Rating: 3/5
Synopsis:
I never thought a movie like “Nobody” would get a sequel. But sometimes the dumb fun action movies are a sleeper success! “Nobody 2” sees Hutch return as a suburban dad, trying to balance time with his family with his dangerous work responsibilities. He decides to take his family on a vacation to remove himself from work. But when they get pulled into a conflict, he must get involved and stop the bloodshed…even on vacation. Can Hutch save his family and stop a conflict that is larger than he predicted?
Positives:
“Nobody 2” is a film with few surprises. It gleefully continues the shenanigans and over the top violence from the original. Audiences who enjoy that kind of content will enjoy this sequel. The story doesn’t get bogged down by convoluted world building, instead setting up a continuation of the original story. Hutch gets pulled back into his assassin ways through an event spiraling out of control. Good guy kills bad guys in entertainingly absurd ways, all in a ninety minute runtime. If audiences are looking for a fun action romp that doesn’t require too much thinking, “Nobody 2” delivers that in spades! Bob Odenkirk is great as Hutch, balancing the dorky suburban dad aura while turning up his action chops when he needs to. The rest of the cast does their part nicely, fitting into the absurd premise and embracing the cheese. Even Sharon Stone hams it up nicely as the main antagonist. I love that this franchise embraces its R-rating, adding plenty or violence and gnarly fight scenes for audiences to enjoy. The story is entertaining enough, where a corrupt town has deep seeded ties to the criminal underworld. Hutch ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time, so he has to fight his way out of it. Simple, easy, and entertaining. Sometimes that’s enough!
Negatives:
For some audiences, “Nobody 2” will be too mundane to enjoy. It doesn’t set the world on fire or reinvent the action genre. It plays the story safe and provides audiences with what they come to see. Yes, it’s dumb…and absurd. Viewers who didn’t enjoy the first aren’t going to be won over here. It has plot holes galore and doesn’t take itself too seriously. But I commend the film for knowing its audience and creating a film that continues the premise the first. I wish Sharon Stone’s villain got more exposure as her role feels shortchanged. We don’t learn much about her in the film. Having Colin Hanks as the main antagonist might have been a smarter move since he is featured more prominently throughout the story.
Conclusion:
I had a fun time with “Nobody 2”. It delivers on the promise of mindless, well-choreographed action that audiences expect. Bob Odenkirk is in top form, adding to the impressive steps he takes to become an action star. While the story is generic, it is entertaining enough to sustain itself. Check this one out to see more violent showdowns between Hutch and some henchman. But this time…he’s on vacation!
