Over the last week I’ve managed to catch 3 new movie releases. Gotta love the drive-in, where you get to see 2 new movies for the price of one! 🙂 So here are 3 quick movie reviews of the flicks that I’ve seen.

John Hancock (Will Smith) is a drunk, self centered hobo living on the streets of L.A. There’s a catch. He’s also a superhero. He can fly, is invulnerable and has super strength. When coming into a situation to save the day, he often causes more damage and more problems than is necessary. Due to this, he’s very much disliked by the citizens of L.A. to the point of being the target of hundreds of civil lawsuits and dozens of warrants for his arrest. One day he saves the life of a down and out PR man (Ray Embrey played by Jason Bateman). After spending supper with Embrey and is family, Ray pitches an idea to Hancock; what he needs is a PR person to boost his popularity. Embrey hatches a surefire plan: Hancock should turn himself in to the police, serve some jail time and sober up. Embrey expects both the public and the police to be more accepting of Hancock once they realize Hancock isn’t around to save the day. And just on cue, the crime rate jumps through the roof and the chief of police releases the reformed Hancock to help with a bank robbery/hostage situation.

I found Hancock to be an enjoyable summer movie. Smith, Bateman and Charlize Theron all play their characters very well. Smith and Bateman have a great rapport on screen that leads to quite a few laughs. The action sequences are up there in terms of superhero movies. The last 30 minutes or so take a sharp left turn but it doesn’t completely ruin the movie. I can understand why some people are paning the flick because of the last act, but I was able to look past it and look at the movie as a whole.  I would recommend that you see the movie, preferably on the big screen just for the fight between Hancock and … well, I can’t say it without spoiling part of the movie.

I give Hancock 7 out of 10.

Adam Sandler returns to the silver screen as Zohan, an Israeli counter-terrorist agent who yearns to move to America to cut and style hair. Tired of the constant fighting between the Palestinians and Israelites, Zohan fakes his own death and makes his way to the U.S. where he eventually lands a job as a hair stylist in a Palestinian hair studio.

I love Adam Sandler movies, but I have to admit this isn’t one of his better flicks. It isn’t bad, but its not great either. It does have its funny moments and the film does try to push a message of loving your fellow man and of understanding (in an Adam Sandler comedy type of way). I just felt that the truly funny bits were few and far between and that most bits just made me slightly chuckle. I was also surprised that Zohan didn’t receive the flack that it did in regards to stereotypes. I found some of the stuff portrayed to be far worse than anything found in Mike Myers’ Love Guru.

All in all, I think this movie would make a good rental, but don’t waste 10$+ to catch it in theaters. I give You Don’t Mess With the Zohan a 6 out of 10.

Earlier this week I had a day off from work and I finally got around to catching the Incredible Hulk. In this version of the movie, David Banner as escaped the US Army and made his way to South America where he tries various meditation and anger management techniques to keep the green monster at bay. Banner is also trying to find a cure for his gamma-ray produced powers with the help of a mysterious Dr.Blue, with whom he only communicates via encrypted messages over the Internet. It doesn’t take long for the US Army to find Banner, but he escapes once again. This time, he decides to go back to the States to once and for all find the cure for his condition. The Army however has no interest in curing Banner. They want to find out what turns him into the Hulk so that they can create their own army of super soldiers.

Unlike Ang Lee’s Hulk movie of a few years ago, this version packs a lot more action and less psychological drama. Though I kinda liked the first Hulk movie, I did think it was one of the weaker Marvel based movies. This iteration is more of what one would expect from the Hulk. Norton is more believable in the roll of David Banner, a man who should be the complete opposite of the green monster; intelligent but physically unimposing. He brings much more believable humanity to Banner than Bana did. This is another movie that should be seen on the big screen.

I give Indredible Hulk 8 out of 10 stars.