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Hancock

Play trailer 1:33 Poster for Hancock PG-13 2008 1h 32m Action Comedy Fantasy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
42% Tomatometer 224 Reviews 59% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
A scruffy superhero named Hancock (Will Smith) protects the citizens of Los Angeles but leaves horrendous collateral damage in the wake of every well-intentioned feat. That's OK with Hancock; he doesn't care what people think and is just as likely to be found dozing on a park bench as saving a damsel in distress. However, after saving the life of a PR executive (Jason Bateman) and meeting the man's beautiful wife (Charlize Theron), he realizes that he may have a sensitive side after all.

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Hancock

Hancock

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Critics Consensus

Though it begins with promise, Hancock suffers from a flimsy narrative and poor execution.

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Critics Reviews

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Namrata Joshi Outlook 01/30/2019
2/4
Some melodrama and a superwoman later, it loses steam. Go to Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian 10/18/2008
2/5
It becomes an entirely different film, one not really premised on the bad-superhero comedy idea, and the film is then oddly without a sense of humour, and its vague interest in satire vanishes completely. Go to Full Review Peter Rainer Christian Science Monitor 10/18/2008
C
The strain of messianism in Will Smith movies is becoming ever more pronounced. Go to Full Review Emiliano Basile EscribiendoCine Jan 12
7/10
Peter Berg's direction may leave something to be desired... But this doesn't detract from the pure and effective entertainment that the charismatic Hancock managed to deliver. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Akos Peterbencze The Screen 08/20/2023
Even though toned and watered down heavily, Hancock’s first hour (the uncut version) still conveys most of the character’s core, and the struggles he faces as a barely tolerated superhero in the streets of Los Angeles. Go to Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins 11/28/2020
6/10
It's the lack of real, substantial solutions for an outlandish fantasy tale that prevents this film from being as extraordinary as Hancock himself. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Eviscerator X @RT89949786 2d A foundational Black American - FBA Super God that can't be stopped by anti-blackness...what's not to love... See more Faiz S @RT19049740 4d The only difference in this movie is that while superheroes are usually loved but in this one, the superhero is hated.And the duo of dark comedy and emotional stuff is insane. The best part is mid-movie twist See more Krys L @Kl005 5d Plot makes zero sense. Why is she worried about being with him/losing her powers when she’s already living as a housewife with a mortal family? See more Melissa M @Lisey May 3 Hancock is an unlikely superhero. He drinks, he curses, and he's got one hell of a temper. But one day he rescues a commuter from being hit by a train. While everybody else is chewing Hancock out Ray Embry is praising him. After Hancock haphazardly literally drops off race car at his house. Ray introduces Hancock to his family & invites him over for dinner. Ray seems to be one of the few people that's ever shown Hancock any kindness. This film has action, comedy, & A Little romance. It's a different take on the superhero genre. This film was made back in the day when Hollywood still had an imagination. Now it's all sequels & prequels. See more Chelsea H @Chelsea104 Apr 25 Never heard of it before just now and it was such an interesting and entertaining movie to watch. It was funny, shocking and just a good movie overall! See more Jason W @UglyBaby Mar 16 Hancock is not a perfect film, especially the theatrical cut. You should really only watch the extended cut, which provides scenes that should've been in the movie to begin with and successfully bridge the gap between its different halves. Ultimately, Hancock is a character study in how loneliness, depression and self-loathing can wreck a person, even someone with superpowers. It's also a meditation a la Ted Lasso in how one person with enough hope and belief in the inherent goodness of humanity can change someone's life for the better. Jason Bateman's performance is charming and uplifting, and his refusal to give up on Will Smith's Hancock is the real act of heroism on display here. It's his optimism that saves Hancock, not the other way around. Ignore the naysayers. Accept that no movie is perfect, but that even a flawed film can tell a good story about interesting characters and offer something we desperately need right now: hope that we can become something better. See more Read all reviews
Hancock

