The Hitman’s Bodyguard stars Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson doing what they do best — fighting, cursing, and making us laugh. A lot.
The Hitman’s Bodyguard is like a buddy cop movie from the wrong side of the tracks — it just so happens one guy is a former CIA agent-turned-private bodyguard for the rich and dangerous and the other is an actual hitman.
Michael Bryce (Reynolds) thinks boring is better. It makes his job easier, at least. Darius Kincaid (Jackson) disagrees on pretty much every level. He sort of just let’s life happen.
A botched job puts Michael at the bottom of the totem pole, both professionally and personally. When his ex, Agent Amelia Roussel (Elodie Yung), calls him about a chance to redeem himself, Michael can’t pass up the opportunity, even when he realizes his new client is the man who has tried to kill him no less than 28 times.
As an avid follower of the MCU, it’s hard for me to look at these characters and not see their superhero alter-egos. I imagine Hitman’s Bodyguard is what happens when sad Deadpool meets reformed Elektra and retired Nick Fury. Stranger things have happened.
In all actuality, there’s a lot more to this film than meets the eye. Yes, it’s still an action movie. Both Reynolds and Jackson bring their A-game to the table with tight choreography and large physical stunts, with their characters making smart tactical decisions. The explosions and chase sequences are just as big as you’d hope they’d be, with the central car/boat/motorcycle chase scene nearly carrying on for too long toward the end of the movie.
It’s also still a comedy. Reynolds was definitely wearing his Deadpool costume underneath his three-piece suit, though the level of playful sarcasm was diminished in comparison to the Merc with a Mouth. Jackson was in classic form, playing it easy and cool and dropping the word, “motherfucker,” in roughly every other sentence.
Salma Hayek also stole every scene she was in, which wasn’t many, unfortunately, but she was a standout character. We’ve seen Hayek do funny in the past, but she proved to be a one-of-a-kind firecracker who could go toe to toe with her husband Darius any day of the week — and win. Meanwhile, Yung’s character proved to be sharp and capable of taking care of herself, though I wish she’d had more time in the middle of the action.
What I found particularly surprising about Hitman’s Bodyguard was its message about love
Yes, despite bullets whizzing and blood gushing, the film had time to also claim the title of the best romcom of the summer. At its heart, this movie is about the fact that being in love is messy and probably one of the most difficult things you’ll ever have to do. And it’s worth every second.
So, come for the explosions, stay for the laughs, and leave with the hopes that someday you’ll be able to find someone who can put up with all your bullshit.
Grade: A
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