Posted in: Kaitlyn Booth, Movies, Review | Tagged: film, Review, the hitman's bodyguard

The Hitman's Bodyguard Review: Not Nearly As Funny As It Should Be

Published Fri, 18 Aug 2017 17:15:19 -0500

Last updated Sat, 27 Jan 2018 13:25:38 -0600

The Hitman's Bodyguard has a great cast that look like they're having fun but not enough jokes to carry it through to the end.

Director: Patrick Hughes
Summary: The world's top bodyguard gets a new client, a hit man who must testify at the International Court of Justice. They must put their differences aside and work together to make it to the trial on time.

There are plenty of movies that sound good on paper that just don't end up working in execution and The Hitman's Bodyguard is one of those movies. You have two of the funniest actors who can also do actions scenes on the production, and they also have a natural chemistry between them. The idea is basic and comes down to the same "buddy cop" movie we've seen a million times and then some. There isn't necessarily anything wrong with a movie that relies on formula, but there isn't anything here that we haven't seen done somewhere else and better.

While it looks like Samuel L. Jackson is having fun in the role, this is another misuse of Ryan Reynolds. It's good that Hollywood seems to realize that Reynolds is a comedian at heart, but they missed the thing that makes him so good at Deadpool. He's not a straight man when it comes to comedy and that's exactly what he is in this scenario. If the script ditched a few of the jokes relating to technology and age they could have switched the actors and the movie would have been better for it. Jackson can play the hardass straight man in a role like this, and make it work while Reynolds always feel just a little bit off in the role.

The movie isn't horrible as far as comedies go. There are some jokes that will make you laugh and every single time Salma Hayek is on screen is a riot. The backstory concerning her and Jackson's character is probably the one moment in the movie where everything seems to come alive. Gary Oldman is fine as our villain but a scene in the movie that involves a truck plowing into protesters probably felt like a better idea a week ago. Jackson, as previously stated, looks like he's having a good enough time and his chemistry with Reynolds is fun but not enough to carry the production.

The Hitman's Bodyguard isn't a bad movie, but it isn't a good one either. Despite the caliber of the cast on hand it's just incredibly forgettable without a single moment that you'll remember a day or so later. There are better ways to spend your money when it comes to the R-rated comedy scene. There are better movies to watch if you want to hear Samuel L. Jackson or Ryan Reynolds shoot guns while saying the F word.

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