In all the film’s of Batman, the suit or costume that he has always worn has always gadgets and given whoever plays Batman extra abilities that he uses frequently when combating villains and criminals alike. Whether it is from a cape which when it has an electrical current running through it becomes stiff like in Batman Begins, the most recent version of the film. The most concurrent feature of Batman’s costume is definitely the running black theme that he has. I think that they have kept this because of the bat idea. Bat’s are blind and use sonic waves to navigate around, they’re also black therefore why not be black yourself if the entire image your trying to give off is that of a bat. You may argue that because Batman technically has no super powers that he is not a proper super hero.
Another super hero that uses animal imagery is Spiderman which tells you a lot from the name of the super hero. He has all the powers of a spider after being bitten by one from a laboratory. The fact that he can shoot webs at people and climb up pretty much anything conforms to Propp and Todorov’s character descriptions. The Spiderman character who keeps his identity safe from anyone who he comes into contact with.
One of the things that make the film Hancock so different is because the script has injected humour and comedy into the film. For example: Ray Embrey says, “I put some stuff up on YouTube. Everybody remembers Walter the great whale, he was stuck on the beach. Along comes Hancock.” And Hancock replies with, “I don't even remember that.” Ray Embrey Finishes with, “Ah, well... Greenpeace does. “. That the sort of dry humor that the film has where most other superhero films do not include.
Most superhero films such as Spiderman or Ironman are much more serious, dark and sinister however the film Hancock loosens a rather Elizabethan view of superhero films which I believe makes it much nicer to watch. Mainly because, the added comedy is a welcome freshness from the usual: kidnapping, killing and villainy that goes on some much in superhero films nor does the film Hancock has a super villain to co-exist with Hancock.
Hancock is clearly uncomfortable with his new superhero identity mainly because he has been so long living as a complete tramp that he has almost forgotten how to interact with any other person of the human race. “Good job! Do I have permission to touch your body?” Hancock says to a police women, “It's not sexual. Not that you're not an attractive woman. You're actually a very attractive woman and...” He continues on after a short and reply from the women, she the finishes there convosation with. “Get me the hell out of here!”, quite clearly you can see that he is not used to being a superhero and that he is changing the way that he operates around other people taking into consideration other people’s feelings.
Double identities is another feature of a superhero that we almost see all the time in superhero films, however once again the Hancock film doesn’t really follow the rule. Hancock lives as a street urchin basically therefore no one would know him or want to so in a way that’s a method of self exclusion. However later on in the film that exclusion completely goes, he has a costume which he wears without a hood which is what you usually have in most superhero films which hides the face therefore hiding their ‘identity’.
The Propp and Todorov’s theory that you can apply to most if not all superhero films are that there are certain people who play certain roles along a certain timeline. Todorov’s theory is the timeline of the plot which starts with: Equilibrium, where most of the characters are introduced and the plot begins; Disruption, the beginning event which starts to turn the main character into the superhero, where the antagonist is first met; Recognition of Disruption, this is mainly where the superhero character realises there is a problem and wants to sort it out; Attempt to repair disruption, as it says in the title, this is the part of the film where the superhero starts to fight the crime; Return to equilibrium, this is the final stage of the typical film where the superhero has defeated the evil and villains for the film and the city or people involved are back to normal safe and sound.
Whereas Propp’s theory is more involved with the characters within the film are in few categories; Heroin or Princess, these are usually played by women since they are stereotyped as being the weaker of the two genders; Villain, usually a henchman, the main antagonist is always a villain trying to destroy or hinder something beyond repair; Donor/Mentor is someone who won’t help the superhero on the ‘front line’ of the fights however he or she is in the background helping the superhero function in their fantasy and normal lives; Helper, last but definitely not least the helper or the side-kick is the person that ‘helps’ the superhero in the encounters that he or she faces, usually the side-kick is a man along with the superhero.
The Hancock film does agree with Todorov’s story theory, the equilibrium of Hancock is the beginning half hour where you really get to see what sort of a person the Hancock character is at that stage in the film, a drunk, homeless waster that does nothing. The disruption is in my opinion where Hancock tries to help someone but in doing so creates even more havoc than if he had just left it (The train and car scene.).
In conclusion, I believe that the Hancock film does not follow the rules of a usual superhero film however there are some aspects that I believe allow it to make up for the things it loses such as humour which makes the film a lot more watchable by a wider audience. The one thing that the film does actually agree with is the Propp and Todorov’s character and story types which not surprisingly are followed quite closely. All together the film is a good one to watch and definitely a recommendable film for teenage plus audiences.
