Movie Profile: HANCOCK (2008)

Attribute Details
Title Hancock
Release Date July 2, 2008 (USA)
Director Peter Berg
Genre Action, Comedy, Drama
Runtime 92 minutes (Theatrical) / 102 minutes (Unrated)
Budget $150 million
Box Office $629.4 million worldwide
Lead Cast

• Will Smith (John Hancock)

 

• Charlize Theron (Mary Embrey)

 

• Jason Bateman (Ray Embrey)

Plot Overview

John Hancock (Will Smith) is a sarcastic, hard-drinking, and cynical immortal superhero who protects Los Angeles. While he possesses incredible powers—flight, invulnerability, and super strength—his reckless behavior and collateral damage during rescues leave the city’s infrastructure destroyed and the public deeply resentful.

His life takes a turn when he saves Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), a warm-hearted public relations corporate executive, from an oncoming train. Grateful for his life, Ray offers to rehabilitate Hancock’s public image. He convinces Hancock to turn himself in to jail for outstanding warrants to show Los Angeles how much they actually need him.

The strategy works, and a clean-shaven, costumed Hancock emerges to public acclaim. However, the plot shifts dramatically when Hancock discovers a mysterious, shared past with Ray’s wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), revealing that he is not the only immortal being on Earth.