‘Nobody 2’: Bob Odenkirk Is an Assassin Just Trying to Go on Vacation in Crackling Sequel

Alci Rengifo

Action movies are almost becoming the equivalent of fun getaways for middle-aged actors looking to escape the dreariness of serious drama. When “Nobody” was first released in 2021, it became a surprise hit by introducing Bob Odenkirk to that Liam Neeson club of men with dad facades who could become instant killing machines. In many ways Odenkirk has an even better visage for this kind of role. One look at the guy and you would never imagine him mowing down an army of mobsters. That’s the joy of it all. “Nobody 2” is a worthy sequel in that its main goal is to deliver more of what everyone liked in the first movie. It’s a new story to be sure, but wisely keeps the same energy and sense of humor.

Suburban dad and former government assassin Hutch Mansell (Odenkirk) finds himself now doing a grueling amount of hitman missions. He needs to pay off all the money he burned down in the first movie while taking down a ruthless Russian gangster. Hutch basically owes a shadowy syndicate somewhere around $30 million. Wife Becca (Connie Nielsen) and kids Brady (Gage Munroe) and Sammy (Paisley Cadorath) feel neglected considering dad is out “working” all the time. Hutch makes a decision to take the family for a vacation to Plummerville, a resort town he recalls visiting with his dad and brother, fellow assassin Harry (RZA). They grab grandpa David (Christopher Lloyd) and make their way to what turns out to be an odd town with a rickety hotel and even more downgraded theme park. Everything seems fine until a trip to an arcade results in a local boy accusing Brady of hitting on his girlfriend. The situation spirals into a fight where Hutch gets provoked when an employee slightly smacks Sammy. After Hutch leaves broken bones and trashed arcades in his wake, he has new enemies in the town sheriff, Abel (Colin Hanks) and theme park owner Wyatt Martin (John Ortiz). 

Indeed, this is a popcorn summer entertainment you have to enjoy leaving all logic aside. As with “Road House,” just bask in the sheer silliness that is really making fun of itself. The screenplay is again by Derek Kolstad, working here with Aaron Rabin. Kolstad is best known for having created the “John Wick” franchise and has a series of ready formula devices. A simple poor gesture like an idiot smacking Sammy awakens the beast, giving Bob Odenkirk the chance to prove he can run someone through a game machine, snap arms and utilize anything that’s around to beat someone to a pulp. Director Timo Tjahjanto, taking over from Ilya Naishuller, has done mostly horror and proves he can easily carry out stylish action pieces. Unlike the grandiose flavor of the “John Wick” movies, “Nobody 2” is truly a comedy with a smaller scale. Everyone is working with lots of gusto for a plot involving a corrupt sheriff who happens to work for ruthless crime boss Lendina (Sharon Stone), who we first meet slitting the throat of a cheater at her casino. Stone (who we need more overall in movies), totally gets the assignment and cackles her way through the role, strutting in flashy suits while vowing to destroy Hutch. Plummerville is apparently a major drug route and this vacationing hitman is threatening business.

If the first “Nobody” poked fun at the idea of bored suburban dads, the sequel is a funny riff on the classic vacationing comedy. Decked in a tropical shirt, Hutch has to face goons on tour boats and amusement parks. With brilliant slapstick humor the movie then nods at the absurdities of its own genre. When some of Wyatt’s men follow Hutch onto a boat, one of them is just about to start a typical villain speech when he gets interrupted by the tour guide tossing around life jackets. During quieter moments Becca and Hutch reminisce about the first time they met and he was completely covered in blood. Of course later we see that Becca is herself a very good shot with a rifle. No doubt someone is already thinking about the prequel. There are showdowns in warehouses where fuel and matches come in handy. More grenades and landmines abound in this movie than dialogue. Only RZA stands apart with a glistening katana ready to cleave a bad guy in half (literally). 

A franchise like this, “Taken,” or Jason Statham’s line of movies, need to be built around the persona of the leading man. Bob Odenkirk is in a sense the plot. He can do “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul,” garner acclaim on Broadway for “Glengarry Glen Ross” and still sell himself fully as a quirky action hero. Needle drop covers of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” and Tony Bennett’s “The Good Life” make the experience even more rewarding. Again, it must be said, Sharon Stone chews the scenery. By the end there is even a great-looking dog sitting next to Hutch, who must look bruised while trying to explain to befuddled detectives what has been going on. The scene begs the question, where were the other cops when a virtual war broke out in tiny Plummerville. At the same time, we shouldn’t care. “Nobody 2” delivers punches and takes names with the kind of oddball charm its audience craves.

“Nobody 2” releases Aug. 15 in theaters nationwide.