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As I watched the superhero Hancock (Will Smith) sheepishly give a speech in front of a global audience, apologizing to the world for his selfish actions and promising to do better because he has a unique calling, I couldn't help but think of the (Christian) Church in the U.S.

The Greek word for "church" is ekklesia, meaning "the called out ones." The Church is meant to be these "called out ones"—a peculiar people set apart for a special purpose. Its unique calling is to love God and love people for the purpose of one day restoring the relationship between God and humanity. But many times the Church forgets this, and the whole "denial of self" business becomes an annoying obstacle.

Hancock is a drunken Los Angeles-based superhero who usually damages more than he saves. He has marvelous gifts of strength and invulnerability, he doesn't age, and he flies; but his current identity is a fragmented version of his original calling. Somehow over the years, he's forgotten why he does what he does, and all the cries for help have become bothersome routine. Even the city and its Angelinos see him as more of a nuisance than a savior because of his clumsy and intoxicated—albeit good-intentioned—debacles.

Until one day when Hancock saves Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) from a near-death run-in with a train. Sure, Hancock's life-saving technique destroys a few cars and derails the on-coming train, but Ray is thankful. Ray, a public-relations specialist on a mission to change the world, is sympathetic to Hancock's plight and offers to spruce up his image to the public.

Hancock agrees he needs to change, and slowly changes his image not only on the outside but also within, reconnecting with his true identity and calling. This of course benefits not only himself but also those around him. From then on, the movie merrily bounces around melodrama, comedy, and action, all within an entertaining story.

I thought it worked well and enjoyed the odd-but-good style mixture chosen by director Peter Berg (The Kingdom). The hokey action sequence at the beginning of the movie had me worried, until later when we see scenes of a more serious tone balanced with some fun comedy. I must critique the CGI in some shots, though; the cartoonish look to the effects are out of place and only emphasize the seemingly forced comic-book elements of the plot.

I also believe the movie benefits from Jason Bateman's presence. He adds a bit of light humor while being believable and heartfelt in his scenes. I've been a fan of Jason Bateman ever since he jump-started his career with TV's Arrested Development several years ago (I suppose Teen Wolf Too! also made a strong impression on me as a child).

It's interesting to note that Charlize Theron, who plays the wife of Bateman's character in Hancock, was a guest star and love interest for Bateman's character on Arrested Development. Also, a certain bad guy in the film has a prosthetic hook for a hand, very reminiscent of another Arrested Development character who had a hook-hand. I've tried to find any connections between the creators of the TV show and HANCOCK, but it seems as though it's all just coincidence. In any case, if you're a fan of the show, you'll know what I'm talking about. If not, well, then, this will make no sense to you.

Before I digress too far: Hancock is not one of Smith's' best films, but it will no doubt entertain audiences with its big action, humor, and heart—three common ingredients to a Will Smith blockbuster.

The always-charismatic Smith plays Hancock with a permanent gruffy grimace, being at once repulsive and endearing. He chugs cheap wine and tosses around people, cars, and whales like rag dolls. We get that he tries to help people, but he doesn't take the time to think or care about how he does it, thereby causing people to resent his "help."

As I'm sure we all know, it's not enough to do the right thing; it's also important how you do it. For example, it may be a good idea to wash your car, but probably best not to wash it with a Brillo pad. And so it is with Hancock's methods. He may stop some bad guys from shooting up the streets of L.A., but in the process he destroys roads, cars, homes, and city property. Rather than thanking Hancock, the city would prefer to sue him for the mayhem he caused while trying to save the day. But because he's not thinking about the destruction that ensues when he carelessly saves the day, he ends up offending and hurting those around him. This almost completely negates the good he was trying to do.

Hancock seems to know he has a higher calling than waking up to super-hangovers and causing problems, which is why he continues to try to help rather than using his powers for his own selfish gain. Something about his identity, his nature, compels him to protect and defend. Going back to the ekklesia thought, Hancock must realize that in spite of the personal inconvenience, he has a special calling, and that he can help change the world for the better with his powers.

And that even when helping someone, it should be done the right way, with love. You may move mountains, but if you don't have love, it means nothing. And then you have people resenting you, speaking evil of the good you do when your actions are not genuinely selfless and agenda-less.

Denial of self might be a strange idea for a MySpace generation, but when you use your "powers" (talents, gifts) to put others first, God has a funny way of bringing you true fulfillment as a 'called-out one."