"Hancock" **1/2 (out of four): Even Will Smith's jerky superhero (and another winning supporting turn from Jason Bateman) can't save the latter half of this film's messy script.

In "Hancock", Will Smith plays a superhero - the kind that can fly, has super-strength and is impervious to bullets. So, y'know, Superman. But the difference between Mr. Smith's character and the Man of Steel is: Hancock's kind of a jerk. In fact for much of the script, by Vincent Ngo ("Hostage") & Vince Gilligan (of "The X-Files"), the cast has a lot of fun labeling Hancock an a--hole. On the surface, this conceit is a pretty fair premise for a superhero parody: what if Superman were a real jackass. But as "Hancock" progresses, and the plot starts to unravel when it should be coming together, not even Will Smith - Mr. Fourth of July himself - can save it.

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"WALL-E" ***1/2 (out of four): "WALL-E" is truly a masterpiece of animation. If only live-action films were as thoughtfully and beautifully executed.

Pixar continues to define the gold standard of animated feature films with "WALL-E", the story of a little robot with a big heart. Surprisingly mature, thoughtful and subtle, "WALL-E" proves the mastery and bravery of Pixar's filmmakers as they push the envelope of animated storytelling.

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"Wanted" ** (out of four): Without characters to care about, this kinetic, violent shoot-em-up is merely a showcase for Russian director Timur Bekmambetov. But the violence on screen is nothing compared to the kind of bludgeoning given to your suspension of disbelief.

Most American moviegoers are not yet familiar with Timur Bekmambetov, the Russian director known for helming 2004's "Night Watch (Nochnoy dozor)" series (a soon-to-be trilogy once "Dusk Watch" joins 2006's "Day Watch"). Widely thought to be the Russian "Matrix", those films stylistically spun a tale of warring vampire factions in the seedy underbelly of Moscow. The "Watch" films received a limited release stateside, so Mr. Bekmambetov's official introduction to American audiences will be "Wanted", another kinetic, violent shoot-em-up. The Russian director has again cribbed much from the "Matrix" - an office worker discovers he's The Chosen One; much gunplay ensues - but the violence on screen is nothing compared to the kind of bludgeoning credulity takes during the film's running time.

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"Get Smart" *** (out of four): It may not be "Smart", but it's still silly, pleasant fun.

There have been dozens of TV-to-film adaptations over the last several years ("Bewitched" comes to mind as the most ill-advised), but "Get Smart" is one of the few cases in which a jump to the big screen actually makes sense. Created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, the original television show was a spoof of James Bond films and shows like "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." and "Mission: Impossible". While satirizing the spy genre, it also served to ease Cold War tensions by poking fun at both sides. KAOS (the bad guys) were evil, but they were bungling and incompetent. CONTROL's top agent, Maxwell Smart (Don Adams) was also inept, but just lucky enough to thwart their plans for world domination.

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"The Love Guru" *1/2 (out of four): This half-baked attempt to create a feature film around a riff on Deepak Chopra finds Mike Myers lost in Powers.

When an actor lands the role he (or she) was born to play, it's magic. No one does Inspector Clouseau like Peter Sellers (sorry, Steve Martin); No one but Ahnuld could have been "The Terminator" (sorry, "Sarah Connor Chronicles"); and let's face it, Keanu had been building up to Neo his whole life. It seems, judging by "The Love Guru", Mike Myers found his role as well. It's Austin Powers.

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"The Incredible Hulk" *** (out of four): Edward Norton and Marvel bring Hulk down to human-size.

Putting Ang Lee's 2003 "Hulk" film behind them, Marvel gets a do-over with "The Incredible Hulk" -- a new interpretation (not a "Hulk" sequel) of the beloved Stan Lee-created character. It's also the second film (after "Iron Man") in which Marvel has taken creative control of their own property. It's a distinction that shows. As in "Iron Man", character and story take precedence over action sequences in "The Incredible Hulk". The casting of acting heavyweight Edward Norton as Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk also shows Marvel's commitment to bringing character development front and center. It's certainly a bold move -- but does it pay off?

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"The Happening" ** (out of four): Writer-director M. Night Shyamalan's eco-thriller starts with a clever premise and degenerates into spooky atmospherics, portentous pacing and stiff dialogue.

It all starts in Central Park. People begin speaking gibberish, repeating themselves. Then they stop in their tracks and slowly walk backward. After that, it gets ugly - the less said about that the better. This sequence of events, which concludes with an uncomfortably familiar scene at a construction site, provides the chilling opening to "The Happening", the latest puzzling and puzzle-y thriller from famously secretive writer-director M. Night Shyamalan. As the posters proclaim, this film marks the twist-meister's first foray into R-rated territory, and it's clear from these disturbing opening images that he means to take advantage of that freedom. So then, why does what's happening in "The Happening" feel so goofy?

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"You Don't Mess with the Zohan" ** (out of four): Fans of genital-related humor will be sure to appreciate "Zohan". But for the rest of us, "Mess" sums it up pretty well.

There was a time when every Adam Sandler role was characterized by little more than a funny voice and some serious developmental issues. Then came the "important" projects -- "Punch Drunk Love", "Spanglish", "Reign Over Me" -- where he simply dropped the funny voice. In "You Don't Mess with the Zohan", Sandler returns to the funny voice and adds hair and wardrobe to match.

