Spoiler Alert! If you don’t like key plot elements to be revealed prior to watching the movie, do not read further.

Will Smith in Hancock. (Photo courtesy Columbia Pictures)

When I first saw the trailer for Hancock, I remember thinking that this movie could be either really good or really bad. As it turns out, I was right on both counts. In keeping with his July 4th blockbusters, Will Smith stars as John Hancock, a lone superhero in a regular world. Hancock’s big schtick is that he is an asshole despite his supernatural prowess. Naturally, if you mention this to him, he will commit horrible acts of violence to prove it.

The answer to Hancock’s problem, at the face of it, is public relations consultant Ray Embrey, played competently by Jason Bateman. Of course, there is more inner conflict going on with Hancock, and the depth of which is played remarkably well by Smith. An interesting sub-plot to the self-loathing, lonely hero main plot, is a moral question of why Hancock should abide by regular human morality, given that he is, in ways, more than human. The sum of the conflict and mild resolution in the first half of the film is really quite astounding. So astounding, in fact, that they should have stopped there.

Ray helps Hancock improve his image, mentors him, and forces Hancock to address some personal issues long overdo to be solved. In the meantime, there is some obvious sexual tension between Hancock and Ray’s wife Mary (Charlize Theron) and the obligatory origin story. I like the explanation given because it doesn’t really offer any real origin at all and chalks up his abilities merely to chance.

It is on this impressive, interesting note that the first, good movie ends and the second, worthless movie begins.

After the origin is revealed, denoting Hancock’s “opening up” to others, Hancock, Ray, and Mary return from a successfully public, celebrity style dinner to Ray and Mary’s home. Ray is loaded, unable to walk by himself. Hancock is in good spirits, in contrast to how he begins the film, and happily carries Ray to bed, comically tucking him in. Hancock returns to the kitchen to find Mary by herself. Just when it appears they will kiss, Mary hurls the refrigerator at Hancock to reveal that she is also a superhero.

I immediately found this a cheap substitute for real story conflict and it only goes downhill from here. Charlize Theron didn’t have much to work with, but she was still sub-par. Another, more in-depth origin story is revealed and is ridiculously lame. I won’t mention it here; just take my word for it. Then the movie peaks in a forced climax involving the new lame origin and ends with Hancock being a good superhero…again. Just like he is close to the end of the first half of the movie, only proving that the second half is utterly useless.

There was much more to explore in the first version of the movie and I was disappointed that it wasn’t taken in that direction. As a rule of thumb, a movie can be poor or average and be saved by the ending. Any movie, no matter how good, is easily ruined by a terrible ending (I’m looking at you, Martin Scorcese). This is definitely the case with Hancock, which makes it an even more disappointing film. It had the making of greatness but fell well short despite good acting on Smith’s part and competence all around otherwise, great effects, and a poignant storyline - in the beginning. Overall, I would suggest it as a renter or to catch it television, but don’t spend your twenty bucks like I did.