Get Triggered.

 "The Hitman's Bodyguard" is directed by Patrick Hughes (The Expendables 3, Red Hill) and stars Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool, Green Lantern), Samuel L. Jackson (The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained) and Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight, Harry Potter). "The world's top bodyguard gets a new client, a hit man who must testify at the International Court of Justice. They must put their differences aside and work together to make it to the trial on time". Ryan Reynolds is still yet to have a success outside of "Deadpool", will teaming up with Samuel L. Jackson do the trick?

I had no expectations for "The Hitman's Bodyguard" - I expected a very run-of-the-mill buddy action-comedy and feared it would match the Ride Along films in terms of quality. However, I was surprised to find out that "The Hitman's Bodyguard" was a pleasant and mostly enjoyable film. It's a very solid flick that I think will perform excellently down the line in all ancillary markets. I still don't know whether Ryan Reynolds has found his niche as his character in this is very different to "Deadpool" and I actually think his casting was a missed opportunity. "The Hitman's Bodyguard" is forgettable but despite its flaws, it's mostly fun, light-hearted and a good time. 

Unsurprisingly, the story for "The Hitman's Bodyguard" isn't the most original. You've seen similar stories told a million times before. The plot was also explained quite briefly, I think some more plot development could have been done to elevate the material. However, the brief setup did mean that the film moved at quite a fast paced. There always seemed to be something going on, there was rarely a dull moment. However, I did feel the film's length. I think that's because so much is packed into the 120 minute runtime, it messes with your mind as you feel like you are much further into the film than you actually are. Another problem with the screenplay is that "The Hitman's Bodyguard" really functions on movie logic. It was just unbelievable to think that with the amount of extreme attacks going on in such a short space of time, there was no sign of the emergency services. I actually think "The Hitman's Bodyguard" discredits the emergency services of today. It also wasn't that clear why Michael (Reynolds) and Darius (Jackson) were on the run in the first place- weren't they the good guys? For such a simple and generic plot, so much is skimmed over, the whole thing becomes overcomplicated. However, I did think that the film presented a good villain- his motivations and plans were pure evil and actually quite topical. Gary Oldman's Vladislav Dukhovich was a immoral and vile dictator that I was fully behind killing. The film certainly did a good job portraying the villain in a negative light, nobody could get behind him.  The villain may have been well setup but I thought the character development could have been a little stronger. It wasn't made clear enough why Jackson's Darius was so important. Jackson and Reynolds also had an interesting chemistry (more on that later) but when it was actually revealed what their 'beef' was from years ago, it was definitely a fun twist but it didn't have the shock or punch that I think was intended. SPOILER- it's revealed that Darius is actually the person who killed Michael's client which lead to him falling down the ranks. This meant that as characters, Michael's motivations for protecting Darius made sense, he wanted to get back to where he once was. However, Darius's weren't as clearcut. I believe his purpose in life was to go after the bad people in the world but I may be wrong. Another weird creative choice with the plot was that the film starts from Michael's POV but ends with Darius'. Michael was the more likeable character and I would say he was more of a lead out of the two so it was odd to end the film with Darius partying with his lover. A good thing about the film and script were that it presented some interesting ideas. One of these being a debate about the difference between a good guy and a bad guy. Both Darius and Michael believe they are good guys and believe that the other is bad. I liked how the film explored this and it really did make me think. Yes, Michael may seem like the good guy on the surface but surely sometimes he is protecting very bad people? So the script and screenplay is a mixed bag. At a glance, it's easy to follow and moves at a quick pace but when delving deeper, it definitely functions on movie logic with many plot holes and unanswered questions. Praise to Tom O'Connor for being able to put together a mostly coherent original story. 

