"Hancock" worth watching

MediaPhile@evpl — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 23:44:00 GMT

How can a movie gross $625,000,000 worldwide and yet get a 38% rating at Rotten Tomatoes? One could say that there's no accounting for taste, but in this case I agree with the general public.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on a copy of this DVD before its official release date on Tuesday. What I remembered hearing about this action thriller was that the first half was okay, the last half a let-down.

Well, I beg to differ. I didn't think it really got interesting until the twist that came at midpoint. I was as usual only half-watching while working away on my laptop. I sensed an attraction betwen Hancock (Will Smith) and Mary (Charlize Theron) but was surprised at what developed. Suffice it to say that there is something lurking under that beautiful surface.

Which brings me to the point that I could barely recognize Charlize. I have always considered her to be flawless, but evidently she and her plastic surgeon didn't think so. There is some buzz about this on the Net.

But getting back to the movie, this is another one that I wish I had seen on the big screen. In fact, I should have shelled out the money and seen it on IMAX. The special effects were pretty amazing. Oh, well....

"Hancock" is inventive, quirky and funny...and Will Smith does his usual superb job...so count me with thumbs up on this one. I even watched it twice!

I Am Legend...not so legendary

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:02:00 GMT

I Am Legend was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on March 12th. I recently watched the Blu-Ray version, and while the picture quality, audio, and special effects were incredible, overall I was left unimpressed.

As the third cinematic adaptation of Richard Matheson's 1954 science fiction classic, I Am Legend opens with a news report in 2007. By re-engineering a strain of the measles virus, a group of scientists finds a cure for cancer.

The movie then jumps to 2010, portraying a barren New York City. Dr. Robert Neville (played by Will Smith) is the only human left alive within the city. Through flashbacks, we learn that the cancer cure mutated into an airborne infection, wiping out 99% of mankind. A handful of humans, including Neville, were immune to the virus. Everyone else turned into flesh-eating mutants; naturally, they're allergic to light. Neville has a science lab in his basement, where he struggles to find a way to cure these "Dark Seekers."

The movie start out great. Through Memento-esque flashbacks, only bits of information are given at a time, keeping the viewer captivated. The empty streets of New York, littered with abandoned vehicles and surrounded by neglected buildings, are incredibly eerie. (How did the filmmakers pull that off???) And Smith's convincing tirades show him slowly slipping into madness.

However, the last half of the movie falls flat. Out of the blue, two additional characters are introduced, which completely destroys the flow of the movie. It then quickly degrades into a typical zombie horror flick.

While worth a viewing, don't go in with your hopes too high. If you're a fan of comedy, be sure to check out the laughably-bad "controversial" alternate ending!

More information about I Am Legend:

Movies Blog : action, will smith

"Hancock" worth watching

I Am Legend...not so legendary