Story
Hancock (Will Smith) is a superhero, who is immortal, indestructible and can fly. Unfortunately, he has no idea of who he really is, or where his powers came from. All he remembers is that he woke up in hospital 80 years ago with amnesia and superhero powers. Hancock is also his own worst enemy. He is foul mouthed, drinks himself into oblivion and, through his recklessness, causes more damage than good. Then one day, Hancock saves the life of Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), a public relations executive who, in return for the good deed, decides to become Hancock’s personal public relations officer and transform his bad-boy image.
Hancock’s new image is a great success, and Hancock spends time with Ray, Ray’s wife Mary (Charlize Theron) and their son Aaron (Jae Head). There appears to be a mysterious familiarity or attraction between Mary and Hancock, and the situation is brought to a head one evening when Hancock tries to kiss Mary. She responds by throwing Hancock through the side of the house and into the street, thus revealing her own superhero powers.
Themes
Superheroes; immortality
Violence
Hancock contains action violence throughout together with some threats and intimidation. Examples include:
Sexual references
Hancock contains infrequent low-level sexual references. For example:
- A comment is made about Aaron turning the other cheek when confronted by a bully. Hancock refers to Aaron’s buttock cheek, telling Aaron ‘never turn that one.’ Hancock then tells Aaron to ‘Never let them punk you’.
- When Hancock is asked for his opinion about the look of a superhero suit, he replies that it would make him look like a ‘homo in red.’ When asked about another suit, Hancock responds that it would make him look like a ‘Norwegian homo.’
- When attempting to lift an injured policewoman, Hancock asks the woman if he has permission to touch her body, telling her that it’s not sexual.
- A man refers to Hancock in his superhero suit resembling a ‘tight arse Wolverine’.
- A woman refers to Hancock being ‘hot’.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
Hancock depicts frequent alcohol use and abuse. Examples include:
- Hancock lies on a street bench in a drunken stupor surrounded by empty bottles. He picks up a partially empty bottle of alcohol from the ground and flies up into the sky, drinking from the bottle as he swerves drunkenly through the air, dodging some buildings and crashing into others.
- A woman comments that Hancock smells like a bar.
- Reference is made to being able to smell alcohol on Hancock’s breath.
- We see Hancock buying alcohol and drinking straight from a bottle.
- Hancock walks around holding a bottle of whisky, and later slurs his speech as if drunk.
- Several times Hancock wakes up in a hung-over state.
- Hancock, Mary and Ray drink wine at a restaurant.
Nudity and sexual activity
Hancock contains some partial nudity and sexual activity. Examples include:
- As a woman walks past Hancock, he slaps her on her bottom.
- The film contains several images of women wearing low-cut tops that expose cleavage.
- In several scenes, once her superhero status is revealed, Mary wears revealing low-cut tops.
- Ray and Mary lie fully clothed on a bed, kissing each other on the lips.
- Hancock tries to kiss Mary on the lips, but is thrown through the wall of the house by Mary before he makes contact with her.
Product placement
None of concern
Coarse language
None of concern
Ideas to discuss with your children
Hancock is a superhero movie with a difference, which may entertain older adolescents and adults with its special effects and an attention-grabbing plot twist. The main messages from this movie are that abilities, both of superheroes and ordinary people, should be used to the benefit of society.
Values that parents may wish to reinforce with their children include:
- selflessness and empathy
- accepting responsibility for the consequences of your actions
- doing your civic duty.
This movie could also give you the opportunity to discuss with your children attitudes and behaviours, and their real-life consequences, such as Hancock’s early behaviour and his transformation during the film.