Wurgh, the landslide of work actually started earlier than expected: the last two hours were more or less solid typing, with several 10-minute-plus dictations to do.

Oh well, I’m here in Cineworld West India Quay now, waiting for Aimee before we go and see Hancock. Knowing her sense of direction, I’m sure I’ll have a while to wait. So I can do a bit more writing.

Yup, she’s lost. Phoned me flailing. Oh well, I’m doing good writing!

Finished watching the movie now, what seems like months after everyone else. Considering that when I first saw the posters I thought this was gonna be a biopic of Herbie Hancock, you can probably tell I didn’t hear very much about this movie, and went in knowing nothing more than that it was about a less-than-heroic superhero. So I was pleasantly surprised by how funny it is.

The unsuitable, antisocial yet awesomely powerful hero is nothing new. From Yojimbo to Wolverine, the idea has enduring popularity, and I feel sure Captain Jack Sparrow may have been influential in this film’s greenlighting too. It makes for a plot that writes itself, and allows for a spotlight on a flawed character, giving opportunities for redemption as well as the fun of a character abusing his power, not playing hero.

It could have been an annoying postmodern irony-fest along the lines of Buffy, but Will Smith makes Hancock so world-weary that his world completely works, and a single line about McDonalds simply makes all of Whedon’s pop culture references seem trite and unfunny (or, perhaps, even more so).

I think I’d’ve liked and respected this film a little more if it had stuck with the focus on the character and his growth, because introducing a key to his past and a nemesis was just far too obvious. They kept the story rolling, though, and allowed for some good setpieces and a satisfying ending. I feel it could have been a little better, but it was still good. Probably the best superhero film of the year…until Batman?
Home, and a bit of image editing. At last, a new challenge pic!