Hancock

Un film très bizarre qui n’arrive pas à décider quel genre il revendique. On a quand même droit à des moments intéressants, qui sont tantôt drôles, tantôt sérieux. Jason Bateman, je l’avais subjectivement jugé comme allant de mielleux à antipathique, alors qu’ici, il se montre étonnamment – et faussement – bon et gentil. À oublier aussi vite qu’on l’a vu ! (24/07/2013)

Action intense, blagues géniales, émotions, puissant motif d'amour, avec en plus le cool Will Smith et la blonde aux cheveux blonds Charlize Theron en bottes noires... et tout cela se termine dans un vide totalement vide, comme s'il s'agissait simplement d'un déjà vu quelconque. Ce qui aurait pu être un crossover potentiellement excellent et grandiose entre Le dernier éclaireur et les X-Men s'est révélé être probablement la bulle marketing la plus vide de l'année 2008. Ou plutôt un pilote impressionnant pour une série inexistante. (14/07/2008)

Peter Berg is the second director this year who hasn't received much help from Will Smith. Smith is clearly a magnet for stupid screenwriters and overzealous scissors-wielding producers, as Francis Lawrence could certainly tell us. Even Jumper should envy Hancock's genre-hopping, but unlike Doug Liman, Berg was drowned by the seriousness of the subject matter, which changed its image at the last minute into a summer blockbuster. Michael Mann wasn’t helpful either, although Berg handles the action brilliantly (my late wish that he would have made the third X-Men) and Jason Bateman ramps up his comedic talents even more. The twist in the middle was a bit expected, and unfortunately, so was the ending with the spilled syrup effect. I’d give the film about 50%. It gets bonus points for the briskness and the fact (spoiler!) that Charlize is the absolute sexiest superhero in recent years, but that's actually to be expected after Aeon Flux. Actually, we could have expected quite a lot from this... (21/07/2008)

Judging by the trailers, I expected an action flick full of foul-mouthed wisecracks and instead got the story of an alienated hero undergoing rehabilitation. Hancock reminds me of Smith's I Am Legend — both have incredible potential, but instead of using it, they take a different track. Not completely bad, just not as good. Fortunately, Will Smith is such an experienced actor that a lot of people will enjoy the film thanks to him, but the connoisseur will always find something lacking in the drunkard next door. Maybe this is the result of a rewrite of the script or retakes, but it doesn’t quite work. As for the rest of the acting ensemble, Charlize Theron is breathtaking and Jason Bateman is endearingly obsessed with the desire to save the world (I think he pulled off an even better performance than the great Will) and Michael Mann has an incredible funny cameo. A low four stars. (31/07/2008)

At the moment when Berg's fans started to curse their idol for what he presents to them, I finally understand him for the first time. A classic and at the same time anti-comic spectacle, from which enthusiasm can be felt from miles away, Smith enjoys unlimited space and humor and action surpass my boldest expectations. The surprise of 2008 and my favorite Smith. (24/10/2008)