An seemingly ordinary man's dark past catches up with him
after he becomes the target of a vengeful Russian crime boss. ACTION/CRIME
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Nobody (2021)Directed by Ilya Naishuller
Written by Derek Kolstad Starring Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, Aleksey Serebryakov, Christopher Lloyd, RZA, Michael Ironside, Colin Salmon |
If you've ever wanted to see John Wick with a dad bod, this is the film for you. Bob Odenkirk has shown he has a hell of a range ever since Walt & Jesse walked through the doors of Saul Goodman & Associates. With Nobody, Odenkirk proves he has the chops to helm an action franchise on par with John Wick or Taken. This film introduces us to the secret badass Hutch Mansell, a perfectly ordinary nobody with a dark past full of blood, bullets, and badassery. Hutch's ordinary life comes crashing down when a group of thugs start harassing people on the bus, awakening years of dormant rage that bubbles up to the surface. Now, the most dangerous man on earth is back, with a gun in his hand.
After his home is robbed by two desperate idiots with an empty gun, Hutch's family loses respect for him when he doesn't fight back. The incident on the bus happens, and Hutch (whose past is vague and threatening, but just interesting enough to keep the audience invested) is suddenly targeted by the Russian mob. But they don't know who they are fucking with, and Hutch leaves a lot of bodies in his wake. The film climaxes with an epic gunfight between the Russian Mob, and Hutch, his father (Lloyd, my favorite part), and his brother (RZA). Who could ask for more than that? While I did think the film didn't use the always reliable Michael Ironside to his full potential, the film is a breath of fresh air. It knows exactly what kind of film it is, and it doesn't pull any punches with the gore and violence. Hutch is a likable antihero, and his past isn't spelled out. It leaves a lot of room for interpretation, as well as franchise opportunity. |
I’ve talked in the past about how Hollywood will copy to death a horror film if it’s a huge success at the box office. Examples being the remake craze, torture porn, and found footage. But it’s not exclusive to just horror. It’s all genres. Case in point: John Wick. Since its monster success, Hollywood took notice. On one hand, we have gotten one lazy rehash after another which constantly fail to capture that spark. But, on the other, we get ones where they pay clear homage to said film while also finding a new, creative angle to explore. And this brings me to Nobody. A film which actually comes from the writer of John Wick and features a lead casting decision which is very against type.
Who’s this against type casting I speak of? Well, it’s comedian Bob Odenkirk. The man who has made people laugh in numerous shows and movies, including the extremely popular Breaking Bad and its spinoff, stars as a man stuck in a rut. That is, until he is pushed to his breaking point and his very dangerous past starts to come back. Simply put, Odenkirk delivers. Yes, he is still very funny in parts; but he is just as good, if not better, when he does the numerous action scenes. He’s not the only one having fun, though. We also get Christopher Lloyd and RZA partaking in some of the action set pieces. You heard me right. Our favorite doctor and rapper are both in this. And, boy, are they as just as much fun to watch. Before I close this out, the last point I want to bring up is how much fun this movie is. This is an old school style action movie which delivers just enough story and plenty of awesome action. Like I said, Nobody is a fun, simplistic action film which knows how to deliver a good time at the movies. The casting is extremely smart, the story moves, and the action is bloody. If there is only one negative I have to give this, I needed more Michael Ironside. He is always a welcome addition to any film he’s in and was very underutilized here. |