The Mosley Review: Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
Well this was indeed a welcomed surprise. In many cases when it comes to action comedies, those films get sequels that are just cash grabs that ramp up what were the best parts of the original and then completely go off the rails. They go so overboard on the comedy, that its unbearable to watch. The first film I felt had almost no idea what it wanted to be. There were so many great elements of a good action film that are mixed into a sometimes charming story of redemption for a certain character, but it was very janky and not too particularly memorable. There were too many ingredient being cooked in small pot. Now comes another pot with a few ingredients taken out and well, this dish tasted really good. All the crass and abrasive humor is back with some truly fun slapstick moments that work in tandem with each character and the overall plot. The action is even bigger, better and it serves the story and character choices which took me by surprise. It was like the director actually learned from their mistakes, rectified them and delivered a film that has an identity. This really doesn't happen often in these type of films.
Ryan Reynolds returns as Michael Bryce and this time around he showcased the more slapstick and classic physical comedy. I liked that we got a deeper dive into what drove him to want to become the world's best bodyguard. Ryan's comedy style is intact, but he keeps the character even more grounded this time. There were moments of great character growth that I loved seeing, but there some of those moments where trampled on with quips. Samuel L. Jackson returns as Darius Kincaid and he was even quicker, brutal and hilarious this time around. Sam was truly having a blast running around. Some of the best moments for the character were when Darius and Michael's bromance actually grew stronger. Selma Hayek truly was the star of the film and as Darius's wife Sonia, she was even more insanely abrasive and dangerous. I loved her creative spouts of harsh language and she really kicked so much ass in every action scene. I loved the chemistry between her and Sam and her motherly feelings she had towards Ryan. Antonio Banderas was perfectly cool and slick as the main antagonist Aristotle Papadopoulos. It was fun to see him play a villain that was truly ripped out of a Bond film, but he's so electric you can't take your eyes off of him. My Desperado loving heart fluttered once he reunited with Selma Hayek in scene that just highlights the reason why those two are such a perfect on screen couple. Frank Grillo is always great to see on screen and he was fun as the Interpol Agent Bobby O'Neill. Morgan Freeman was just having fun and I won't spoil his role in the film, but its a hilarious scene once he shows up.
The score by the returning composer Atli Örvarsson was fun and kept the energy pulsating in every action scene. The action this time around was actually the highlight of the film and its handled with excellent editing and great brutality. I also loved that the action was influenced and complimented the comedy. Director Patrick Hughes succeeded in making a sequel that amazingly surpassed the original. The comedy was great, the action was awesome and you finally see the cook pass his academy exam by making a fun and tasty meal for everyone to enjoy. Definitely check this one out in theaters folks and stick around for 2 great credit scenes! Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
