Mega Stars Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson give audiences a humorous thrill ride in “The Hitman’s Bodyguard.” Their respective characters, Michael Bryce and Darius Kincaid had in depth personas, which audiences were privy to in bits and pieces.
Critics gave the flick mixed reviews, perhaps that was due to the excessive usage of foul language or the amount of blood in most every scene. “It was like a movie Klonopin,” wrote Emily Yoshida for Vulture.
In reality, “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” is far from tranquilizing. It had some long-ish chase scenes, however, they were entertaining. The battles between the heavily armed good guys and bad men were a bit cowboyish and somewhat predictable.
Nonetheless, Reynolds, the bodyguard, and Jackson, the hitman, dished up chemistry making even the longest scene worthwhile. The dialogue, facial expressions, physical interaction between the two actors was hilarious. The pair bantered, argued, and shared stories of their pasts.
Not to be outdone, the women who portrayed their loved ones in “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” played significant parts adding angst and love to the storyline. Kincaid’s wife, Sonia, was portrayed Salma Heyak. Elodie Yung performed the part of Bryce’s ex-girlfriend and an Interpol Agent.
Although every story needs a villain, “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” had more than its fair share. Everywhere the stars turned they were confronted with the heavily-armed mercenaries. Their goal was to secure the freedom of their boss, dictator Vladislav Dukhovich, who was currently standing trial for crimes against humanity.
With his ability to morph into any character, Gary Oldman was almost unrecognizable as Dukhovich. Whereas, “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” lead stars looked and acted predictably. That said, Jackson’s persona as a foul mouthed bad guy almost overshadowed Reynolds.
Hayek’s character cussed more than her on-screen husband. Yet her overall personality was hilariously eccentric. She was in prison for her part in her hubby’s crimes. When she spoke with the guards it was obvious the only control they had was locking the door. Also, using intimidation she forced her cellmate to stand with her face in the corner. Toward the end of the movie, she finally allowed the woman to move.
Intertwined with the car chases and shootouts the audience becomes privy to the feud between the two main characters as well as the relationships with their respective women.
One of the memorable scenes in “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” occurred when they were thrown together after the Interpol team transporting Jackson were murdered by the dictator’s thugs. Reynolds was less than pleased that his former girlfriend asked him to escort Jackson to testify against Oldman’s character. His recollection of his last known meeting with the hitman was not grand. During the flashback scene, the audience learns that Jackson shot at Reynolds but missed him. This resulted in a humorous temper tantrum.
In the end, the two accomplished their task. They had until 5:00 p.m. but they arrived at with three seconds to left on the clock. Naturally, Oldman’s attorney attempted to have the court dismiss the case since there was no one with testimony that could be verified. The judges did not agree and heard Jackson’s story, which was accompanied by video and photos of the genocide perpetrated by Oldman’s regime.
Fans of any of the stars in “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” will not be disappointed with the rollicking action, angst, flashbacks, and characters with larger-than-life personas. Most of all, audiences will laugh.
Opinion by Cathy Milne
Sources:
Vulture: I Think I Saw The Hitman’s Bodyguard, But I Can’t Be Sure
Cinemark Theater Showing: ‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard’
IMDb: The Hitman’s Bodyguard
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