Robert Wilensky, of the Voice, apparently the only other critic to recognize my biggest beef with "Hancock":
Hancock is meant to be a hero; it's his purpose. Only he doesn't know why and he doesn't know how. Neither, it seems, do director Peter Berg and writers Vince Gilligan and Vincent Ngo. All seem unsure of how to transition the title character from bum to superman, and rely too heavily on broad comedy's shove or overheated action's kick. Part of this stems from Berg's directorial style: herky-jerky cameras shoved in folks' faces and up their noses. It worked well when he was illuminating cousin Buzz Bissinger's Friday Night Lights; not so much during his bloodthirsty trek through The Kingdom last year. There's nothing subtle about Berg's bludgeoning style; he directs angryPosted by Stephen Silver at July 2, 2008 03:57 PM