Official Australian release date: 31/8/17. Viewed: 2/9/17.
Director:
Patrick Hughes
Actors:
Samuel L. Jackson, Ryan Reynolds, Gary Oldman, Elodie Yung
Genre: Action
/ Comedy
Rating:
MA
‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard’ has been
marketed as a parody of Costner/Houston’s ‘The Bodyguard’ from 25 years ago –
but having never seen that, I can’t compare. It is a pretty straightforward action/comedy,
probably more like ‘RED’. Plot is very simple – a Belarusian dictator (Oldman) is
being tried at The Hague and Interpol need evidence from a hitman he tried to
hire, Kincaid (Jackson). Thanks to Agent Roussel (Yung), Bryce (Reynolds) is
assigned with getting him safely from England to Holland.
There’s a bit of unnecessary backstory
about Bryce’s bodyguard business, and some serious moment with him &
Roussel, but the film’s at its best when it’s just Reynolds & Jackson on
screen, bantering back and forth with at each other. Sure, there’s plenty of
gunfights, explosions, some Bourne-like stunts and actually a surprisingly high
body count, but you never feel like much is at stake and wish they’d focused
more on the humour than the action.
It’s clear Jackson is having a ball and
it’s great to see him laugh genuinely. Reynolds is serviceable, but plays the
straight guy, and it’s always fun to watch Oldman as the villain. Great cameo
from Hayek too. This might almost set the record for the most Jackson “mother-f***er”s
uttered in a film too! Nothing new, no truly hilarious moments, but fun enough.
Overall: Passable shoot-em-up comedy.
Gav's Rating: 3 stars.
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