After The Hitman's Bodyguard was a relative success at the box-office, it was inevitable we would be getting a sequel at some point. There is some fun to be had with these films but my main gripe with them is that it doesn't feel as if they make the most of the premise and the talent involved to deliver something better than a by-the-numbers action comedy that doesn't particularly excel at either.
The world's most lethal odd couple - bodyguard Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) and hitman Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson) - are back on another life-threatening mission. Still unlicensed and under scrutiny, Bryce is forced into action by Darius's even more volatile wife, the infamous international con artist Sonia Kincaid (Salma Hayek). As Bryce is driven over the edge by his two most dangerous protectees, the trio get in over their heads in a global plot and soon find that they are all that stand between Europe and a vengeful and powerful madman.
There seems to be a much louder and scattershot approach to both the comedy and action in Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard that genuinely seems to work in its favour. This feels like a better film but only marginally, the writing team embracing the silliness and fully committing to deliver a bombastic sequel that works as a throwaway summer blockbuster offering a good time at the cinema. The action is once again one of the film's main selling points however, Patrick Hughes hasn't really learnt from the first film with sequences either cut to shit or shot way too close that just makes it pretty hard to follow what's happening.
The comedy is where this film should excel too but, while I found this film a lot funnier than the first film, it still feels far too basic and juvenile to set it apart from other action comedies that work better. I mentioned this was a louder film than the first and a lot of that is down to Salma Hayek's Sonia having a much more prominent role this time round, giving Jackson's Darius a run for his money in the foul-mouthed department. A lot of the humour comes from the use of profanities and it can get pretty tiresome but at least they are a little more creative with them this time round.
They did miss a major trick when it comes to Morgan Freeman's character but to go into that would be spoilers. Let me just say that while the route they went got laughs, who I had in mind would have been so much better.
Coming to the performances, the trio of Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson and Salma Hayek are clearly having a blast working together and it really does go a long way in making the film at least enjoyable to watch. Reynolds is his usual self, which isn't necessarily a bad thing as he does it well, and he ends up being the best of the cast in this sequel, his reactions to both Jackson and Hayek showing great comedic timing in places. Jackson makes it seem as if his script just directs him to throw in as many profanities as possible however, there is no one else you'd want to be doing that. It's Hayek who redeems herself for me as I didn't take to her character at all in the first film but I guess knowing what to expect this time round helped a little, her loud and foul-mouthed turn being entertaining rather than irritating.
Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard is a better sequel but that's not the compliment you might think it is seeing as the first film was quite a disappointment for me. The ending makes me think we will get another one and I maybe I should just learn to embrace it than fight it off.
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