Handout.

Hancock is directed with a wink towards superhero movies by Peter Berg.

Hancock is a serious, uneven film starring Will Smith as an alcoholic superhero. That's right, an inebriated crime fighter, who causes damage and makes a mess wherever he goes, simply because he's a drunk.

Jason Bateman plays a generous PR man who takes on Hancock as a client, hoping to clean up his lifestyle and improve his image. The PR wife is played by Charlize Theron and before you can say "twelve step," Hancock is hiding a secret and creating another mess.

Hancock is directed with a wink towards superhero movies by Peter Berg. He directed The Kingdom, Friday Night Lights and The Rundown - all three better films. What starts out with promise, quickly becomes a gimmick, and eventually a sad cliche.

Hancock is rated PG-13 for violence and bad behavior and would like you to believe it's a comedy about alcoholism and social responsibility. This is not a comedy, but a serious 4th of July movie going disappointment.

E-mail gcogill@wfaa.com.