The first Nobody does it better
Hutch Mansell, the deceptively mild-mannered, disgruntled everyman (and former elite assassin), is back. Hutch pleased audiences with a barrage of brutal bad guy beat downs in 2021’s Nobody, directed by Ilya Naishuller (Heads of State), a self-aware, more grounded version of a John Wick-esque action flick. Nobody was a surprise hit, considering its non-action star, Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul; Mr. Show), and because its release coincided with the controversial return to theaters from Covid-19 lockdowns. And yet its success greenlit a sequel, and Nobody 2, from director Timo Tjahjanto (The Shadow Strays), mostly delivers the same ruthless fun as the original, but with more than a few questionable choices.
Picking up not too long after the events of Nobody, Hutch is required to accept a string of dangerous missions in order to repay a debt to a shadowy government organization, a debt he unknowingly created by burning a money stockpile during his scorched earth destruction of the Russian criminal organization that ended the first film. His secret repayment efforts emotionally and physically distance him from his wife, Becca (Connie Nielsen) and children, Brady (Gage Munroe) and Sammy (Paisley Cadorath). Fearing family dissolution, Hutch books a family vacation to Plummerville, an old amusement park where his father, David (Christopher Lloyd), took Hutch and his brother, Harry (RZA), as children. As is Hutch’s unavoidable habit, he loses control of his violent temper after an arcade altercation involving his kids, and his actions end up putting him and his family in jeopardy with the town sheriff (Colin Hanks) and local crime bosses.
Extra attention at the beginning of Nobody 2 is paid to the Mansell family members, primarily Becca and Brady, which is fine for setting the stakes. It’s when these two get extra distinct moments within the film’s bloody finale that their increased screen time feels unnaturally forced. There are also three crime bosses, which is one or two too many. The first Nobody film benefitted from a primary villain who got to soak up screen time– the karaoke-loving, disturbingly eccentric Russian mob boss, Yulian, played hilariously by stage actor Aleksey Serebryakov. The expanded lineup of antagonists in Nobody 2 means that each baddie gets less time to develop, which is most unfortunate for the “ultimate” villain of the film, who I won’t spoil, but she is saddled with a role akin to an extended cameo, rather than a memorably villainous character turn.
Tjahjanto’s ability to capture fight scenes isn’t as polished as Naishuller’s, but the latter’s sense of bone-crunching humor remains at a high level in Nobody 2. One fight in particular, which takes place on an unsuspecting river tour “duck” boat, is very exciting. The Home Alone styled booby-traps as a combat tactic, once again, for the finale when the Mansells face off against an army of military minions, aren’t as thrilling as the warehouse fight in the first Nobody. This final amusement park set piece is heavy on logical flaws and a few cheap-looking explosions, lacking the urgency to prevent the audience from pondering, “why do the baddies with guns keep running after their targets in a straight line and into obvious traps?”
On another positive note, Nobody 2’s brisk sub-ninety minute run time buoys its sense of uncomplicated fun. Nobody 2 features numerous needle drops, inventive camera movements, and quick cutting to move us appreciatively from one scene to the next within a sequential plot. While the sequel doesn’t have as much to say about suburban masculinity as the first film, Nobody 2 is more interested in the idea of a family “making memories,” a recurring joke that works increasingly well as the Mansell family’s vacation descends deeper into chaos. Unfortunately, Nobody 2 simply isn’t very memorable.
—–
Nobody 2 opens in theaters on Friday, August 15th.
