15] Filming began on Hancock on July 3 2007 in Los Angeles,[16] having a production budget of $150 million.[8] Locations like Hollywood Boulevard were designed to look damaged, having rubble, overturned vehicles, and fires.[17] Smith's character is also an alcoholic, so for scenes in liquor stores, the art department designed fake labels such as Pap Smear Vodka for the bottles because "brown-bag brands" like Thunderbird and Night Train refused to lend their names.[18]
Hancock was Peter Berg's first film with visual effects as critical cinematic elements.[13] He considered the computer-generated fight his least favorite part of the film, citing limited control in making the scene successful. According to the director, "Once the fight starts, you're very limited and you're at the mercy of your effects guys... unless they're really technically oriented, that it's definitely the time we have the least amount of control as directors." He and other filmmakers worked to cut down on the fight scene, believing that the film's success would come from the character study of Smith's character, John Hancock, similar to Robert Downey Jr.'s acclaimed portrayal of Tony Stark in the previous May's release, Iron Man.[14] The director said if Hancock pulls in as much business as predicted, a sequel, Hancock 2, would likely follow.[13]
Release
Marketing
The New York Times noted that Hancock's original story and controversial subject matter present a stark contrast to "a summerful of sequels and animated sure shots" and represent a gamble for "an increasingly corporate entertainment industry". Hancock had been reviewed by the Motion Picture Association of America twice, and both times received an R rating instead of the makers' preferred PG-13 rating to target broader audiences. Questionable elements for the MPAA included Smith's character drinking in front of a 17-year-old and the character flying under the influence of alcohol. One element that was removed from the film to appeal to the MPAA was statutory rape. With such elements, studio executives only became comfortable with Hancock when the marketing approach focused on action and humor. Berg noted, "The ad campaign for this movie is much friendlier than the film."[8] The MPAA ultimately gave the film a PG-13 rating, citing "some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence and language".[2]
Hancock was originally titled Tonight, He Comes and later changed to John Hancock before settling on its current title. Marketing consultants attempted to persuade Sony Pictures to again change the title Hancock because it was too vague for audiences, suggesting alternatives like Heroes Never Die, Unlikely Hero, and Less Than Hero. Despite the advice, Sony stayed with Hancock and anticipated marketing on the popularity of the film's star, Will Smith.[19]
Theatrical run
For the film, Sony created a digital camera package (DCP) having 4K resolution, containing four times more information than the typical DCP that possessed 2K resolution. Projectors for the higher-resolution package have been installed in 200 theaters in the United States with two dozen in evaluation. The impact of the package has been debated, with one argument being that the difference is not noticeable and the counter-argument being that the higher resolution has future value.[20]
Hancock had its world premiere as the opener at the 30th Moscow International Film Festival on June 19 2008.[21] To avoid copyright infringement, organizers undertook "unprecedented" steps to prevent illegal reproduction of the film.[22]
For the film's opening five-day weekend, several estimates were made. On the low end, $70 million to $80 million was expected with the Fourth of July weekend cited to draw families outdoors instead of in theaters.[23] Some consumer tracking surveys reflected the likelihood of exceeding $80 million in the opening weekend, while some analysts predicted a weekend of over $125 million. The company Projector instead estimated a target $90-100 million weekend, citing the lack of a built-in audience for the original film.[24] Hancock was shown in advance screenings on July 1 2008 in 3,860 theaters in the United States and Canada, grossing $6.8 million. The film was widely released on July 2 2008, expanding to 3,695 theaters.[25]
Critical reaction
Hancock has received poor to average reviews from film critics.[26][23][25] Critics reported that the film was a jumble of ideas that, despite starting well, did not fully deliver the edgy satire the subject matter promised, with a general consensus forming that it suffered from a weak story and poor execution. Some speculated that the film could be another Last Action Hero (1993)—a film that received poor reviews and did not perform as strongly at the box office as expected.[24][27] Rotten Tomatoes reported that 36% of critics gave the film positive write-ups, based upon a sample of 147, with an average score of 5.2/10.[27] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film has received an average score of 48, based on 33 reviews.[26]
Todd McCarthy of Variety said of the film, "An intriguing high concept is undermined by low-grade dramaturgy." McCarthy thought that the "vulgar goofiness" did not mesh well with the "rough-and-ready realism of Berg's raw visuals", believing that the film took an "illogical" downturn after an "amusing and plausible enough" first half.[28] Stephen Farber of The Hollywood Reporter had praise for the cast, but believed that extended development of the film had reduced its quality, writing, "Somewhere along the way, a sharp black comedy lost its bite." Farber thought the film unraveled partway through, noting, "It veers from comedy to romantic tragedy and introduces an elaborate backstory that never makes much sense." He concluded, "The visual effects are stellar, but the true star is Smith, who again demonstrates acting chops as well as effortless charisma in a vehicle that's only occasionally worthy of his superhuman skills."[29]
References
- ^ a b Stax (2007-06-20). "Tonight, He Gets Retitled". IGN. News Corporation. Retrieved 2007-07-08.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Linder, Brian (2008-06-05). "Preview: Hancock". IGN. News Corporation. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Ganley, Doug (2008-07-01). "Will Smith: 'I was scared' of flying". CNN. Turner Broadcasting Company. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Topel, Fred (2007-12-28). "Will Smith and Jason Bateman Talk Hancock". Rotten Tomatoes. IGN Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Fleming, Michael (2002-07-17). "Artisan 'Comes' to deal with Goldsman". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved 2007-07-08.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c Fleming, Michael (2005-11-30). "Col has plans for 'Tonight'". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved 2007-07-08.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Fleming, Michael (2005-02-16). "Col, Smith get hitched to hero pic". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved 2007-07-08.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c Cieply, Michael (2008-05-04). "A Man of Steel With Feet of Clay". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-05-07.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Fleming, Michael (2006-04-25). "'Legend' reborn again at Warners". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved 2007-07-08.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Fleming, Michael (2006-05-17). "'Tonight' helmer ankles". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved 2007-07-08.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Fleming, Michael (2006-05-03). "Inside Move: 'Legend' of Smith an early tale for WB". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved 2007-07-08.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Fleming, Michael (2006-10-15). "'Tonight' he shoots". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved 2007-07-08.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c Rea, Steven (2008-06-29). "On Movies: Unheroic superhero appealed to director". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia Media Holdings. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Anderson, John (2008-06-29). "Will Smith plays a boozy superhero in 'Hancock'". Newsday. Tribune Company. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Will Smith hits new heights for 'Hancock'". MSNBC. NBC Universal, Microsoft. 2007-07-24. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Domestic film: In production". The Hollywood Reporter. Nielsen Company. Retrieved 2007-09-26.
- ^ Bowles, Scott (2008-04-09). "Sneak peek: 'Hancock' — Another superhero with issues?". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Horn, John (2008-05-04). "Will Smith's familiar signature is on 'Hancock'". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Friedman, Josh (2008-05-12). "Some movies are entitled to do well". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Giardina, Carolyn (2008-07-03). "'Hancock' dressed in 4K". The Hollywood Reporter. Nielsen Company. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Ferris-Rotman, Amie (2008-06-20). "Smith and Theron descend on Moscow to promote film". Reuters. The Thomson Corporation. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Kozlov, Vladimir (2008-06-05). "Moscow film fest to open with 'Hancock'". The Hollywood Reporter. Nielsen Company. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Gorman, Steve (2008-07-02). ""Hancock" poised to extend Hollywood hot streak". Reuters. The Thomson Corporation. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Friedman, Josh (2008-07-02). "'Hancock' must battle weak reviews and strong competition". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b McClintock, Pamela (2008-07-02). "'Hancock' a box office hero". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b "Hancock (2008): Reviews". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
- ^ a b "Hancock Movie Reviews". Rotten Tomatoes. IGN Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
- ^ McCarthy, Todd (2008-06-24). "Hancock". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Farber, Stephen (2008-06-24). "Film Review: Hancock". The Hollywood Reporter. Nielsen Company. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
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External links