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"Kung Fu Panda" *** (out of four): Sticking to a tried-and-true formula (hapless underdog discovers he's the Chosen One) still proves effective when it's done with a snappy pace, eye-popping animation and a cast of game comedic vocal talents headed by Jack Black.

If I asked you to tell me the plot of "Kung Fu Panda", the animated tale about the titular bear who yearns to master the titular martial art, you probably could. The writers, Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger (from TV's "King of the Hill"), stick to a tried-and-true formula (hapless underdog discovers he's the Chosen One) and they don't stray too far from the well-trodden (or in this case, well-beaten) path. But while it's been tried (and tried again), the formula does still hold true. Especially when it's done with a snappy pace, eye-popping animation and a cast of game comedic vocal talents headed by Jack Black.

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"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" *** (out of four): It may be a little battered and dusty, but Indiana Jones' fedora still fits.

After an extended absence, Harrison Ford returns to one of his most enduring roles: Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones, Jr. Led by director Steven Spielberg and producer George Lucas, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is the fourth installment of one of the most popular series in film history. "The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" catches up with Indy in 1957, during the height of the Cold War. While the previous films ("Raiders of the Lost Ark", "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" and "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade") were inspired by films of the 30s and 40s, the fourth episode places us smack dab in the Atomic Age -- a time where nuclear bombs, creepy monsters and alien invasions infiltrated every suburban movie screen.

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"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" **1/2 (out of four): It's back to Narnia in this second, and only slightly more meaty, adaptation of the C.S. Lewis fantasy franchise.

The world of Narnia - the magical realm that fueled seven C.S. Lewis fantasy novels - has always struck me as something out of a children's story, filled with kitschy, harmless characters and capped by feel-good moralizing. "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", the 2005 franchise-starter by director Andrew Adamson, only cemented that theory. The film's CG talking animals and PG battle scenes, along with a daintily-handled Christian allegory, made for a Disney-fied adaptation that went down like a spoonful of sugar. The second installment, "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian", picks up either one year or 1300 years after the first film, depending on who you ask. But not much has changed in this series which continues to feel like "Lord of the Rings" lite.

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"Speed Racer" ** (out of four): The Wachowski brothers adapt the classic 60s cartoon as a candy-colored visual sugar-rush that, despite its name, takes a while to cross the finish line.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should admit that I was not a loyal viewer of the 60s animated series "Speed Racer". Nevertheless, I do appreciate its pop cultural influences, particularly when it comes to the introduction of anime - and that catchy "Go Speed Racer Go" theme song - to Western audiences. So it was with fresh eyes that I sat down to watch the Wachowski brothers' candy-colored, CGI-laden visualization of the series, their first feature film since the end of the "Matrix" trilogy. "Speed Racer" originated in Japan as a manga comic by Tatsuo Yoshida. It was adapted as an anime series called "Mach GoGoGo" which came to American audiences in the late 60s with a new name and Western voices. Now that the Wachowskis have adapted the story for the big screen (and even bigger budget), I can't help but feel that something has gotten lost in translation.

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"What Happens in Vegas" **1/2 (out of four): "What Happens in Vegas" is a lot like the city for which it's named - boisterous, silly and probably a lot more fun when intoxicated.

Ah, Las Vegas. Where prince and pauper alike come to throw their cares, money and a few brain cells away. "What Happens in Vegas" tells the story of two incompatible strangers who, after a night of drunken debauchery, find themselves married. After being publicly dumped by her stodgy fiancé, Joy (Cameron Diaz) travels to Sin City to drown her sorrows. There, she bumps into Jack (Ashton Kutcher), who is similarly trying to forget his woes after being fired from his father's cabinet company. Type-A commodities trader Joy and slacker Jack don't get along at first, but after several shots they start to warm up to one another. After a few hours of too much tequila and drunken over-sharing, Joy wakes up in Jack's bed with a ring on her finger.

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"Redbelt" * (out of four): Ill-conceived morality play set in the world of mixed martial arts is clearly a labor of love for writer-director David Mamet. It's just a labor for the audience.

Having studied martial arts, I understand its all-consuming allure. That first time you execute a technique with perfect precision; the first time you block an attack or take-down an opponent. There's an inherent, visceral thrill to the whole thing. There's also an inherent irony to it. Any martial art form worth its salt teaches that a true master avoids confrontation. But damn if those spinning back-kicks aren't fun to do! Martial arts movies have long dealt with the peaceful hero archetype - the protagonist who avoids the battle at all costs until he can no longer stay out of it. With "Redbelt" - an ill-conceived morality play set in the world of mixed martial arts - writer-director David Mamet takes on the familiar themes of honor and pacifism with all the subtlety of a side-thrust-kick in the chest.

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"Iron Man" *** (out of four): Saddled with a fairly typical superhero "origin story", director Jon Favreau compensates with some inspired choices: keeping the pace as fast as possible and casting Robert Downey Jr. as the man behind the mask.

This is the story of a billionaire playboy who, after a life-altering tragedy, constructs a superhero suit for use in an obsessive quest to fight for justice. No, this isn't another reworking of the "Batman" franchise (Christopher Nolan's 2005 version will do quite nicely, thank you). This is "Iron Man" - Marvel Comics' distant, more well-armed cousin. And aside from the above description, "Iron Man" couldn't be more different from the story of the legendary Caped Crusader.

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