Nobody
Director: Ilya Naishuller
Writer: Derek Kolstad
Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Aleksey Serebryakov, Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, RZA
Reason for watching: New Release
Number of times I’ve watched it: twice
***
Bourne. Bond. Hunt. Wick. And now Saul Goodman with some assassin skills. Everybody gets to be a hero who is unstoppable and looks cool while doing it. Let’s make sure we give credit to The Raid for being the best of the genre; please go watch that if you haven’t. But with so many entries into this genre, we really needed something that plays a bit more like an action-comedy that a straight action or spy thriller. Nobody delivers exactly that. Picking the funniest actor and part of Breaking Bad as the lead and then using Doc Brown as his badass of a dad were certainly both good choices for this play on the genre.
After a break-in at his family home when Hutch (Bod Odenkirk) decided to not stop the burglars, his past nature flares up, and Hutch goes on a hunt for that release. In releasing that anger, Hutch gets into a large scuffle with the younger brother of Russian mobster Yulian (Aleksey Serebryakov), who puts a hit out on Hutch and his family, including his wife (Connie Nielsen) and his nursing home-bound father (Christopher Lloyd). Chaos and bloodshed ensue as Hutch has to deal with the consequences of making new enemies while trying to keep his darker side under control.
Now, I know I led with talking about how this movie brings a comedic element to this genre of “beat ‘em up'“ movies, and then I just talked about how Hutch has to suppress a darker nature. Those two seem to be opposite ends of the spectrum for a movie, but I really am impressed by the comedic timing and physical acting by this cast. There aren’t a ton of great comedic lines, but the movie is played far less seriously than you would expect. Of course, there are big fights but the reactions of the cast are played for realism. We are not getting a lot of iconic lines or jokes from our protagonists after they open up a can. They are usually playing for the proper kind of groans or whimpers that would happen after taking a big punch.
This is not to say there aren’t great action scenes or stuff that really gets the blood pumping. Near the end we get a pulse-pounder of a car chase set to Pat Benatar’s “Heartbreaker.” The fights in general are well choreographed and rehearsed without feeling like a dance. And Hutch isn’t the only one who is dispersing some pain, his dad and brother (RZA) get in on the action and dish out punishment. Particularly his dad has some brutal kills that get you to jump in your seat and giggle a little as you watch 82-year-old Christopher Lloyd dispatch a few mobsters.
My hope for the future of this movie, regardless of if there will a sequel or a crossover with a particular Keanu Reeves franchise, is that people will appreciate the lightness of this movie. This movie can stand alone very easily. It’s got at least five action scenes that will keep you invested and a bunch of clever humor as well. It’s not gonna be taught in film schools for anything other than the fight scenes, but it will always be a good popcorn movie. So sit down and enjoy it.
8/10
Until I see another one.