The Hitman’s Bodyguard: Jackson fans go for it

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L Jackson, Gary Oldman, Salma Hayek, Élodie Yung, Joaquim de Almeida, Kirsty Mitchell

Rated: 5/10

A heebie-jeebie kind of thriller action, bullets oriented drama helmed by the comic skills of a beautifully head-tattooed Samuel Jackson and baby faced top private security agent looking for redemption, Hitman’s Bodyguard is a film which you may want to go to if you have nothing else on hand.

On pretty much a road trip from the Manchester prison to The Hague for nailing the genocide man from Belarus, it is more Jackson than Reynolds at any given time. The love-hate relationship, the jigs of the contract killing world, the histories and the geographies make this high speed, action choreographed bromance.

Sought to testify against the self-styled President of Belarus, under house arrest in Amsterdam, Darius Kincaid (Jackson) signs a plea bargain with the spooks that will get his oomphy, foul-mouthed but golden-hearted wife out of jail (played by the dazzling powerhouse called Salma Hayek).

On way, the usual happens. Ambushed by the President’s hoodlums, he is put in the care of Reynolds on another bargain. If delivered in international court of justice unharmed by 5 pm of a particular day, he would get his star bodyguard status back with the firm called ‘AAA Security’.

A lot of bullets, car chases, blood and gore later, the film still does not arrive at the court. The run is punctuated by Jackson’s romance advice to Reynolds who his blaming his ex-girlfriend for everything that she has not done,  a lot of funny episodes designed and executed by Jackson, some oh-so-cute love moments all his own and, of course, all the killing and the cuss words that make the sentences in a film fixated on hurry.

Yes, there are many beep-beeps but even the Censors were at their wits end trying to get rid of the f**k words than the bullets. High point? The car-boat chase. 

Source: Sunday Pioneer,  27 August, 2017