"The Hitman's Bodyguard" is an action-comedy. I thought that the action was actually stronger than the comedy which was surprising considering the hilarious Ryan Reynolds is in a starring role. The action was unexpectedly very violent and graphic. The sequences were fast paced and well choreographed. It's not as stylish or memorable as "John Wick" or to a lesser extent "Atomic Blonde" but the action was to a much better standard than I was expecting and helped to add to the excitement level of the film. They are action sequences that are fun and great in the moment. However, I did find the final action sequence a little discomforting with the usage of a bomb in a lorry heading into a group of protestors. I watched this film not long after an attack like this actually happened so it was a little too close to home to call 'entertainment'. The comedy took its time to come in, I found the first act especially unfunny and was worried. However, there were some big laughs and my favourite moments were the nuns on the bus, the wife in prison and when Michael flies out of the car. The timing of the latter was spot on, it got the biggest roar from the audience. I think the comedy would have worked much better if Reynolds was actually given some comedic material. He did his best with what he was given but it was odd seeing him playing the 'straight man' to Jackson's 'comic'. Even though it could have done with a bit more comedy, the balance of action-comedy in "The Hitman's Bodyguard" works really well and I think it has a light and almost feel-good factor that is going to lead to good word of mouth and a long life on streaming and other ancillary markets. 

Speaking of the performances, they were alright but I expected much more from both of these actors. However, for Reynolds, I don't blame him. Reynolds is given a character that gives him little room to shine. Outside of "Deadpool", Reynolds does play the same character every time and it's no coincidence that he's not had a hit outside of the merc with a mouth. For Reynolds to really fulfil his potential, he needs to really experiment with his acting style and do something a little different. In this film, Ryan Reynolds plays a not-as-funny version of well, Ryan Reynolds.  He was a producer on "Deadpool" and so far, that's where he's worked best. Maybe he needs to be more involved behind the camera in order to excel? He should have been funnier, it didn't feel right seeing him so serious. Recently Samuel L. Jackson has started playing wacky comedic characters and I may be in the minority but I do not know why because I don't think he's very good at it. I find him irritating and I'm never convinced by him because he has oversaturated himself as an actor with endless paycheque gigs. He had some funny moments in this film but should have had way more considering he got most of the comedic material. Another complaint I have is that the two didn't have that much chemistry- after watching, I don't care too much about seeing this duo return and they certainly aren't a new film duo that are going to be remembered for years. I think the lack of chemistry can partly be blamed on the types of characters they are portraying, they don't get along. However, when they start being nicer to each other towards the end, I still wasn't quite convinced. Overall, the acting was alright but it didn't really require much. 

What makes "The Hitman's Bodyguard" more than tolerable and a film that I'll give a 'pass' to is that it may be forgettable but it's forgettable fun. I'd probably compare it to something like last year's "Keeping Up with the Joneses" which was harmless fun that wasn't awful. "The Hitman's Bodyguard" is a lot better though. "The Hitman's Bodyguard" could have been a straight to digital release and I've already mentioned, this is going to shine on platforms like Netflix and iTunes in a few months time. I think it has a good repeatability factor. I didn't love it but I'd happily watch it again. Effort has been made with this film and that's clear. It's not a cash-grab, it's a shot at an original action film and I applaud any film daring to be original in Hollywood's climate today. I think this film is actually a great example of a summer, popcorn movie. You're going to have a good time when watching, that's guaranteed but you'll also notice the many many flaws. The film also surprisingly takes itself more seriously than I was expecting from the marketing- for some reason, I was expecting a parody type film that spoofed "The Bodyguard". It's flawed but those flaws are easy to see past. It's one of those dumb but fun kind of movies.

"The Hitman's Bodyguard" is a fine and pleasant film. Especially as the summer movie season draws to a close and Hollywood has almost skipped the month of August with no major releases, a film like "The Hitman's Bodyguard" really has the chance to shine. If you've seen all of the other summer releases which are becoming stale at this point and want to see something new, "The Hitman's Bodyguard" is definitely worth considering. The action is exciting and it has some funny moments, but could do with more. The acting is alright, nothing special. However, this is original Hollywood and is the debut screenplay from Tom O'Connor. Switch your brain off, summer's coming to an end and although there are better ways to send it off, "The Hitman's Bodyguard" will have to do.