Anyone catch Will Smith’s alcoholic superhero movie Hancock over the holiday weekend? Though it received mixed reviews, it grossed a heroic $107 million since opening last Wednesday. I haven’t seen it, but as a fan of superhero movies (the first Superman with Christopher Reeve is my all-time favorite), I look forward to catching it soon. If you’ve seen it already, I’d love to hear your reviews.
I bring up Hancock because of an interesting—and somewhat cynical—review I found at the progressive site AlterNet.org. In the review, critic Eileen Jones mines the film and Will Smith’s superstardom for all their racial subtext. But at the core of the piece are parallels she surmises between the careers of Smith and presidential candidate Barack Obama, both of whom have been described as “transcending race.”
I’m sure some of you are thinking, Here we go again, imposing race on everything, and perhaps Jones is reading too much into things here. After all, it’s just another Will Smith summer action flick. Nevertheless, I was intrigued by Jones’ exploration of the “transcending race” theme, which has been such a two-edged sword for Obama. Describing the ways both Smith and Obama are perceived by some from within the African American community, Jones writes:
In succeeding so spectacularly so far, both men risk accusations of “transcending race” by selling out, flashing megawatt smiles while skating over the bitterness of the African American experience, refusing to display anger, appealing to white audiences with endless reassurance: See how smoothly we’ve succeeded, how apparently unscarred we are by experience, what solid citizens we are with our nicely tailored suits, our picture-perfect families, our upbeat attitudes. Madison Avenue couldn’t have come up with better advertisements for racial progress in America than Obama and Smith.
She goes on to invoke images of Jackie Robinson, Sidney Poitier, and other historical markers of race relations in America as she tears the film apart. It’s not a positive review, but is it helpful as social commentary? One of the most fascinating things for me about Obama’s candidacy has been this delicate dance he’s been forced to perform for the sake of getting elected. I’ve blogged about it again and again and again. It’s a dance that all politicians must do, but Obama’s race and cultural heritage have required him to bring a more complex choreography to the floor. Jones suggests that any black man seeking public acceptance by the majority culture must engage in this dance, and she zeroes in on Smith and his superhero character as further examples of this phenomenon.
My desire was to see Hancock purely for its entertainment value; I certainly wasn’t planning on wearing my racial antennae to the theater. What do you think? If you’ve seen the film, did you pick up any of these racial overtones? Or do you think this is just one more example of the media imposing race where it doesn’t belong?
I saw Hancock on Saturday afternoon and mostly loved it.
I hope Hancock’s good box office continues for the next few weekends, at least. Even if the box office falls off soon, Hancock will — much like Office Space — probably find a solid cult audience on DVD and probably on cable TV.
Race is, I think, in the eyes of the critic this time around. Her reading of race into the line of “I am the only one of my kind” is, to my mind, an ideological hijacking.
Sometimes a great popcorn movie is just a great popcorn movie.
Doug – Thanks for your quick take. Knowing your good taste in film, this makes me want to see the movie even more.
It’s interesting how race is being projected onto this film. Another friend of mine, who values his anonymity, called my attention to Stephen Colbert’s interview with Will Smith on “The Colbert Report.” Understanding that Colbert is part parody, he was intrigued by the infusion of race into the interview. If you’re interested, you can find the episode here: http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/full-episodes/index.jhtml?episodeId=174849
I have to start off by saying I was greatly disappointed by this film. Will Smith is a good actor and he doesn’t make any movies that are not entertaining. But the movie was really disjointed And poorly put
When reading Eileen’s review I felt she was right on when critiquing the cinematic value, but really pressing the racial issue. I understand her connection, but I think that she was stretching a bit and a misinterpreting the point of the film – which was probably the fault of the poor script and lackadaisical storytelling.
Ironically her infusion of race into this movie is disabling to Will Smith’s transcendence. Inserting race suggest that Hancock is not defined by being a lonely man, but rather a lonely black man. Inserting race takes away from the universal appeal to the “everyman’s” the deeply tragic struggle with loneliness.
The Inexorable, Ineffable Heaviness of Race-pt. 1…
ineffable |inˈefəbəl| adjective:1—too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words : the ineffable natural beauty of the Everglades.2—not to be uttered : the ineffable Hebrew name that gentiles write as Jehovah….
I agree with just about everyone on this. I don’t really slam Will for making Hancock. Unfortunately, I think we are really becoming reactionary knee-jerks with the issues of race. The sister might have had some points, but realistically, there aren’t many in hollywood that are putting together a good script, or a decent story to make me want to put my hard earned money out there.
I’ll do a movie for the family’s sake. But it has been awhile since a movie has had an interesting storyline for me to jump up and say I want to go see it. Maybe I’m to much of a bookworm. I like movies, but as an African American there hasn’t been too many flicks that make me want to say that I got to go see that.
The entire Tyler Perry, hip-hop, blax-ploitation/sex-ploitation rehashed, recycled plots are just old and tired.
Among African Americans where’s the creativity in the film industry. Outside of Akeela and the Bee, and the Great Debaters, we as culture don’t put out anything positive. And maybe a few biopics, in the past. Even the comedies have become tired. How many times will we see an Eddie Murphy movie with him playing multiple roles/personalities? It was entertaining back in the day, but it’s tired now.
Hollywood is a disappointment as a whole, again a few biopics, here and there, but it’s the same with the so-called action movies, and the same old horror flicks, it’s become old in my eyes. The superhero genre only sparks an interest with me, because I “read” the comic books earlier in life, so it’s like seeing old friends so to speak. But the computer graphics makes it seem like a dramatized cartoon.
I’m disturbed by what my culture participates in and classifies as good or even family oriented. I understand comedy (and this goes for the larger culture as well) but how long will we continue to see grown men in drag to get a laugh? I understand that’s a part of the comedy culture, but I think after 50 years or so I humor should be redefined.
I would like to see some more Hispanics, Asians in dramtic leads, that don’t involve dancing or martial arts. And less Harold and Kumar, that’s was old with Cheech and Chong, it’s a 70’s philosophy dragging throught the 21st century. I would even like to see some of my Samoan brothers in film! But not as bouncers, or football players.
Hollywood needs a true make over.
That’s my take.
Great thoughts all.
Your Hancock riff is coming up as an automatic link to my new post about the new Obama Superhero Cartoon.
Brilliant stuff:
http://fullbodytransplant.wordpress.com/2009/06/20/obama-superhero-cartoon/