HANCOCK: Great Movie with Unreasonable Reviews

By Alan Smithee

I read four bad reviews in major publications before I saw the movie "Hancock." They complained about a major plot twist. They complained about the character. They complained about the movie as a whole and predicted a flop for Big Willie. Fortunately, they are completely wrong on EVERY count. Yet when I finally saw the movie, I was shocked at the possible source of the negative reactions of the critics.

The critics did not like the movie because it was an interracial love story. Worse, for them, Will kisses Charlize Theron, a major taboo in Hollywood for irrational fear that it will hurt box office in the heartland (and elsewhere). Yet even in this kiss there is a contrivance just as there was with the first interracial television kiss in 1967 between Captain Kirk and Uhura (he was forced to and looked at the tormenter instead of engaging in the passionate kiss). The Krytonite mechanism kicked in between Smith and Theron and he was repelled completely out of the house into some parked cars outside. Talk about taboo. Even the biggest Hollywood star in the world still cannot just kiss a white woman.

Yet we predict that this movie will be a HUGE hit because it is not only a wonderful movie, it is like no other superhero movie you have ever seen. This comedy turns into a drama during the second half. The critics hated that for some reason (or the reason I listed). The plot twist is a major source of strength in the movie, not a weakness. Then there is a twist within the twist. That is that Will is married to Charlize but they cannot be together because they are Kryptonite to each other. Awesome. And an interesting mechanism for the sequel.