post #275
I can’t stand to fly…I’m not that naĆÆve
I’m just out to find…the better part of me
How does it feel longing for something that is out of your reach? Something…that might not even meant for you? I’m sure it’d eat me up from the inside…
Watching Hancock last nite gave me the inspiration to write another entry. It seemed cool to have extraordinary abilities, to be prominent, to be superheroes. But everything had its toll. Like Uncle Ben’s advice on his dying breath to Peter Parker, “With great power comes great responsibility”
Superheroes might have all those awesome treats, but they also had to sacrifice a lot, ie their personal life. They couldn’t live a normal life. Even some had to live on their own, alone. It’s a matter of choice; they were blessed (or cursed?) with such great power. What were they gonna do with it? The choice they made define them as superhero or not. I guess Spiderman 3 tagline was very good; “The greatest battle lies within” We all had to battle ourselves each day, in each decision we made. Those battles and the results define the person we were. Even superheroes had to endure the same battle, but their burden was much heavier, given the abilities they had.
It may sound absurd...but don’t be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed...but won’t you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
It’s not easy to be me....
Superheroes also wanted things in their life. They had dreams too. They wanted to love and be loved, just like the rest of us I suppose. They could cry, they could hurt; they had emotions too. But even they’re superheroes; they couldn’t always get what they wanted. We might think it’s cool to possess those superpowers, but we often forgot that those could be a burden as well. If I possessed extraordinary abilities, I’d be burdened to use them for greater good, for mankind (well at least that what my conscience would say and urge me to do). Superheroes might have the luxury of doing great things, by sacrificing the possibility of experiencing simple things, normal things.
I sometimes imagined, what if superheroes were in their bad mood? When they’re sick and tired of doing what they’d done? When they need some time just for themselves, not rushing to save the world 24 7? Weren’t they also entitled for a little break? To have simple things, simple moment like a good night sleep, an afternoon walk on the park without worrying what incident might happen which required his/her help? Could they have a normal, peaceful life? Could they every once in a while take full, undisturbed holiday? Maybe they would trade their superpower just to have normal life like everyone else.
Not so interesting anymore to be a superhero, huh?
Okay back to Hancock. [Spoiler warning]. It turned out that he was an angel and that angels were created in pairs. And instinctively they were drawn to each other, so they can live together, to love, to connect, to be mortal, to grow old and die eventually. That’s why they’re weak when they’re together, because they became humans. *phewww… that’s a nice, fresh concept. There were some scenes where the audience could feel Hancock’s loneliness. How he was rejected and felt unloved by the people around him. Yeah he’s a bit eccentric, but his eccentricity was a reaction from the people’s rejection. Which one’s earlier…I dunno. But he finally changed. It’s because a man whose life he saved (quite controversially). It’s open for debate the way he saved Ray’s life. The damaged he caused by saving a person’s life. The potential danger he created, which might injure or even kill other people when he saved Ray.
Again fate brought him to his pair, the lovely Mary. I had to say Charlize Theron looked wonderful in this movie. He had no memories whatsoever about their history and Mary was Ray’s wife. Short story, Ray tried to change Hancock’s image (that’s what PR was all about, right? Image in front of public). Ray’s a good man. And Hancock slowly tried to do so. There’s a scene where Aaron, Ray’s son visited Hancock in jail and gave his favorite dinosaur toy to him. I think that’s quite a booster for Hancock to change his image. It’s amazing how sincerity of a child could touch and change a person.
Then when everything was revealed, it turned out that Mary had to leave Hancock for his own safety, coz it seemed that when they’re together, he’s always hurt. That’s why she thought it’d be better if they just not be together. Woww…I wonder how would it feel? I love a person so much (and vice versa), that person was meant for me, but I couldn’t be with her because each time we’re together, bad things always happened to her. I should be as far as I could to ensure her safety, her wellbeing. That would be….indescribably painful. Sometimes love needed huge all-out sacrifice. That’s what happened to Mary and Hancock. Nice twist of the simple plot. And what bout Ray? How would he feel when he found the truth, that he’s not the one? Would he feel like a rebound guy since Mary couldn’t be with Hancock? Ermmm…correction; Mary could be with Hancock, but she chose not to, for his own sake (so she thought). She thought that Hancock wouldn’t miss what he couldn’t remember. But I guess deep down inside, Hancock must’ve felt something missing in his heart, in his life. He just didn’t know what it was until he met her.
Here comes a question, did superheroes have to life their life alone? How lonely their life must be. Superman used to spend his days in his fortress of solitude, till he finally met Lois Lane. Superman represented all the goodness. He only had one weakness. Yet somehow he just too perfect.
Batman didn’t have anyone to share his burden. He had few sidekicks, but never really had someone to love. Well the only woman he ever loved probably Talia, but she’s Ras Al Ghul’s daughter, his archenemy. Such complicated life. Even Dick Grayson, the first Robin finally decided to operate on his own and became the Nightwing since Batman was really introverted. Well I couldn’t blame him. Both of his parents killed by a petty criminal when he was just a little boy. He spent his entire life in anger, resentment. He managed the desire of vengeance pretty well, but that made him…separated (?). Nobody really knew his real emotions coz he’s very good at shutting down. Probably only Alfred Pennyworth who understood him. He’s emotionally crippled.
After watching Incredible Hulk, I agreed with my homies that Hulk was so miserable. He was depicted lonely, had to stay away from the crowd, manage his anger, and always choose jumbo size pants, just in case. Not only that, he couldn’t even get laid. It turned out that he’d change into Hulk also when he got too excited. And after he got back as Bruce, he’d be half naked at least, couldn’t really remember what happened or what he did. He thought he’d better be far from the ones he loved; just to be sure that he didn’t accidentally hurt them.
If I were a superhero, I’d choose to be Spiderman. The most ‘normal’ and had a pretty good life. He's smart (genius), pretty good looking, witty n had abundant sense of humor. Ok he’s not as rich as Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark, but he had a pretty decent life, a wife who’s pretty, smart and accept his whole identity, plus loved him very much for the way he was.
Hmmmmm…it’s not easy to be me (from the superhero’s point of view)
Five For Fighting – Superman
I can’t stand to fly
I’m not that naive
I’m just out to find
The better part of me
I’m more than a bird...I’m more than a plane
More than some pretty face beside a train
It’s not easy to be me
Wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I’ll never see
It may sound absurd...but don’t be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed...but won’t you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
It’s not easy to be me
Up, up and away...away from me
It’s all right...you can all sleep sound tonight
I’m not crazy...or anything...
I can’t stand to fly
I’m not that naive
Men weren’t meant to ride
With clouds between their knees
I’m only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me
Inside of me
Inside me
Yeah, inside me
Inside of me
I’m only a man
In a funny red sheet
I’m only a man
Looking for a dream
I’m only a man
In a funny red sheet
And it’s not easy, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm...
Its not easy to be me