Film review of Killers Bodyguard 2: How much fun is the sequel to the surprise hit?

Film review of Killers Bodyguard 2

"Expendables 3" director Patrick Hughes landed a real surprise hit with "Killer's Bodyguard" in 2017, which was probably due not least to the star power of the leading actors Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson. For the sequel, which is originally called "The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard", the duo receives support from Salma Hayek, who above all increases the number of strong expressions in the film.

That's why go to "Killer's Bodyguard 2"

The plot begins a few months after the events of the first part. Michael Bryce (Reynolds) has his bodyguard license revoked and is plagued by recurring nightmares of Darius Kincaid (Jackson) bullying him. On the advice of his therapist, he decides to renounce violence once and for all and take a vacation. Before long, however, his relaxation is disturbed by Darius' wife Sonia (Hayek), who needs Bryce's help to save her husband from the clutches of evil gangsters. But the problems for Bryce don't stop there: Interpol agent Bobby O'Neill (Frank Grillo) needs his help to put an end to the nationalist terrorist Aristotle Papadopoulos (Antonio Banderas). He wants to destroy the infrastructure of all states in revenge for the EU sanctions imposed on Greece. Above all, however, Darius disturbs his personal interest in Sonia. Once again, the two dissimilar men have to join forces to save the world.

Film review of Killer's Bodyguard 2: How much fun is the sequel to the surprise hit? (2) Source: Telepool

"Killer's Bodyguard 2" offers exactly the same elements as part 1 with macho slogans, routine action and absurd hysteria, only more of them. New ideas seem just as alien to filmmaker Hughes as the credibility of characters and plot. That in the "Killer's Bodyguard" universe a successful career in personal protection is measured by whether you have a so-called AAA license or not, but it is never really clear which company or authority issues it, what it includes and what is needed for it, is one of the smaller inconsistencies in the script. Also that bodyguards obviously hold award shows (or at least dream of them) and violate professional honor when they wear a Kevlar vest for their own protection is silly.

Really the icing on the cake, however, is that one of the central questions of the film deals with why the 54-year-old Salma Hayek and the 72-year-old Samuel L. Jackson have such great problems producing a child together. Even if the characters are a few years younger than the ones they play, the matter of course that Sonia and Darius want to become parents with is pretty absurd.

Absurd, but also funny?

Sam Jackson may have aged better than most of the world's population, but it cannot be denied that the man is no longer as agile as he was when he was younger. When Darius is literally jumped over by his lovable wife, it doesn't remind you of the passion of a wild gangster couple à la Bonnie & Clyde, but simply looks painful a majority of the action scenes are taken over by Hayek and Reynolds. In the battles the obvious CGI blood splatters, but the severity of a "John Wick" is not achieved. At least explosions and car chases don't look cheap, but they're certainly nothing special either. Everything just routine.

The film stands and falls anyway with the humor and the quality of the verbal battles that take place between the shootings.

Film review of Killer's Bodyguard 2: How much fun is the sequel a surprise hit? (4) Source: Telepool

Unfortunately, "Killer's Bodyguard 2" is only louder than its predecessor in this regard. Where the generic buddy movie archetypes in part one were at least upgraded by the fact that the actors could now and then let their charms play, in part two every line of dialogue is felt to be screamed. The initial situation, a man who has renounced violence and now has to try to help his killer friends without relapsing, actually has a lot more comedic potential than the mission in the debut. Often, however, it seems like the script's only idea is to have Salma Hayek and Sam Jackson say "motherfuckers" as often as possible. After less than an hour, the word, whose distinctive pronunciation is downright elevated to an art form by Jackson in other films, has lost its full effect. Sonia's constant cursing, who can't utter a sentence without saying something vulgar, is more reminiscent of middle school than Quentin Tarantino Sometimes trigger outraged shock laughter in the audience. After all, people don't just swear in between, the camera hangs on the ensemble's lips when the insults are spun syllable by syllable and unnecessarily prolonged. Instead, the whole anti-social booing gets tired after a short time.

Another "gag" that is exhausted is the swelling of triumphant background music, which is then interrupted by an inappropriate comment that undermines the mood. You can see that coming the first time, not least because the same gag is already in the debut.

The perfect film for motivated laziness

With the stale jokes, the conservative action and appearances of veterans like Antonio Banderas, Morgan Freeman and Richard E. Grant, who do not do justice to their class, "Killer's Bodyguard 2" is not a real blockbuster, but almost predestined for a destiny as a successful one-way VOD. The film is tailored with almost scientific precision to be consumed from the couch on a Sunday afternoon.

Film review of Killer's Bodyguard 2: How much fun is the sequel to the surprise hit? (3) Source: Telepool

The star power on the poster alone is probably enough for many to get stuck with it when scouring the streaming media libraries. A little retrospective at the beginning ensures that knowledge of the first part is not a prerequisite and the dialogues are shrill, embarrassing and annoying, but fortunately also monotonous, so that you can take a little nap in between, around the runtime of almost two Hours to bridge a little.

It is actually gratifying that action films are still coming to the cinema that are not based on a template, have invulnerable superheroes as main characters or want to be strictly family-friendly entertainment. Nowadays such star vehicles can mostly only be found on Netflix. It would only be nice if there would be a difference in quality to these.