Gateway

Issue date: 7/8/08 Section: Culture

Wanted [Click to enlarge]

Hancock [Click to enlarge]

Get Smart [Click to enlarge]

Hancock



Mike Bell

Contributor

This summer, we've seen plenty of heroes appear for the first time - or, in some cases, the sixth time - on the silver screen.

The problem, however, is we know what to expect. Fans of either comic books or Saturday morning cartoons know that Spiderman's Uncle Ben dies or that Superman's weakness is kryptonite.

However, "Hancock" is an original superhero film with no back story in a sea of repeats. I was keenly interested.

Will Smith plays John Hancock, the world's only known superhero. Taking place in Los Angeles, Hancock tries his best to stop crime and save lives, but his ability to control his flight and words are crippled by several bottles of bourbon that never seem too far away. The premise of a homeless, drunk "superman" brought about plenty of laughs as Hancock constantly blows through buildings and cars as if they were made of wet cardboard.

Unfortunately, "Hancock" is one of those movies that by the first 20 minutes, you've seen all the funny parts twice, because they were in the trailer.

The story then takes a dramatic turn with the sudden spark of romance between Hancock and Mary (Charlize Theron).

Unfortunately, Mary happens to be the married to Ray (Jason Bateman). Ray has volunteered to be Hancock's public relations manager so that the city doesn't vehemently boo Hancock every time he stops to help someone.

The movie started to turn for the worse when it explains his origin while leaving plenty of gaps in the storyline. Had they left Hancock as a reckless yet humorous superhero, it would have been a much more enjoyable tale.

"Hancock" wasn't particularly bad, but not very good either. Fun for the first half hour, then the twist comes and it's all downhill from there.



Wanted



Judy Rydberg

Contributor

A slacker gets recruited into a fraternity with promises of excitement, pretty girls and vodka. That is the plot of the R-rated action movie "Wanted" starring Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy.

Except this group is the "fraternity of assassins," and their idea of hazing consists of gun battles, car chases, dangling passenger trains off cliffs and impaling people in slaughterhouses.

Once Wesley (McAvoy) is initiated into the fraternity, he learns how to focus his "panic attacks" into seeing 400 times faster than normal people and changes the course of bullets with his mind. These talents are used to uphold the fraternity's code of "killing one to save a thousand."

Numerous plot twists make the movie entertaining but blatantly unoriginal. Twists are taken almost scene-for-scene from better known movies like "The Matrix," "Karate Kid," "Star Wars" and even "Office Space."

The special effects are mildly impressive. Action sequences are shown in slow-motion so the audience can see every last spatter of blood.

Many scenes also rewind so that viewers can see victims before they are killed, with the bullets traveling back into the gun. This is cool in the first rooftop shooting scene but by the end, it seems like Hollywood is just trying to lengthen the movie without shooting more footage.

Angelina Jolie fans may be disappointed. Ad campaigns lead audiences to believe she is the star of the film. On the contrary, she plays a mere sidekick to the film's two main characters, played by Freem an and McAvoy. Jolie's part could have been cut out entirely with a few simple script tweaks.

Overall, "Wanted" is interesting but not groundbreaking or memorable in any way. It is good, but not excellent; it's just another summer action flick.



Get Smart



Mike Bell

Contributor

Secret trapdoors in a telephone booth? Check.

Swiss army knife equipped with crossbow bolt and flamethrower? Check.

Cameo by Bill Murray? Oh, yeah.

Hilarious and action-packed, "Get Smart" is based on the 1970s TV series of the same name.

Steve Carell plays Maxwell Smart, who for years has been an intelligence researcher for C.O.N.T.R.O.L., a super secret defense agency that combats KAOS, another group that threatens to destroy the world.

Smart has finally passed the test to become a field agent (eight times is a charm) and believes he is ready to save the world. The only thing that stands in his way is eight-foot-tall body guards, a Russian donut factory and terrible luck.

Also starring is Anne Hathaway as Agent 99. Beautiful, calm and deadly, she clashes with Smart's eagerness and helps him understand that the world does not work "by the book."

Dwayne Johnson (he's still "The Rock" to me) plays the macho Agent 23, who fulfills every James Bond stereotype, withholding the British aspect.

After the C.O.N.T.R.O.L. headquarters are destroyed by KAOS, Smart is promoted to field agent No. 86, despite his lack of experience. Teaming up with Agent 99, the pair travels to Russia to uncover a plot involving a nuclear bomb and holds the U.S. west coast for ransom.

"Get Smart" was much funnier and satisfying than I had expected. I cannot remember more than a minute going by without me laughing.

This movie also had the greatest kissing scene in all of cinema. You'll know which one I mean.

It's definitely worth checking out. But, unfortunately, I have to knock off a star for the use of a Chuck Norris joke.

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