In the past few years the cold, calculating secret agent - think James Bond - has met his box-office match in the touchy-feely introspection of Jason Bourne, a protagonist aghast at the killing machine he has become. Can the flawed superhero be far behind?

As the title character in the blockbuster Hancock, Will Smith has superhuman strength, can leap skyscrapers and has the almost-mandatory speeding-bullet "is it a bird, is it a plane?" flight skills. What's more, rather than coming from outer space like Superman, Hancock acquired his superhero powers from a simple knock on the head as a teenager in Miami.

So why do the citizens of Hancock's protectorate, Los Angeles, greet each of his forays against crime with utter derision while, at the same time, the authorities ticket him for offences ranging from littering to vandalism?

"Well, he's got 'issues'... serious issues," Smith explains. "The traditional superhero, like Superman, is a pretty buttoned-down type. They've got it all over Hancock because they pay attention to presentation, image and clean-up.

"But Hancock has a serious drinking problem which affects his performance big time. When he's needed, he's got a hangover. And when he gets there, he's mean, sarcastic and not above causing some collateral damage for the fun of it."

Clearly what's needed is a good intervention - family and friends confronting him over his bad behaviour - or, at the least, enrolment in a 12-step program. But that's not so easy when you're a one-of-a-kind, supercharged loner with no known family or contactable peers.

Such a task might be too hard for a shrink but not for an image consultant. During one of Hancock's botched interventions, he saves a motorist from a speeding train. As usual, the collateral damage is immense: rather than stopping the locomotive in its tracks, Hancock pulverises it and takes out a few dozen cars in the vicinity for good measure.

The rescued motorist turns out to be a bleeding-heart PR man named Ray (Jason Bateman), who has a missionary zeal about the power of the image makeover. To show his gratitude, Ray decides to give Hancock a hand with his image issues.

Ray has his work cut out for him. Hancock has no power uniform - no Batsuit or even a pair of red Superman-style trunks - to wear in a crisis situation. Hancock works in grungy street clothes, usually with a half-empty bottle of liquor in one hand, and his personal hygiene leaves something to be desired.

A superhero, Ray points out, would be perfect for an endorsement deal for men's cosmetics but Hancock's lousy grooming makes him a non-starter.

"But Ray is no PR cynic," Bateman says. "He believes he can make the world a better place. So it's not just some shallow PR gloss he wants to toss at Hancock. He thinks that by making Hancock sensitive to behaviour that grates with the public, he'll be a better superhero."

HANCOCK

Director Peter Berg Stars Will Smith, Jason Bateman, Charlize Theron Rated M. Screening now.