Bob Odenkirk returns as retired assassin Hutch Mansell in Nobody 2, the sequel to his 2021 action blockbuster that became a surprise hit.
The sequel finds suburban dad Hutch taking his family on a well-earned vacation, but when one of the employees at the holiday park slights his children he decides to take action. The problem is that hurting those who hurt his kids brings him to the attention of the criminal organisation working out of the park, forcing him and his wife Becca (Connie Nielsen) to reckon with their pasts.
Some critics were able to see the film early, and several shared their initial thoughts of the film in reviews and on social media where they reflected on whether it lived up to the original. For those curious to know if it’s worth them adding Nobody 2 to their next movie night, here’s what was said.
Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, and Christopher Lloyd reprise their roles from the first film. (Universal)
Variety‘s Owen Gleiberman described Nobody 2 as a “preposterously vicious” and “fun”, celebrating it for being just as good as its predecessor because it’s in on the joke.
The critic wrote: “For a while, the movie is like National Lampoon’s Vacation if Clark Griswold had secretly been Steven Seagal. Is it remotely “believable”? No. But Nobody 2, like Nobody before it, unfolds in its own weirdly grounded action-fantasy universe.”
“At least Nobody 2, directed with high-powered chintzy glee by Timo Tjahjanto, is honest enough to let us know that the movie is giggling right along with us,” the critic went on.
Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter’s Frank Scheck called the sequel an “entertaining” watch, arguing that Odenkirk “one-ups Liam Neeson in not only becoming an unlikely action movie star at a mature age but also displaying an impressive physicality.”
Sharon Stone stars as a criminal gang boss in Nobody 2. (Universal)
Scheck wrote: “Much of the first film’s pleasure came from the gradual reveal that its unassuming, middle-aged central character was in fact the sort of badass who can overcome gangs of lethally armed men half his age. That element of surprise is inherently missing in the sequel, to its detriment, but screenwriters Derek Kolstad and Aaron Rabin’s simple but ingenious premise provides plenty of amusement.
“After all, who can’t relate to someone desiring a simple vacation with their family only to have work issues get in the way?”
Deadline‘s Pete Hammond called the film a “Fun Action-To-The-Max Sequel”, writing that the film’s writers “clearly know the secret sauce of Nobody is to stage one outrageously violent confrontation for Hutch after another and another and another.”
The good thing was that Odenkirk “rings another level to this even if all of it is just silly fun” which makes it enjoyable throughout, and that the actor “knows exactly what audiences expect from Hutch and delivers 100% in a tight 89-minute running time”.
Hammond wrote: “The stunt coordination team of Greg Rementon, Kyle McLean, and fight choreographer Kirk Jenkins deserve a lot of credit as the sheer level of mind boggling action required is over the top. But in the end it is Odenkirk who makes this Nobody somebody to watch.”
Nobody 2 follows Bob Odenkirk’s character as he takes his family on holiday only to be sucked into a dispute with a criminal organisation. (Universal)
The Guardian‘s Peter Bradshaw was not taken with the film, remarking that Nobody 2 was a “pretty formulaic and forgettable sequel” because it “really doesn’t have much of the humour and the storytelling chutzpah of the first film.”
The critic added that the extensive action sequences which were 6-on-1 are shown so often that their impact diminishes over the course of the film, and that while Odenkirk is likeable as Hutch fans might prefer to remember him from Breaking Bad or Arrested Development instead.
For IndieWire‘s Wilson Chapman the film was an “uninspired sequel”, with the critic finding issue with the writing: “At only 89 minutes, Nobody 2 has a threadbare story (the script is credited to Kolstad and Aaron Rabin), one that lazily rehashes central conflicts from the original without doing much to convincingly flesh out or expand these characters.”
The critic went on to argue that Odenkirk didn’t feel committed to the sequel, writing: “Odenkirk seems decidedly checked out: he, along with almost every other actor in the cast, approaches the material with a complete lack of energy, which can pass for an acting choice to represent Hutch’s exhaustion but slowly begins to resemble a boredom with this character.”
There were also critics who shared their thoughts of the film on social media. Us Weekly critic Jonathan Sim was full of praise for the film, calling it “pure entertainment,” and writing on X: “#Nobody2 is awesome. Bob Odenkirk’s stunt work is impeccable in a sequel that delivers on the vacation of violence you’re looking for. 100% action, lots of laughs, and it culminates in a carnival of carnage. 89 minutes of pure entertainment.”
Next Best Picture editor Matt Negalia was full of praise for the action sequel, remarking how well-crafted the fight sequences were and how strong Odenkirk continues to be in the lead role.
Negalia wrote on X: “NOBODY 2 delivers exactly what fans of the first are craving: more bone-crunching, hard-hitting, relentless, and bloody action. Bob Odenkirk once again impressively commits to the physicality beyond all reasonable expectations, while Connie Nielsen is given a larger role as the Mansell family gets pulled deeper into Hutch’s violent world, this time, while on vacation.
“Directed with sharp precision by Timo Tjahjanto, this sequel features Sharon Stone chewing the scenery, RZA wielding a katana, Christopher Lloyd mowing down enemies with a gatling gun, and many other fun moments in this fast-paced follow-up that I hope leads to a third installment, if only to see Odenkirk continuing to flex his action chops.”
Nobody 2 was celebrated by critics for being an entertaining sequel. (Universal)
Meanwhile, journalist Hunter Bolding also celebrated the movie as he wrote on X: “Nobody 2 is just as much of a ‘ want to scream from the rooftops to anyone and everyone’ film as the first. It’s bombastic, electric, and Bob Odenkirk kicks more a** than the first film. An a**kicking vacation awaits for moviegoers.”
For critic Zachary Lee the strength of the film was in its change of scene, writing: “#Nobody2: Swaps the Wintery, Korean noir aesthetic of the 1st for an ebullient & bubble gum-esque ambience. An excuse for Timo & co. to whip up some sun-soaked carnage. Never quite reaches the highs of NOBDOY’s bus fight but it wins through its sheer volume of set pieces.”
For journalist Zach Pope the film marked the perfect end to summer movie season, writing on social media: “#Nobody2 is the perfect way to end the summer movie season! Once again Imagine Kevin McCallister all grown up, still crafting Home Alone style traps but now with John Wick-level action. Timo builds off the first film perfectly, setting a sharper tone! Odenkirk, you’re the MAN!”
This was a sentiment shared by critic Gaius Bolling, who said of the film: “The summer movie season might be wrapping up but Nobody 2 arrives with the right energy & bombastic action to give it a bit more fuel. Bob Odenkirk is better than ever while the whole cast also brings their A-game. It’s a short & sweet action comedy that delivers.”
Nobody 2 premieres in UK cinemas on Friday, 15 August