Four years ago, everyone thought Hutch Man (Bob Odenkirk; Better Call Saul) was a boring, suburban husband who worked behind a desk 40 hours a week. However, after a home invasion by masked gunmen, it was revealed that Hutch was actually a former government assassin. After a series of events, he accidentally kills a Russian Mafia family member and burns up a pallet full of money. In the sequel, Nobody 2, which is coming to theaters this week, Hutch is once again working as a mule to repay the money he set on fire. However, his old career, which has now become his new career again, keeps him out late at night and away from his family.
To remedy this problem, Hutch decides to take his wife, Becca (Connie Nielsen; Wonder Woman), and his two kids, Brady (Gage Munroe; Tales of the Walking Dead) and Sammy (Paisley Cadorath; Harland Manor), on a family vacation. Going back to the vacation town, Hutch's Dad, David (Christopher Lloyd; Back to the Future trilogy), took him and his brother, Harry (RZA; American Gangster), to, Hutch remembers things differently, especially when the Sheriff gets in Hutch's face. After a confrontation, Hutch does some investigating and learns that the town is a front for illegal activities and all of it is controlled by a maniac named Lendina (Sharon Stone; Basic Instinct).
Returning to the script for this sequel is writer Derek Kolstad (The John Wick Series), who brought heart and humor to the first film. Joining him is Aaron Rabin, who was one of the writers for the television series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, which starred John Krasinski (A Quiet Place). The duo infuse the story with the same elements audiences enjoyed in the first film and combined the plot of a broken family with witty, laugh-out-loud moments. Some of the dialogue is cliché, but certainly not offensive.
Odenkirk might not have been the first choice to play an action star, but since Hutch had become an ordinary family man with a boring job, he fits the story well. His Hutch is alternately sweet and caring, then volatile with the snap of one's fingers, and he plays the character well. Nielsen is an excellent choice as wife and mother because Becca is the glue that holds the family together, who must exude a sense of being in charge. Lloyd is getting up there in age, but he still has the same enthusiasm and comedic timing that made audiences fall in love with him in many of his previous roles. Stone plays a b*tch; a role she seems to slip into easily. If anyone, she is the most miscast. She is looking old, and I didn't get the sense of ruthlessness I think the script called for. Instead, she seemed to come across as mentally unstable, which made her dangerous but also kind of pathetic.
Director Timo Tjahjanto (Killers) tends to lean more towards the horror genre, which explains the level of gore infused into this sequel. However, he seems to understand the action/thriller aspects of Nobody 2, and his end result is a 90-minute-long, entertaining movie. He also employed the services of 87 North Production company, which has been stunt coordinators on some of the most successful action films in the past 10 years.
Nobody 2 isn't going to win any awards; however, it is a serviceable movie that can help you forget your troubles for about an hour and a half. As with most sequels, it isn't as good as the original film, either, but it isn't a horrible movie.
If you like action and need a few laughs, Nobody 2 is a decent movie to consider.
Grade: C+