Superhero movies. Now that is novel! I kid, I kid. In light of the fact that filmed superhero fiction has more cultural currency today than it ever has (in both film and television), it’s interesting to observe the diversification of the genre over the past five years across movies like Sky High, parody trash like Epic Movie, and now Will Smith’s summer vehicle Hancock. In superheroes’ native soil of comics, the down and out, irascible hero who undergoes a change of heart on the road to destiny is old hat. But it’s a treat to see it get the big budget treatment. Watching Will Smith drunkenly bumble across the California skyline is entertaining even in this small dose so Hancock is looking promising as a two hour investment. It’s also nice to see Jason Bateman getting back to making people laugh after his skeevy turn in Juno. You guys remember that movie?