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Cast & Crew

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Peter Berg

Director

Will Smith

John Hancock

Charlize Theron

Mary Embrey

Jason Bateman

Ray Embrey

Eddie Marsan

Red

Jae Head

Aaron

Movie Clips

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Hancock

Hancock: Call Me Crazy One More Time Hancock: Call Me Crazy One More Time 3:01 Hancock: Official Clip - Back From the Dead Hancock: Official Clip - Back From the Dead 3:53 Hancock: Official Clip - Gods, Angels, Superheroes Hancock: Official Clip - Gods, Angels, Superheroes 2:45 Hancock: Official Clip - Diffusing the Detonator Hancock: Official Clip - Diffusing the Detonator 3:11 Hancock: Official Clip - Causing a Trainwreck Hancock: Official Clip - Causing a Trainwreck 2:59 Hancock: Official Clip - Superpowered Climax Hancock: Official Clip - Superpowered Climax 3:02 Hancock: Official Clip - Call Me A**hole One More Time Hancock: Official Clip - Call Me A**hole One More Time 2:17 Hancock: Official Clip - Good Job Hancock: Official Clip - Good Job 2:41 Hancock: Official Clip - Drunk Heroism Hancock: Official Clip - Drunk Heroism 3:27 Hancock: Official Clip - Your Head is Going Up His A** Hancock: Official Clip - Your Head is Going Up His A** 2:33 View more videos

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Related Movie News

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Hancock

Hancock: Trailer 1 Hancock: Trailer 1 1:33 View more videos
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Hancock

A would-be thief (Aaron Toney) is confronted by Will Smith (left), who stars as Hancock, a disgruntled, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood superhero in "Hancock." When Hancock (Will Smith, above), saves the life of a PR exec, he tries to return the favor by cleaning up the disgruntled superhero's public image, despite the fact that his wife, Mary (Charlize Theron, below) thinks that Hancock is a lost cause in "Hancock." When disgruntled superhero Hancock (Will Smith, left) saves the life of PR exec Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman, right), Ray tries to clean up Hancock's image in Columbia Pictures' Hancock. Charlize Theron (pictured) stars as Mary, Ray's wife, who thinks that Hancock is a lost cause in Columbia Pictures' Hancock. Will Smith (pictured) stars as Hancock, a disgruntled, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood superhero whose well-intentioned heroics might get the job done and save countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw-dropping damage in their wake, in "Hancock." Hancock (Will Smith, right) saves the life of an injured female cop (Liz Wicker, left) - using her battered cruiser as a shield - before taking out a gang of heavily armed bank robbers in Columbia Pictures' Hancock. When disgruntled superhero Hancock (Will Smith, left) saves the life of PR exec Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman, center right), Ray takes Hancock home to meet the family - wife Mary (Charlize Theron, center left) and son Aaron (Jae Head, right) - in "Hancock." Will Smith (pictured) stars as Hancock, a disgruntled, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood superhero whose well-intentioned heroics might get the job done and save countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw-dropping damage in their wake, in "Hancock." Will Smith (pictured) stars as Hancock, a disgruntled, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood superhero whose well-intentioned heroics might get the job done and save countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw-dropping damage in their wake, in "Hancock." Hancock (Will Smith, left) is aware that everyone - including young Michel (Daeg Faerch, right) - thinks he's a jerk in Columbia Pictures' Hancock. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A scruffy superhero named Hancock (Will Smith) protects the citizens of Los Angeles but leaves horrendous collateral damage in the wake of every well-intentioned feat. That's OK with Hancock; he doesn't care what people think and is just as likely to be found dozing on a park bench as saving a damsel in distress. However, after saving the life of a PR executive (Jason Bateman) and meeting the man's beautiful wife (Charlize Theron), he realizes that he may have a sensitive side after all.
Director
Peter Berg
Producer
Akiva Goldsman, Michael Mann, Will Smith, James Lassiter
Screenwriter
Vy Vincent Ngo, Vince Gilligan
Distributor
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co
Weed Road Pictures, Blue Light, Overbrook Entertainment
Rating
PG-13 (Language|Intense Sci-Fi Action/Violence)
Genre
Action, Comedy, Fantasy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 2, 2008, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 1, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$227.9M
Runtime
1h 32m