Nobody 2

Nobody 2
Starring Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, Sharon Stone, Christopher Lloyd
Directed by Timo Tjahjanto

Ever since "John Wick" blew up (pretty much literally) the action cinematic landscape, copycats have emerged from the woodwork to try to ride the coattails of its success. 2021's "Nobody" was different than those other forgettable films because of its premise: a literal nobody, an older family man, is secretly a trained assassin. Bob Odenkirk was best known for his Emmy-winning comedic writing and his iconic role as Saul in "Breaking Bad" and the spinoff "Better Call Saul," showcased his action prowess with this surprise sleeper hit that many compared to the original "John Wick," so of course a sequel was quickly announced. Sadly, unlike the continued success of "John Wick," "Nobody 2" felt more of the same, and added nothing new or exciting to the festivities - in fact, it seemed everyone on screen looked absolutely bored to be there.

Working to pay back the debtors after the events of the previous film, Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) finds his relationship with his family - his wife Becca (Connie Nielsen), son Brady (Gage Munroe), and daughter Sammy (Paisley Cadorath) - begins to deteriorate due to his constant assignments. He finally stands his ground and takes his family on vacation to Plummerville, an amusement park that Hutch remembered his father David (Christopher Lloyd) taking him to when he was young. Upon arriving, however, he learns the amusement park is anything but amusing, and gets into a major scuffle with some park employees who get rough with his daughter, bringing unnecessary attention to the true purpose of Plummerville: it's a major bootlegging root run by the psychopath Lendina (Sharon Stone) and the corrupt town sheriff Abel (Colin Hanks). Hutch learns of the shady dealings and sets out to make things right, but in the process puts himself - and his family - at risk.

"Nobody" was a fun blend of action and comedy that was done with care, precision, and heart. Everyone involved in the project - especially Odenkirk - took pride in their final product, and it showed on the big screen, earning over $57 million dollars. The movie was shot with intensity, and Odenkirk's Hutch was a one-man wrecking crew who took out enemies left and right, but also took a licking as well. He isn't as polished as John Wick, and it's the endearing factor of the movie: proving that anybody can be a "nobody."

That whimsical and wonder waned with the sequel, which has already established Hutch as a trained assassin, and therefore the amazement of seeing Odenkirk kicking butt has lost its luster. We know what a badass he is, and it shows in numerous generic action sequences that feel carbon copied from the original - as well as other more well-established action movies of the 80s and the 90s. There's nothing new or special anymore, and "Nobody 2" feels like a nobody in the grand scheme of action sequels.

Usually even in mediocre films you see the actors trying to give it their all, but hardly anyone on screen seems to even care. Bob Odenkirk has checked out so badly it wouldn't surprise me to learn that he was replaced by a robot with pre-listed moves. Connie Nielsen also blandly sleepwalks through her performance, even though she's actually given more to work with, and Colin Hanks - I'm sure - was actually asleep through most of the film and his lines were added later. 

The only two actors who seemed to be having fun was Christopher Lloyd and Sharon Stone. Lloyd returns as Hutch's father, and is far and away different than his lovable Doc Brown - a cigar smoking, cursing, trained assassin in his own right. He proves that he still has the chops in his older years, and at least he's having fun. Stone's Lendina pays homage to classic villains who are way too confident for their own good, and who ham it up for the camera (especially in a dancing segment that seemed cringy, but at least it was fun).

The film culminates in an explosive conclusion at the amusement park, and since you already know the pre-determined outcome, there's no stakes whatsoever. "Nobody 2" tries to re-create that magic, but ultimately it's a soulless endeavor that has some decent action, but nothing else.

The Score: C+