‘Boring is best’. This was one of the main statements echoed throughout the movie. It was however not the case while watching it. Boring was not an emotion I remember feeling. When the trailer came out, the casting of the two together took me by surprise. They were a duo I would have never imagined coming together. This made me that much more curious about watching it.
The co-stars; Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L Jackson is largely known for their charismatic roles, shifted into less competent guns for hire. Some people, however, were displeased to see two icons taking on roles that required them to be subpar at their fighting skills. I was excited to see them get in touch with the softer versions of themselves.
The story starts off by introducing us to the high-end life of Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds). He is a bodyguard who gets by using he’s downplayed wit and self-awarded status as a provider of Triple X level security. He’s far-fetched lie seems to pay off as he attracts an elite clientele that, from the looks of things pay a fine buck. This goes on until the assassination of one of his clients which sees him fall to the bottom of the food chain.
On the hand, we are introduced to the other side of the duo- Darius Kincaid (Samuel L Jackson). He is a brilliant hitman locked up for countless counts of murder. So when Interpol approaches him for he’s testimony to put renowned Dictator Gray Old man away, he leverages it for the release of his wife Sonia Kincaid (Salma Hayek). The taskforce headed by Amelia Russell, Bryce’s ex, is later ambushed killing the entire team except her. She then calls her ex for help to her get Kincaid to The Hague. This is amidst their very bitter breakup.
This sets the duo off in a thrilling, humorous adventure as they battle for love and for survival. I thought that the concept of lethal frenemies who put aside their differences for a common goal really hit the jackpot with these guys. However to be honest the action scenes were half-assed looking like reruns of the Old Rambo movies like where one man single-handedly takes on 10 guys and wins. The witty humour and beautiful use of puns however made those scenes bearable. They were the main highlight of the movie for me.
Rating: 7/10 IMDb
PG 13- Contains intense violence and partial nudity
Genre- Action, Drama, Comedy, Romance
Directed by: Patrick Hughes
Screen Play: Tom O’Connor
