RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Hancock
Hancock

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Hancock (2008)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
40 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:210

Fresh:84

Rotten:126

Average Rating:5.4/10

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

Australian Rating: M [See Full Rating] Violence and coarse language

Runtime: 1 hr 42 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Australian Theatrical Release:
Jul 3, 2008 Wide

US Box Office: $227,946,274

Synopsis: There are heroes… there are superheroes… and then there’s Hancock (Will Smith). With great power comes great responsibility – everyone knows that – everyone, that is, but Hancock. Edgy, conflicted,... There are heroes… there are superheroes… and then there’s Hancock (Will Smith). With great power comes great responsibility – everyone knows that – everyone, that is, but Hancock. Edgy, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood, Hancock’s well-intentioned heroics might get the job done and save countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw-dropping damage in their wake. The public has finally had enough – as grateful as they are to have their local hero, the good citizens of Los Angeles are wondering what they ever did to deserve this guy. Hancock isn’t the kind of man who cares what other people think – until the day that he saves the life of PR executive Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), and the sardonic superhero begins to realize that he may have a vulnerable side after all. Facing that will be Hancock’s greatest challenge yet – and a task that may prove impossible as Ray’s wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), insists that he’s a lost cause. --© Sony Pictures [More]

Starring: Will Smith, Jason Bateman, Charlize Theron, Eddie Marsan

Starring: Will Smith, Jason Bateman, Charlize Theron, Eddie Marsan

Director: Peter Berg

Director: Peter Berg
Screenwriter: Vy Vincent Ngo, Vince Gilligan
Producer: Akiva Goldsman, Michael Mann, Will Smith, James Lassiter
Composer: John Powell
Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer
    >
    Trailer #2
    >
    You Have A Calling
    >
    RT Review Revue Mini - Hancock
    >
  • RT Review Revue - Hancock, Kit Kittredge
    >
1 - 4 of 5

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Hancock

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Hancock isn't by any means a dead loss, but it could have been a lot better.

Full Review Source: The Australian | comment Comment
07/10/08
David Stratton
David Stratton
The Australian
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

I love surprises and would happily be led up the garden path with Will Smith, but there's a fatal flaw to Hancock, with alien-sized plot holes and worse still, characters behaving out of context.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
06/28/08
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A clumsily executed, forgettable mess that's too dark for kids, too dull for teens and too dumb for adults

Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
06/28/08
Garth Franklin
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Kicks into tired oh-it-sucks-to-have-superpowers territory and opens up a can of racial issues it has no intention of investigating

Full Review Source: CinePassion | comment Comment
08/26/09
Fernando F. Croce
Fernando F. Croce
CinePassion

I have no problem signing on to recommend this. Get it? Signing on...John Hancock... nevermind.

Full Review Source: 3BlackChicks Review | comment Comment
08/03/09
Kamal  'The Diva' Larsuel
Kamal 'The Diva' Larsuel
3BlackChicks Review

A few actors such as Clint Eastwood, marry substance and popularity. But very few. Most actors' egos lead them to slum in the box office. I'm reminded of this often when a major, talented actor opts for popularity instead of substance when the latter beck

Full Review Source: Fayetteville Free Weekly | comment 1 Comment
02/01/09
Tony Macklin
Tony Macklin
Fayetteville Free Weekly

...an engaging and thoroughly innovative spin on the superhero genre...

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
11/28/08
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews

What an odd movie!

Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium | comment Comment
11/21/08
JoBlo
JoBlo
JoBlo's Movie Emporium

A fun, fairly crisp opening hour gives way to a muddled, entirely unsatisfying ending.

Full Review Source: Screen International | comment Comment
10/18/08
Brent Simon
Brent Simon
Screen International

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.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
10/18/08
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The strain of messianism in Will Smith movies is becoming ever more pronounced.

Full Review Source: Christian Science Monitor | comment Comment
10/18/08
Peter Rainer
Peter Rainer
Christian Science Monitor

This is a different take on the superhero genre with an interesting, offbeat twist.

