The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek, Antonio Banderas, Morgan Freeman, Frank Grillo, Tom Hopper, Richard E. Grant
Directed by: Patrick Hughes
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Comedy, Thriller
2021

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) gets pulled back into dangerous situations when he must once again unite with Darius (Samuel L. Jackson) and Sonia (Salma Hayek).

Review:

Tim: The Hitman's Bodyguard was a decent but forgettable movie. It had fun moments, but ultimately didn't have much staying power. So, I was a bit surprised when the band got back together to do a sequel. The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard feels like a true sequel in every sense- it's just about as good, just about as flawed. The same characters find themselves in similar situations. This film doesn't really add much to the characters or their story (yes, some character progression occurs), but it's still somewhat fun to reunite with these characters. I felt the same way about this sequel as I did the original- it wasn't terrible, wasn't particularly good. I didn't mind spending time watching it.

The biggest appeal of the original is the same as this one- you get to see three great actors having fun in R-rated roles. That's mostly what this movie has going for it. I felt like Ryan Reynolds' character became a bit too buffoonish in this film (I wasn't a big fan of the therapy angle), but it still gives Reynolds a chance to do what he does best. He's a truly funny actor with impeccable timing. At this point, he's an action star, too. Combining these two together is always fun and he excels at these kinds of roles. I love the pairing of him with Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson just eats these roles alive. It calls on him to leverage all of his natural abilities and he just delivers an entertaining performance. It was fun seeing these two reunite in these roles. Salma Hayek was one of the biggest highlights of the first film and I'm glad she returned here. Her character felt more one-note this time around, but I'll never complain too loudly at getting to see Hayek play this energetic, foul-mouthed role. It's great fun and she rounds out the main cast beautifully.

The supporting cast was quite exciting on paper, but it felt like director Patrick Hughes didn't quite leverage them fully. I love when Antonio Banderas plays villains, but his role here felt underutilized. His character was never able to take up much space and he easily becomes an afterthought. Some of this is due to the script being fairly weak, but I expected to be more impressed by Banderas' impact on the film. He's good, but his impact is minimal. You can say the same thing about Morgan Freeman. I love that Freeman joined this film, but it's mostly for an unfunny gag and a little story progression. Again, Freeman is one of the all-time greats and he didn't get to do a whole lot here. He felt underutilized, too. I'm a big Frank Grillo fan and I was glad to see him here. Although he can carry a film himself, I think he's a better supporting character. He did well, elevating a supporting role beyond what it would normally be. While the supporting cast is fine, there's no doubt that the movie is all about the Reynolds-Jackson-Hayek trifecta.

My biggest complaint with this sequel is that the story felt weak and secondary. It's an afterthought. I'm honestly trying to remember the details of the story and it's a struggle. I remember humorous moments, gags, a few effective sequences. I know the general character arcs. What was the movie about though? Bad guys, and other bad guys and some good guys and Ryan Reynolds is caught in the middle. Honestly, the story itself is so uninspiring and so unmemorable that it greatly hurts the film. The story is just like the current pulling these characters along- we focus on the fish and don't even notice the water. For these movies to be better, we actually need to care about why they're doing what they're doing. That doesn't happen here. The emphasis seems to be, "Who cares?! Just look at these three doing funny things together!" Not a strong foundation for a good movie.

I think in the end, Patrick Hughes knows that. This is the lightest, most disposable entertainment. It's entertainment, for sure- like I said, I found The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard to be a decent movie. It never really had aspirations higher than that. It banks everything on its stars and doesn't have much left over. The action is fine, the story is forgettable, the villains paper thin. If you want to be mildly entertained, you'd do well with this film. However, despite the somewhat enjoyable ride, you'll still feel a sense that this movie could have been better in almost every area.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Hitman's Bodyguard, The Expendables 3, Smokin' Aces, Red Notice