Director: Peter Berg
Year Released: 2008
Rating: 1.5
A super-man with a drinking problem (Will Smith) - and a history of doing more damage fighting crime than good - is made to go to rehab (even though he says no, no, no) by P.R. savvy Jason Bateman; meanwhile, Reitman's wife (Charlize Theron, back to looking good again) and our (anti-) hero appear to have some sort of past. Hilariously misanthropic for the first third before actor-turned-filmmaker Peter Berg, with his shaky camera and lack of subtlety, kills a killer premise with a nonsensical plot twist (even for a comic book movie) that takes the movie in a different direction than the one it started in, presumably uncomfortable dealing with the implications of that beginning, like discussing the need for personal responsibility (on the part of corporations, the government and super-people) or taking precious time delving into the Smith character's psyche (he drops the alcoholism like it wasn't even a habit). Naturally, exploring the inner-workings of characters isn't nearly as 'flashy' and populace-friendly as yet another CGI duel in the middle of downtown L.A. with flying semis and tornados or an extreme 'showdown' in a hospital (featuring screaming and sweating and water sprinklers), so those that hate thinking should feel relieved.
