Movie Profile: HANCOCK (2008)
| Attribute | Details |
| Title | Hancock |
| Release Date | July 2, 2008 (USA) |
| Director | Peter Berg |
| Genre | Superhero, Action, Comedy, Drama |
| Runtime | 92 minutes (Theatrical) / 102 minutes (Unrated) |
| Budget | $150 million |
| Box Office | $629.4 million worldwide |
| Lead Cast |
• Will Smith (John Hancock)
• Charlize Theron (Mary Embrey)
• Jason Bateman (Ray Embrey) |
Plot Overview
John Hancock (Will Smith) is a sarcastic, hard-drinking, and cynical immortal superhero who protects Los Angeles. While he possesses incredible powers—flight, invulnerability, and super strength—his reckless behavior and collateral damage during rescues leave the city’s infrastructure destroyed and the public deeply resentful.
His life takes a turn when he saves Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), a warm-hearted public relations corporate executive, from an oncoming train. Grateful for his life, Ray offers to rehabilitate Hancock’s public image. He convinces Hancock to turn himself in to jail for outstanding warrants to show Los Angeles how much they actually need him.
The strategy works, and a clean-shaven, costumed Hancock emerges to public acclaim. However, the plot shifts dramatically when Hancock discovers a mysterious, shared past with Ray’s wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), revealing that he is not the only immortal being on Earth.
Critical & Commercial Reception
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Box Office Success: Hancock was a massive commercial hit, ranking as the fourth highest-grossing film of 2008 worldwide, proving Will Smith’s immense star power at the time.
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Critical Split: Reviewers generally praised the unique, subversive “anti-superhero” premise of the first half and the strong performances. However, the film faced criticism for its abrupt tonal shift in the second half when the mythology of the immortals was introduced.