Film Review: Un-Buddy-Like Violence in ‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard’

Submitted by PatrickMcD on August 17, 2017 - 4:59pm

CHICAGO – One day I would like to meet a professional assassin. Are they as quippy and biblical as Samuel L. Jackson? This tired movie occupation is trotted out again, this time pairing Jackson with Ryan Reynolds, in an overwrought and ultra-violent buddy comedy, “The Hitman’s Bodyguard.”

Rating: 2.5/5.0

I almost typed “The Hitman’s Holiday” because those actors got a pretty good free working vacations, highlighted by London and Amsterdam. But they also shoot up and blow up these two places, which makes it a bit too close to the reality of recent terrorism activities, and probably explains the film’s lackluster release in the dog days of August. Samuel L. Jackson gets full use of his tried-and-true persona, which is fine when you want to cash a paycheck, and want to make sure that you don’t have to work too hard. Ryan Reynolds does his smarmy dude as well, as he cools his heels before the next “Deadpool” movie comes out. It’s not bad, it’s not good, it just is (with a huge dead body count).

Michael Bryce (Reynolds) is a Triple AAA rated “executive” bodyguard, who loses that status when a VIP Japanese arms dealer is killed under his watch. Two years later he is down and out, trying to get his rating back and pining for an old flame named Amelia (Elodie Yung), who happens to be an Interpol agent. Amelia’s latest case is a transfer assignment for Darius Kincaid (Jackson), a professional assassin.

It turns out Kincaid is the only living witness that can testify against Vladistav Dukhovich (Gary Oldman) – an exiled Russian despot suspected of genocide – at the Hague in the Netherlands. Interpol offers Kincaid an exchange… the freedom of his imprisoned wife Sonia (Salma Hayek) for his cooperation. But he’s going to need a bodyguard to get to the Hague on time, and Michael Bryce happens to be available.

“The Hitman’s Bodyguard” opens everywhere on August 18th. Featuring Samuel L. Jackson, Ryan Reynolds, Gary Oldman, Salma Hayek and Elodie Yung. Written by Tom O’Connor. Directed by Patrick Hughes. Rated “R”