The Hitman’s Bodyguard

If you’ve had the chance to watch any of the trailers for this movie you already know what you’re getting in to: a bumpy action ride with Samuel L Jackson (Darius) and his undesired partner Ryan Reynolds (Michael) in what could be called the Lethal Weapon of the 21^st century.

Although not the best buddy film out there, The Hitman’s Bodyguard has its moments and is hugely entertaining. The story begins when Reynolds’s character, who earns a living running a high-profile protection agency, loses a big client. 15 minutes in and his life has been already turned upside down, as he is working now as a personal bodyguard to survive.  At the same time, Samuel L Jackson has been caught by the Interpol, which later uses him to testify against Vladisnav Ducknovich (Gary Oldman) at the International Criminal Court.

Besides the convoluted plotline, the movie manages to misuse CGI technology in several action scenes that could have been certainly shot on site. Regarding action in the feature, with the exception of some originally choreographed moves during the first encounter of Reynolds and Jackson, there is nothing really surprising or thrilling.

The comedy side of it, on the other hand doesn’t disappoint, being perhaps the main attraction for the audience. We get a good number of interesting topics, which are unfortunately not explored enough, such as the definition of good and evil or if taking the life of someone “who deserves it” should be punished. The chemistry between Reynolds and Jackson is palpable, which makes their scenes the most entertaining in this two-hour action flick.

As well as the two leads and the always mesmerising Gary Oldman (with a Russian accent this time), we can find some interesting female characters here, played by Salma Hayek and Elodie Yung. Even though their purpose is incarnating the protagonists’ love interests, there is some space for quirky and intelligent dialogue too – especially from Hayek, as the tough killer’s wife.

It’s hard to get into detail about the coherence of this movie, since it doesn’t take itself too seriously, following sequence after sequence of over-the-top car chases, shiny explosions and shootings between good and bad guys. However, it is an action-packed comedy ride for the summer time – fun and disposable.

Maria Barrios

The Hitman’s Bodyguard is released nationwide on 17^th August 2017.

Watch the trailer for The Hitman’s Bodyguard here: