NOBODY 2 (2025)

Not too long ago, a relatively small-budget action comedy called Nobody (2021) was released and proved to be a surprise hit. I say a surprise for two reasons. The first is that it seemed to get very little publicity and felt like it came out of nowhere. This was because, back then, cinemas were still very much in the dark shadow of COVID-19 and audience numbers were at an all-time low. Subsequently, only the biggest movies were seeing proper release windows. So while Nobody’s theatrical outing disappeared in just a few weeks, it still garnered enough positive reviews and soon found its feet in the VOD marketplace. The second reason is down to its star, Bob Odenkirk.

Up to this point, Odenkirk was widely known for playing the wise-cracking, sleazy lawyer Saul Goodman in the hit TV shows Breaking Bad (2008-2013) and Better Call Saul (2015-2022). This role perfectly tapped into Odenkirk’s witty comedic talents, as the man began his career as a comedian and comedy writer (Saturday Night Live). So seeing him take on this action-heavy part that resembled John Wick seemed like a very odd—and risky—choice indeed. To say he and the film’s producers pulled it off is quite the understatement: put simply, Nobody is a work of genius.

Odenkirk plays Hutch Mansell, a dad who leads a monotonous existence. His marriage and family life, while ticking over, are far from happy, and his nine-to-five office job is boring beyond belief. Then, after a home invasion that leads to his daughter’s bracelet being stolen, he finally snaps. And oh boy, does he come roaring back with a vengeance. This is where the film’s title cleverly comes into play, because the movie’s big plot reveal is that Hutch, while on the surface is just a “nobody,” actually used to be a secret government assassin. And when it comes to killing people, he really has a talent for it!

During a brilliantly choreographed fight scene involving some Russian thugs on a bus, we soon see Hutch’s abilities in all their brutal glory. Unfortunately for Hutch, these Russians are connected to a much larger criminal syndicate that are now trying to kill him and his family. What followed was a refreshingly funny, kinetic, and at times, incredibly violent tale that proved Odenkirk was more than capable of working in the action arena. When the film reached its satisfying finale, one could sense the potential for a follow-up, but it still felt that the tale was neatly tied up. Naturally, Hollywood being what it is, thought this was something worth continuing, and thus we now have Nobody 2.

This second instalment finds Hutch now back playing the assassin role. He has to do this in order to pay off the rather sizeable debt incurred from the previous film, where he single-handedly wrecked the fortunes of a Russian bank. While on one level he seems to be enjoying this job, it’s clearly playing havoc with his domestic life. So, before long, the decision is made to take his family on a holiday to his favourite childhood holiday location: Plummerville, a resort town that has definitely seen better days but still looks okay.

At first, everything seems to be going well. That is until Hutch’s teenage son Brady and daughter Sammy end up in a confrontation at the arcade with the resort owner’s son. A fight ensues, resulting in Hutch’s family getting thrown out. But while on their way out, his daughter is slapped by an employee. You can guess what happens next, and before long, Hutch is forced to take on the corrupt sheriff Abel (Colin Hanks), as well as his bootlegging gangster boss Lendina, played with great scenery-chewing relish by Sharon Stone.

For better or worse, what plays out for the rest of the film’s running time has to be considered predictable. But what sets Nobody 2 apart from the usual mediocre sequel fare is that all the people involved in the production obviously cared enough to put in the effort to deliver something that doesn’t feel rushed or merely a lazy cash-grab. To begin with, Nobody’s talented screenwriter Derek Kolstad (John Wick) is back to smartly place Hutch into a bigger landscape, away from the cosy and familiar confines of his hometown. Plummerville has echoes of Wally World from National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983), which I don’t think was an accident as Nobody 2′s trailer used that franchise’s “Holiday Road” song. As a result, there’s more humour peppered throughout; a fight on the resort’s duck boat is hilarious, and there’s also some Home Alone-style booby-trap action that makes for entertaining viewing.

Also returning is Hutch’s wife Becca (Connie Nielsen), this time having more fun, with the pair’s onscreen relationship getting more time to breathe, and both actors bringing believable chemistry to the proceedings. RZA shows up again as Hutch’s adoptive younger brother Harry. Like before, he brings his own special set of skills out to play, only this time he has learned the way of the samurai. And last, but definitely not least, the acting legend that is Christopher Lloyd returns as Hutch’s father David. He’s also no slouch with a (very big) gun, but more importantly, he brings real warmth and levity to the story—and you can tell that he’s loving every minute of it.

Aside from all this stellar acting and writing talent, Indonesian director Timothy Tjahjanto (The Night Comes for Us) shows repeatedly why he was chosen for the job. All the fight sequences throughout are directed with furious precision and verve, and he ingeniously makes full use of the sun-drenched, summer-vibe scenery to show off the full-blooded carnage. Where the first film was infused with a more darker, noir-ish atmosphere, here the tone is leaning towards the playful side of the spectrum; what you’re left with is nothing less than a highly agreeable feast for the senses.

Sure, this is far from being a great film, because it’s a sequel, that ‘something new’ element cannot be replaced, and at times the whole affair almost becomes too silly for its own good, but this is a movie that was never meant to be considered as a worthy Academy Award-winner. God forbid! This is an enjoyable and slick 89-minute Friday-night-with-a-few-beers type of film that, if you loved its predecessor, you’re almost certain to like too—and for that alone, Nobody 2 is well worth your time and money.

USA | 2025 | 89 MINUTES | 2.39:1 | COLOUR | ENGLISH

Cast & Crew

director: Timo Tjahjanto.
writers: Derek Kolstad & Aaron Rabin (story by Derek Kolstad).
starring: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, RZA, Colin Hanks, Christopher Lloyd, John Ortiz, Colin Salmon, Gage Munroe & Sharon Stone.