Where to watch The Hitman’s Bodyguard
3 Stars
With his reputation in tatters after the painfully unsuccessful delivery of a distinguished Japanese client, the former triple-A protection agent, Michael Bryce, is now reduced to a mere second-class bodyguard for hire, two years after the disgraceful incident. Under those circumstances, Bryce would do anything to prove his worth, and, before long, he accepts an offer from Interpol to escort the international assassin, Darius Kincaid, from Manchester to the Hague. The task seems simple: Bryce needs to transport him from point A to point B; nevertheless, the trip to the Netherlands is long and hazardous, and Kincaid–as the only one with the guts and enough hard evidence to testify against a tyrannical Belarusian dictator–is an obvious target. Undoubtedly, it’s a tough job, as the mismatched duo will have to put aside their grudges, and race against the clock in a non-stop concerto for bullets. Can the hitman’s bodyguard carry through the most important mission in his career?
Patrick Hughes announced himself as a major talent in genre pictures with the premiere of his debut film, Red Hill. He followed this up with the third and best entry in the Expendables franchise. That early momentum continues with the action/comedy The Hitman’s Bodyguard. This is a funny, if predictable, odd-couple pairing of Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson.
As far as Lethal Weapon rip-offs go, The Hitman’s Bodyguard is one of the better examples. Gary Oldman is the head villain of the piece, and he is adequately intense and menacing. While staged with flare and gusto, the production, lensed in Eastern Europe for budgetary reasons, gives the film a B-movie vibe. Hughes, his editors, and the cast do a great job of balancing the mixture of action and comedy and getting the tone right.
Despite a meandering middle section, The Hitman’s Bodyguard rebounds with some rousing action and solid chuckles. 20 years ago this is the kind of movie Adam Sandler and Damon Wayans would have starred in together. Instead the modern era matched set of Ryenolds and Jackson makes for a surprisingly affective screen duo.
Directed by: Patrick Hughes
Written by: Tom O’Connor
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Oldman