Good morning, Readers!
Last night, Dad and I went out to the flicks and watched The Hitman's Bodyguard. It was just what the doctor ordered.
Last night, Dad and I went out to the flicks and watched The Hitman's Bodyguard. It was just what the doctor ordered.
Image courtesy of teaser-trailer.com. Click for link.
Let us review!
My Quickie Review
I genuinely loved it. It was funny, silly, and thrilling - precisely what I want from an action comedy. Additionally, and thankfully, the fight and chase scenes were exceptional. The first meeting between the hitman and his bodyguard was fantastic. That fight was one of the highlights of the film, honestly.
In short, this is a great movie to watch if you want to relax and just have some fun.
In short, this is a great movie to watch if you want to relax and just have some fun.
My Longer Review
The acting in this film was exceptional. Ryan Reynolds (Agent Bryce) and Samuel L. Jackson (Kincaid) are fantastic in their roles as bodyguard and hitman respectively. They contrasted brilliantly. Bryce is all about rules, about getting the job done with as few hiccoughs as possible, everything in its proper place. Kincaid, in contrast, is the very definition of gleeful chaos. He just "does his thing." Adaptable and quick-thinking, rules simply don't exist to him. Naturally, this provides some personality conflict over and above the major character conflict (Kincaid was responsible for a lot of trouble for Bryce prior to their actual meeting). It makes for some really great comedy.
Predictably, of course, their relationship blossoms into one of friendship by the end, with Kincaid helping Bryce with his love life.
I have to say, however, that Selma Hayek stole the show with her portrayal as Kincaid's wife. With comparatively little screen time, her scenes were some of the funniest in the film. There is just something about the way she cussed in Spanish that was genuinely fantastic. Her scenes still make me smile.
Admittedly, the story is predictable. It would be utterly boring if the action and acting were not so damned fantastic. There are great chase scenes, many explosions, and the fight scenes are brilliant.
There is very little profundity in the film, as one might expect, but that does make the small moments in which it appears all that more profound. One such moment is during the ferry ride across the channel. There is a frank discussion about the ideology behind the choices of the other, both men believing themselves to be the good guys. Any reasonable person can see both sides, and it does actually make you stop and think.
Leading on from that, the appearance of Kincaid in court also has a moment of poignancy, though it's delivered so casually I don't doubt that it'd be easy to miss if you're not paying attention.
These heavier moments provide a nice change of pace from the usual hilarity and action. I liked their inclusion. I liked it even more so because it didn't bring the movie down at all. The film remained light, dumb fun.
Predictably, of course, their relationship blossoms into one of friendship by the end, with Kincaid helping Bryce with his love life.
I have to say, however, that Selma Hayek stole the show with her portrayal as Kincaid's wife. With comparatively little screen time, her scenes were some of the funniest in the film. There is just something about the way she cussed in Spanish that was genuinely fantastic. Her scenes still make me smile.
Admittedly, the story is predictable. It would be utterly boring if the action and acting were not so damned fantastic. There are great chase scenes, many explosions, and the fight scenes are brilliant.
There is very little profundity in the film, as one might expect, but that does make the small moments in which it appears all that more profound. One such moment is during the ferry ride across the channel. There is a frank discussion about the ideology behind the choices of the other, both men believing themselves to be the good guys. Any reasonable person can see both sides, and it does actually make you stop and think.
Leading on from that, the appearance of Kincaid in court also has a moment of poignancy, though it's delivered so casually I don't doubt that it'd be easy to miss if you're not paying attention.
These heavier moments provide a nice change of pace from the usual hilarity and action. I liked their inclusion. I liked it even more so because it didn't bring the movie down at all. The film remained light, dumb fun.
Finally
This film is a wonderfully irreverent romp through (mainly) Amsterdam and London. There's absolutely nothing complicated about it. What you expect this film to be, it is. There are no enormous twists, or much at all to test your mental capabilities.
Those things aren't needed.
What you do get is fantastic acting, brilliant fight scenes, a charming (and thoroughly predictable) love story, a charming (but utterly predictable) development of friendship. There are explosions, brilliant fight scenes, and enough situational comedy to keep you laughing throughout. This is a "turn your brain off and have fun" kind of film.
And it's great.
Those things aren't needed.
What you do get is fantastic acting, brilliant fight scenes, a charming (and thoroughly predictable) love story, a charming (but utterly predictable) development of friendship. There are explosions, brilliant fight scenes, and enough situational comedy to keep you laughing throughout. This is a "turn your brain off and have fun" kind of film.
And it's great.
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