Hancock (Peter Berg, 2008)

[flyonthewall2983]

Trailer

[kaujot]

Looks awful.

[Matt]

God, why do we have to start a thread for every p.o.s. trailer that comes down the pike? Can we please exercise some discrimination?

[domino harvey]

God, why do we have to start a thread for every p.o.s. trailer that comes down the pike? Can we please exercise some discrimination?

Seriously, when did this board turn into AICN?

[DrewReiber]

Oh thank GOD. The man who brought us Batman & Robin has returned to making superhero movies.

[domino harvey]

It's like My Super Ex-Girlfriend, minus the opportunity to look at Uma Thurman for ninety minutes.

[DrewReiber]

It's like My Super Ex-Girlfriend, minus the opportunity to look at Uma Thurman for ninety minutes.

[Matt]

Oh thank GOD. The man who brought us Batman & Robin has returned to making superhero movies.

Now, let's be fair. He's one of five credited writers, the others which include the guy who wrote Home Fries and the guy who co-wrote that Tony Scott BMW commercial with James Brown and an unsold Rachael Leigh Cook pilot.

[DrewReiber]

Now, let's be fair. He's one of five credited writers

Goldsman is the full producer on Hancock, which also means his vision/rewrites take considerable precedence over the others (aside from Berg). Might I also mention that Berg was the third director attached to the project after both Mann and Muccino dropped it. I think that's a pretty good indication that the directors had creative differences with the producer(s).

America, enjoy!

[Antoine Doinel]

I dunno, I kinda dig the concept. That said, it could go either way.

[flyonthewall2983]

I had the feeling from what I'd read on imdb that it would be more of a hard-edged drama about a troubled superhero, with a twinge of satire. The latter is proven in the trailer, but seeing it makes me doubt it will be anything compelling.

[DrewReiber]

That said, it could go either way.

I take it you've found a 50/50 enjoyment ratio among the other genre-related projects from these people or you just have that much faith in Peter Berg. You never did say anything about I Am Legend, so I'm assuming you found something redeeming in it.

[Antoine Doinel]

That said, it could go either way.

I take it you've found a 50/50 enjoyment ratio among the other genre-related projects from these people or you just have that much faith in Peter Berg. You never did say anything about I Am Legend, so I'm assuming you found something redeeming in it.

Peter Berg: I've never seen anything he's directed, because I've really never been interested in his projects.

John August: I enjoyed Go and Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.

Vince Gilligan: Haven't seen anything this guy has done.

Your best buddy, Akiva Goldsman: I've only seen Lost In Space which was a huge pile of garbage. Everything else I was either not interested or it got terrible reviews.

Vincent Ngo: Haven't seen those car ads.

All that said, generally looking at the credits for summer blockbusters to decide if they are good or not is a bullshit game. I would have to write off Alexander Payne for "writing" I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry when in reality Adam Sandler's team of writers basically took his concept and chucked everything else out. As we all know, just because you are credited as a "writer" or "producer" doesn't actually mean you had any input in the finished project. So of those five credited writers, who knows who actually wrote the damn thing or when.

As as I said, I like the concept. I think the combination of Will Smith and Jason Bateman could be enjoyable and if the film is played out right, it could be a nice antidote to the glut of subpar, very earnest action hero films.

Oh yeah, I haven't seen I Am Legend yet.

[DrewReiber]

All that said, generally looking at the credits for summer blockbusters to decide if they are good or not is a bullshit game.

You're absolutely welcome to your opinion, but in this case the example is far clearler than you make it out to be.

just because you are credited as a "writer" or "producer" doesn't actually mean you had any input in the finished project.

Well, he's had quite a lot of input on the other projects he's co-written while producer. We're also talking about the same guy who got to decide that the ad placement by the effects department in I Am Legend would include his upcoming projects.

So of those five credited writers, who knows who actually wrote the damn thing or when.

Do you want me to write you the timeline? I've followed the project for a long time, which is why I keep emphasizing how critical Goldsman's attachment to the project is. I know you seem to hate it when I knock the wind out of the marketing sails of Hollywood, but it's really nowhere near as hard as you portray it to figure out who runs these projects.

Oh, and as a matter of fact, Goldsman does the final revisions for any Will Smith project to which he's attached. He also did the final polish for Constantine.

As as I said, I like the concept. I think the combination of Will Smith and Jason Bateman could be enjoyable and if the film is played out right, it could be a nice antidote to the glut of subpar, very earnest action hero films.

There's nothing wrong with the concept. I happen to like Will Smith too. He was good in I Am Legend, actually. But that does not change the fact that Akiva Goldsman, who is still absolutely unapologetic for his contributions to some of the worst comic book films of all time, is sheparding this project along as writer and FULL producer. If you are still looking forward to it, fine, but that's what's going on.

Just to be clear, I wouldn't go so far as calling any filmmaker 'unapologetic' unless there was a context for it. If you haven't yet seen it, you should check out Goldsman's "you need guys like us to appreciate good projects" speech from his post-release Batman & Robin interview on DVD.

Oh yeah, I haven't seen I Am Legend yet.

I am very curious as to your response.

EDIT: My bad folks, Jonathan Mostow was also attached and dropped out sometime after Mann. I forgot that one.

[Antoine Doinel]

Dude, I don't care about the marketing. Outside of the trailer, I haven't seen anything else regarding and mostly just heard about it here and there during its development.

I think the trailer shows promise, but like I said it can go either way.

For the record, I thought Constantine was a lot better than the reception it generally got.

[Mr Sausage]

I can't imagine anyone wanting a timeline of writer contributions to an action film they're fifty/fifty on to begin with, and then only as a possible mindless ninty minutes.

[DrewReiber]

Dude, I don't care about the marketing.

I think the trailer shows promise

v:?v

For the record, I thought Constantine was a lot better than the reception it generally got.

Ok, fair enough. Maybe you'll like Hancock. Still curious to know if you'll like I Am Legend.

[Antoine Doinel]

Hancock's suit.

[nyasa]

I only clicked on this thread because I thought it had something to do with this. The BBC should sue. One of the greatest names in British comedy has been hijacked.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

For the record, I thought Constantine was a lot better than the reception it generally got.

Yeah, I enjoyed this one as well... altho, it may have helped that I hadn't read a page of the comic book on which it was based on. A buddy of mine is a huge fan of the source material and hated the film. Oh well.

As for Hancock, so long as Don Murphy keeps his grubby hands of this film I'll be happy. That man has managed to destroy almost every Alan Moore comic book adaptation with the exception of Watchmen, which, thank god, he's not involved with.

[sidehacker]

Oh thank GOD. The man who brought us Batman & Robin has returned to making superhero movies.

Ah shucks, I thought this was a Herbie Hancock bio-pic.

[Antoine Doinel]

Sony doesn't want you to know that Will Smith is a Scientologist.

[Steven H]

Sony doesn't want you to know that Will Smith is a Scientologist.

Well Berg is directing the big Dune film in the works, maybe they can cast Smith as Paul Atreides/Muad'Dib and make it a faux scientology push to make up for him having to deny the link. Sounds reasonable.

[Antoine Doinel]

Unrated trailer.

Apparentally this went out without a signoff from the MPAA (how this makes this different from a redband trailer is beyond me), so there is one gag in this one that will be missing from the theatrical version. I'm pretty sure you'll be able to guess which one it is.

And oh yeah, this looks pretty fun.

[flyonthewall2983]

I'm pretty sure you'll be able to guess which one it is.

Yeah...that one's a no brainer. Will Smith in those sunglasses is pretty obscene