Hancock (2008) on Netflix
John Hancock is an alcoholic superhuman whose careless crime fighting has turned Los Angeles against him. He saves public relations specialist Ray Embrey, who offers to repair his image.
- Netflix3.6/5
- IMDb6.4/10544,010 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes42%
Trailer
Plot summary
John Hancock has flight, invulnerability and super strength, but no memory of who he is. In Los Angeles he drinks and fights crime so carelessly that the public he saves has turned on him, and each rescue leaves property damage costing millions. When he pulls public relations specialist Ray Embrey from an oncoming train and derails it, Ray thanks him and offers to rebuild his reputation, hoping Hancock will front his charitable brand, All Heart. At dinner Hancock meets Ray's son Aaron, who idolizes him, and Ray's wife Mary, who wants him nowhere near her family. Ray presses Hancock to apologize publicly and hand himself over to the authorities.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Hancock (2008)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- The MPAA reviewed Hancock twice and both times gave it an R rather than the makers' preferred PG-13. Questionable elements included Smith's character drinking in front of a 17-year-old and flying under the influence of alcohol; statutory rape was one element removed from the film to appeal to the board.
- The crew had estimated 300 visual effects shots at its initial bid, but the final tally was about 525. One unexpected shot, Hancock shoving a prisoner's head up another's anus, was first attempted conventionally with sleight of hand camera tricks, then given to computer-generated effects.
- Will Smith's character is an alcoholic, so for the liquor-store scenes the art department designed fake labels such as Pap Smear Vodka, because brown-bag brands like Thunderbird and Night Train refused to lend their names.
- Dave Chappelle was at one point considered for the lead role in Hancock. The project initially had an R rating until Will Smith signed on, after which it was toned down to fit the actor's image.
