Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard

The verbal humour was a bit hammy at times, but otherwise it was pleasantly irreverent, with an impeccable Salma Hayek. I hate to use the cliché that she “had fun”, but in her case it really applies and she must have enjoyed her part incredibly. I guess the guys and gals behind the camera on set must have had fun during her performances too, including the flapper. Moreover, in the case of Salma, this is clear evidence that a woman in her fifties can look great even without hideous plastic surgery (Hollywood princesses say hello). (08/23/2021)

The second Hitman’s Bodyguard is more or less a sort of compilation of what I hate about contemporary mainstream cinema, namely an overabundance of characters, CGI out of laziness, pop culture giggles, Ryan Reynolds, and a fixation on nostalgia for old faces. But somehow I couldn't get angry at it, because it managed, I guess, to convey the mood of a place where quite obviously no one could care less and does whatever they want. It's written on drugs, acted on drugs, and the fee for Richard E. Grant's cameo must have kept the Croatian dealers busy for weeks. The upside is that this train doesn't stall and even when there isn't exactly an action scene going on, there is dialogue that is played with such nonsensical intensity and written so over the top that it comes across as an action scene. In any case, the gold digger Salma Hayek is utterly unbearable and undoubtedly deserving of a golden Anna Nicole Smith statue. (10/13/2021)

Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson and Salma Hayek must stop Antonio Banderas from destroying Europe, but they'll have plenty of work to do to keep from killing each other. The sequel to The Hitman’s Bodyguard brings back characters that were fun in the first one, but this time they've run out of gas. There's still plenty of action and it doesn't look bad, but when it's supposed to be funny, the film feels insecure and, more importantly, almost embarrassing in that it's built entirely on the fact that two people are yelling at a third for two hours. Significantly weaker than the first one, and a completely pointless film. (07/14/2021)

Unfortunately, the sequel didn’t quite hit the mark. It’s somewhat surprising, considering that the main cast remained the same as in the first film. While the jokes on the edge of being cringeworthy had their charm, and I enjoyed the banter between Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson, the creators took it too far this time. Everything was pushed towards overly crude humor that didn’t sit well with me (especially Salma Hayek, who I preferred in a supporting role). The story had nothing substantial to offer; it was overly clichéd and full of tropes. The action didn’t captivate me either. Compared to the excellent shootout with Interpol or the chase through the picturesque Amsterdam alleys, this installment lacked such engaging scenes. The excessive digital effects and sometimes off-putting CGI were also quite irritating. Morgan Freeman's cameo and Antonio Banderas' crazy villain role were enjoyable, but unfortunately, that wasn’t enough. I give it 4.5/10. (07/29/2022)

In the second adventure of the erratic bodyguard, the straightforward assassin and his even more straightforward wife, the storyline has shifted from bromance to a kind of relationshi(p/t) romance, and as a result it has lost some of the attractiveness and freshness of the first one. Nevertheless, this sequel still managed to entertain me enough and quite thrill me through verbal and physical shootouts, all sorts of innuendos and decently dosed action. Personally, I would have shortened the film by about fifteen minutes and cut out the babbling about family. The character of the bad guy was rather irrelevant, which is perhaps a bit of a pity, but on the other hand it was nice to see Morgan Freeman in a smaller role. (07/25/2021)