Hancock

The Spiderman films taught us that “with great power comes great responsibility”, but what if you chose to spurn your super powers in favour of cheap liquor and even cheaper girls? Smith is Hancock, an anti-hero who has fallen by the wayside, losing both his reputation and self-respect. In steps Bateman, a PR exec spying a golden opportunity.

In a summer book-ended by Iron Man and The Dark Knight, a comical play on the archetypal superhero traits promised to be an entertaining endeavour. Unfortunately, the film falls a Hulk-stride short of its promise, and feels like two separate movies. At first an enjoyable rites of passage action comedy in which Hancock attempts to become more super-man than super-bum, a second act shift takes the film in a completely unwarranted direction.

Smith puts in a decent shift, and there’s enough to appease most families and superhero fans, but it still feels like an opportunity wasted.