Leofwine_draca Review of The Hitman's Bodyguard

The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)

Comedy thriller lifted by superb action scenes

[7/10 · 6 April 2018]

I'll admit to the start that I'm not a fan of Ryan Reynolds and his own brand of sarcastic comedy, although I did enjoy DEADPOOL for what its worth. I'd heard a lot about the swearing in this tag-team action comedy featuring Reynolds as a bodyguard teaming up with a hitman (played by a typically wise-cracking Samuel L. Jackson) who needs to get to the ICC but who has an army of mercenary killers waiting to get rid of him. I was expecting the worst, but I really enjoyed this film. Sure, there's a lot of swearing, but no more so than in a usual gangster picture. Reynolds plays it straight which I appreciated and Jackson is quite likeable. The story is familiar and Gary Oldman saddled with one of the most underwritten roles ever, but where this excels is the action; it rocks. It's fast, vivid, and incredibly violent, with numerous henchmen being constantly offed in violent and novel ways. There's a stand-out car chase in the tight canalside streets of Amsterdam which is worth the admission price alone, along with lots of stunts, explosions, and violent gags. I love action, the more realistic the better, so it's a pleasure to see a Hollywood film that doesn't go down the same old CGI-laden superhero route. The likes of THE RAID feel like an inspiration for the gritty choreography here. A shame that modern audiences don't seem to appreciate this kind of action.