Full Review Source: tonymedley.com | comment Comment
10/18/08
Tony Medley
Tony Medley
tonymedley.com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch | comment Comment
10/18/08
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A relatively satisfying ending that leaves just enough of an opening to warrant a sequel if the box office receipts are right.

Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | comment Comment
10/18/08
James Kendrick
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk

Train wrecks are intrinsically spectacular, and Will Smith's new movie offers a doozy. Two of them, in fact.

Full Review Source: CNN.com | comment Comment
10/18/08
Tom Charity
Tom Charity
CNN.com

Smith and Bateman are great, and the first half of the movie is terrific. The second half...well, you'll either go with it or you won't.

Full Review Source: The Cinema Source | comment Comment
09/05/08
Michael Dance
Michael Dance
The Cinema Source

Will Smith, Fourth of July, superhero. It all seems to add up to a great combination. But they only made half a film.

Full Review Source: The Scorecard Review | comment 2 Comments
08/27/08
Jeff Bayer
Jeff Bayer
The Scorecard Review

The fourth of July will not be the only day for fireworks, July 2nd will definitely heat up at your local theatre when Hancock is released. Be sure to check it out.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Spectrum | comment Comment
08/13/08
Jolene Mendez
Jolene Mendez
Entertainment Spectrum

While the film never quite reaches an Alan Moore-level deconstruction of the superhero mythos, it has a fun time offering up all the joy of a big-budget action movie without taking things too seriously.

Full Review Source: Paste Magazine | comment Comment
08/07/08
Sean Gandert
Sean Gandert
Paste Magazine

The most adult of the new wave of superhero dramas.

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
07/28/08
Sean Axmaker
Sean Axmaker
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 >> >|
all

Latest News for Hancock

September 11, 2009: Will Smith and Charlize Theron on Board for Hancock Sequel Opens in new window
We've already heard that a "Hancock" sequel is in development; now Peter Berg tells MTV that "everybody's going to come back." More...

August 28, 2009: Weekly Ketchup: Hancock Sequel Script Started, Bioshock Scaled Back
We are firmly in the dog days of Summer, as Hollywood sneaks a couple of end of the menu horror movies into theaters, and movie news this week came to a near standstill. There... More...

August 25, 2009: Columbia Hires Hancock Sequel Scribes Opens in new window
Looks like Peter Berg's recent comments about a "Hancock" sequel weren't just idle speculation: Columbia has hired scribes Adam Fierro and Glen Mazzara to write the script for a... More...

August 19, 2009: Peter Berg Talks Hancock Sequel Opens in new window
There aren't any definite plans yet, but if a "Hancock" sequel ever comes to pass, Peter Berg has a few ideas about where the story might lead. More...

See All

More DVDs

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
68% 68% Funny People
25% 25% Four Christmases
45% 45% Shorts

More New Releases…

What’s Hot On RT

Ban Them All!

Ban Them All!

10 Most Controversial Movies

Zombieland

Zombieland

Director Ruben Fleischer's favourites

New Avatar action

New Avatar action

Watch an exclusive chase clip from the film

Kids' Book Films

Kids' Book Films

We fly through 10 of the best

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
18
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
24
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
48
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
26
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
10
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
126
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
181
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
90
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
63
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
62
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
61
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
44
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
38
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
22
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
16
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
6
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
16
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
21
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Hancock at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Hancock at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
Dressing Wonderland
Dressing Wonderland External Link

Tim Burton's costume designer talks to Movieline about her long collaboration with the filmmaker and Johnny Depp.

Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Win Glee DVDs
Win Glee DVDs External Link

We've got 20 copies of the hit TV series' Pilot Episode to giveaway.

Win tickets to Cold Souls
Win tickets to Cold Souls External Link

Double passes up for grabs to the new comedy starring Paul Giamatti.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win Star Wars prizes
Win Star Wars prizes External Link

Enough Prequel, Original Trilogy and Family Guy DVDs to fill a space cruiser

Win the entire 007 collection
Win the entire 007 collection External Link

Everything from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace could be yours.

Win Fight Club Special Editions and more
Win Fight Club Special Editions and more External Link

We're giving away the 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, plus Braveheart and the Rocky collection

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.