Nobody 2 takes the easy route

Nobody 2 – 2025
Director Timo Tjahjanto
Screenplay Derek Kolstad, Aaron Rabin
Starring Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, John Ortiz, Colin Hanks, RZA, Colin Salmon, Christopher Lloyd, Sharon Stone

Bob Odenkirk helped to create one of the best television shows of all time in Better Call Saul. No critic begrudges him a John Wick lite franchise. In it, he cosplays as a tough guy killer. He does jobs while holding down the role of everyman father. That this film would fall short of the first would seem natural. That most critics seem to miss that point is odd.

The movie starts with several images. In them, Odenkirk’s Hutch and his wife Becca (Nielsen) are texting one another about dinner. Each night he misses it. Each night she is disappointed as her kids veg out in front of their phones. By the time they have “the talk,” we already know Becca’s somehow going to be involved in the climax.

The talk has Hutch agrees they need to go on a vacation. Hutch picks the place, an out of the way amusement park town of Plummerville. Why? Because that’s the only vacation his own father (Lloyd) took him and his brother (RZA) when they were children.

Of course his promise to leave work at work falls short, the first place in which the family lands. He chastises his son about staying away from violence. Despite this, they both end up in a jail run by the owner of the park.

There is little of interest beyond here. Colin Hanks plays a bad guy with a horrible haircut. Sharon Stone overacts the hell out of a bit part. The wife takes out Stone after another finale that is closer to the A-Team than actual entertainment.

There are moments of inspiration here. Most of them just involve Odenkirk looking tired as he is getting his ass kicked. And I still enjoy RZA in all of his forms. There’s not enough of that to make up for the predictable pabulum.

If you enjoyed the first film, just watch it again.

(** out of *****)