Hancock starts with a pretty funny premise: What if a superhero was an alcoholic, apathetic fuck-up? And for the first half of the movie, this premise proves solidly entertaining. A lot of that has to do with the casting. Will Smith works well as the titular hero not only because he keeps you rooting for the not always likable Hancock, but because the idea of Will Smith as that type of asshole is itself part of the joke. Jason Bateman is also great as a Michael Bluth-like PR man named Ray who wants to help the world and thinks he can start with Hancock. His energy balances well with Hancock's initial gruffness. Between Hancock's destructive city-saving methods and his attempts to follow Ray's advice, there's plenty of comic material to be had.
Yet it seems the writers didn't think that premise could sustain a feature film. Maybe so, but that's no reason to practically start from scratch midway through as Hancock learns about who he is. Had Hancock mentioned his amnesia earlier, perhaps it might connect better. Or if his struggle to be liked wasn't completely solved midway through. Also, the first half is a comedy, the second half's not. The first half makes superheroes real, the second half is much more about mythology. But most importantly, the second half just isn't as good. The likability of leads Smith, Bateman, and Charlize Theron as Ray's wife goes a long way, as does goodwill earned early on. But you might feel somewhat duped if you went in expecting what the trailers promise.
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