I’ve been telling myself to write up a recommendation for Hancock for about a week now, and I keep putting it off. So: Go see Hancock. Do not listen to Rotten Tomatoes, who gave it a 35 percent. That rating is making me question the entire enterprise of movie reviewing. Hancock is one of the best superhero movies to come out recently, and is certainly the most original. The first half, in which Smith plays a basically omnipotent being who’s emotionally broken, inescapably lonely, and gripped by tremendous self-loathing, is one of the best hours you’ll spend at the movies all year. The second half is more problematic, but still fairly good. It’s actually that rare movie that could’ve used 30 minutes more time, as much of it deserved a bit more explanation. But even so, it’s a fun, well-acted, superhero epic that’s an interesting twist on the traditional Superman Myth.
Ezra Klein is a former Prospect writer and current editor-in-chief at Vox. His work has appeared in the LA Times, The Guardian, The Washington Monthly, The New Republic, Slate, and The Columbia Journalism Review. He’s been a commentator on MSNBC, CNN, NPR, and more. More by Ezra Klein

