Now you've definitely got me curious about "Hancock". But first I must watch my latest Netflix DVD, "Wallis and Edward", about the Duchess of Windsor. I'm really behind the times. :)

Yes, I wouldn't call Hancock a thriller at all - more a cross between comedy, drama, and action/adventure.

Like Jim said, the hero Hancock is a drunk with superpowers, so when he bothers to help someone, it is without thinking through the consequences (or of a better way to accomplish the same goal.)
A PR exec finds Hancock and tries to convince him that it's in his best interest to change his ways so that he can be a role-model superhero.

Some funny, some drama, some action and surprises ensue.
Won't say anything else, don't want to ruin it for you, but it's an interesting movie and worth watching.

The Incredibles was very good, I highly recommend it. = )

'Hancock' has funny moments, but they're often sad/funny. Our hero has amnesia & is a drunk with super powers. The first action scene sees him catch bad guys by destroying millions of dollars worth of property & causing lots of injuries, if not deaths.

Carolyn wrote: "...Ever see the movie "The Incredibles"? Reminds me quite a bit of the evil genius/bad guy from that movie..."

Carolyn & Jim - I didn't realize that "Hancock" was more of a comedy than a thriller.

As for "The Incredibles", I've put it on my Netflix queue. I see that it's earned 4 & 1/2 out of 5 stars. Pretty good!

Since it's a family movie, I'm going to try to arrange it so that I'll have the DVD when my grandchildren visit us on Easter Weekend. Perhaps we can enjoy watching it together.

I love 'The Incredibles'. Wonderful movie, but I'm a sucker for cartoons, anyway.

Wellllll, I wouldn't describe it as a 'thriller' necessarily.
The narrator is Dr Impossible and the book is full of his recollections and memories of events, but it is much more comedic than a thriller - in the same way that Hancock was. = )
At the end of the story you're feeling for Dr Impossible and his uphill battle - which fits nicely with all the attempts of the Joker, the Penguin, etc in their repeated attempts to triumph over Batman (yet always destined to fail.) Ever see the movie "The Incredibles"? Reminds me quite a bit of the evil genius/bad guy from that movie...
I do recommend the book, I enjoyed it!

Carolyn wrote: "... The day after we saw Hancock, I started reading Soon I Will Be Invincible, which was quite good - it's narrator is the evil super genius trying to achieve world domination. A strangely sympathic character. Definitely a good chaser to seeing Hancock!"

Carolyn, thanks for the link to _Soon I Will Be Invincible_ by Austin Grossman, a Goodreads author.

I read your review at: ====>
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/313...
Among other things, you said: "...this is a wonderful look into the world of the supervillain."

The Goodreads description calls him: "Doctor Impossible--evil genius, diabolical scientist, wannabe world dominator" and describes the book as "a fantastical adventure that gives new meaning to the notions of power, glory, responsibility, and (of course) good and evil."

Sounds like a real thriller!

Hancock was enjoyable - not great, and the ending was a mess, but definitely an interesting 'take' on the superhero genre.

The day after we saw Hancock, I started reading Soon I Will Be Invincible, which was quite good - it's narrator is the evil super genius trying to achieve world domination. A strangely sympathic character. Definitely a good chaser to seeing Hancock!

Jim wrote: "We like our TV, but we read a lot & play board games too. Last Sunday, we played a few games of dominoes. Lots of fun, laughter & good conversation during the game. We play cards sometimes too, but mostly we like to do projects around the farm together, go for walks or riding."

That's great, Jim. I remember playing cards with my cousins and aunts on holidays, but nowadays the kids are all busy with their laptops and computer games. I think something is lost there. I have to say that our grandkids are active in sports and do a lot of bike-riding. I'm glad about that. When they were younger I enjoyed playing cards with them.

Good article & I won't disagree with a thing they said, although I'd add that half the kids are diagnosed as ADHD aren't at all. They're just kids who need recess & more physical activity.

We like our TV, but we read a lot & play board games too. Last Sunday, we played a few games of dominoes. Lots of fun, laughter & good conversation during the game. We play cards sometimes too, but mostly we like to do projects around the farm together, go for walks or riding.

Jim wrote: "I don't think the PG-13 rating detracted from the story at all. I don't think the superman story needs an adult thread running through it. There was plenty of violence, no need for sex or cussing. (I never understood why the latter two are worse than the first, though.)"

Jim, I see your point of view.
Beradinelli explained his view as follows:
====================================================
"A lot of the material is R-rated but it has been cut and cropped and shot in such a way that it can get away with a PG-13. There's something fundamentally dishonest about taking inherently adult material and chipping away at it until it's tame enough to be suitable for all ages." ABOVE QUOTE IS FROM: http://www.reelviews.net/php_review_temp...
====================================================

BTW, I posted this topic because we had been discussing it in the books area and I thought it would be good to have the info here in the movie area as well. I haven't seen the movie, so I didn't express any personal views in my post... instead I quoted the reviews.

Personally, in general, I can do without violence, sex, and cussing in films.

Relative to the subject of violence, I recently read an article about play and laughter. It presents interesting theories about about the causes of the current increase in violence.
See the following webpage: ====>
http://www.cerebromente.org.br/n13/mente...
Scroll down toward the end.
RE: "The Risks of Not Playing... the trend in modern Western societies to restrict the play of children is worrying."

Have you ever seen it, Joy? It was a hoot. It won't go down as one of my all time favorites, but it was fun to watch, especially when you don't know anything about it.

As for "Hancock is sometimes funny, sometimes clever, and occasionally involving, but it's never brilliant and its edge is compromised by the neutering that accompanies the teen-friendly PG-13 rating."

I don't think the PG-13 rating detracted from the story at all. I don't think the superman story needs an adult thread running through it. There was plenty of violence, no need for sex or cussing. (I never understood why the latter two are worse than the first, though.)

The info below, about the movie "Hancock" (2008), is from:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448157/
and also from links at the above site.

EXCERPTS:
====================================================
"The powerful alcoholic and clumsy John Hancock is the most hated person in Los Angeles, as in spite of saving lives, he also destroys properties causing high cost to the city to fix his damages."

"A hard-living superhero who has fallen out of favor with the public enters into a questionable relationship with the wife of the public relations professional who's trying to repair his image."
--------------------------
"Will Smith plays a Skid Row superhero who cleans up real good in "Hancock."
-from Roger Ebert's review page at http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs...
--------------------------
"Imagine Superman as an alcoholic misanthrope and you've got John Hancock (Will Smith), a downtrodden man with superpowers who just doesn't give a damn."

"Will Smith's charisma is Hancock's single most important asset."

"Hancock is a hodgepodge of intriguing ideas that, if developed further or presented as more than throw-ins to a confused production, might have made for a unique superhero film."

"Hancock is sometimes funny, sometimes clever, and occasionally involving, but it's never brilliant and its edge is compromised by the neutering that accompanies the teen-friendly PG-13 rating."

"The ending is a complete mess."

-from Berardinelli's review at:
http://www.reelviews.net/php_review_temp...
--------------------------
TRIVIA: "The script, originally titled 'Tonight, He Comes', floated around in Hollywood for over a decade."
====================================================