The question, of course, is whether the puckish premise of NOBODY has enough going for it to warrant a sequel. The good news, as we learn in NOBODY 2, is that it does. Once again tweaking the stereotype of family values and the monotony of suburbia, Bob Odenkirk and company take us on an unexpected thrill ride, this time through middle America, and the American institution that is the family vacation. The kind designed to make memories and bond the family unit. The irony is that even though this is the vacation from hell, as so many family vacations are, this one succeeds in its mission while championing the institutions of marriage, fatherhood, and standing up for what’s right.
As we begin, Hutch Mansell (Odenkirk) is still paying off the debt he incurred at the end of NOBODY. With $30M to go, he’s less than a year way from paying it off by taking on tough assignments for The Barber, played with mysterious command by Colin Salmon. Black ops assignments involving, among other things, Brazilians with machetes. Truth be told, though, the grueling schedule has resulted in Hutch suffering professional burnout, and the long hours are taking a toll on his marriage with Becca (Connie Nielsen) and his relationship with his two kids, morose teenager Brady (Gage Monroe) and perky tween Sammy (Paisley Cadorath). The solution pops up during one of Hutch’s assignments, when a bumper sticker for a waterpark/Tiki experience prompts memories of the one and only family vacation his (now retired) operative dad (Christopher Lloyd) and his brother Harry (RZA). When he broaches the idea of a break, The Barber reminds him that he’s the type to attract trouble and more prophetic words were never spoken. Even if it turns out to be good trouble.
The Mansell clan is less than enthusiastic about the corny venue in the small town of Plummerton, but with Becca’s urging, they still pack up the car and head to Wisconsin for a family adventure. They get it, but not, naturally, the one that they expected. As we take a turn into the neo-noir, the wholesome seeming town of Plummerton reveals the requisite seedy underbelly that will embroil Hutch in a showdown with the local sheriff (Colin Hanks) and the man who actually runs the town, owner of the waterpark and doting father, Wyatt Martin (John Ortiz). A scuffle between Brady and Wyatt’s son (Lucius Hoyos) at the local arcade quickly escalates when someone makes the mistake of shoving Sammy and bringing out every paternal instinct Hutch embodies. Before you can say fire in the hole (and someone will later on), Hutch has crossed all the wrong people before finding out that the real villain is a whackadoodle blonde named Lendina (Sharon Stone), famous for being capricious, doting on her French bulldog, and taking a scorched earth approach to business.
As with the original, NOBODY 2 is packed with violence, mostly of Odenkirk cleverly and acrobatically taking out entire rooms, or elevators, of people with heavier armaments than he has. There is something satisfying about seeing a non-descript white guy on the threshold of middle age calmly using his skills, and the element of surprise, to prevail against the odds. Chalk that up to Odenkirk, who forgoes irony during his escapades, nor does he make it look too easy. The latter only enhances our enjoyment. He’s a guy doing a job for the sake of his family, and he’s also a guy who palpably loves that family, which he sees slipping away from him because of his lack of work-life balance. He’s a killing machine, but he’s also relatable, evoking empathy as he watches wife and children scatter for the day leaving him alone with barely a backward glance. As his better half, Neilsen is tender, tough, and the voice of reason in an unreasonable world.
What we have here is a heartfelt, even lighthearted, neo-noir that isn’t afraid of black humors or familiar action tropes. Taking exquisite advantage of its carnival midway/waterpark setting for both mayhem and life lessons, there’s even a nod to THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI. Well-paced, smartly directed, and sentimental when you least expect it, NOBODY 2 extols the family unit even as the bodies pile up, theme park amusements disappoint, and a midway is weaponized in the most ingenious ways. Kudos to all concerned in finding fresh territory to continue the sly genius of grafting the clichês of family life onto an action flick while both genres are improbably enriched.
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