THE HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD

UK/US, 2021, 109 minutes, Colour.

Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L.Jackson, Salma Hayek, Morgan Freeman, Antonio Banderas, Frank Grillo, Gary Oldman, Tom Hopper, Richard E.Grant, Caroline Goodall., Rebecca Front.

Directed by Patrick Hughes.

Over the top is the phrase that almost immediately springs to mind as we swirl into the comedy and action of this sequel to the very popular The Hitman’s Bodyguard. Perhaps the writers and the director had the intention of going one better than the original but then opted for many better rather than one. And, it goes over many tops, not least the hyperactive performance by Salma Hayek as Sonia, the title wife, which goes beyond the tops!

Previously, bodyguard Mike Bryce, an often bemused Ryan Reynolds, had to accompany hitman, Darius Kincaid, Samuel L.Jackson to his trial. This time, Jackson is out and wants to team up with Sonia and marry her. He suggests a bodyguard and she mishears him and tracks down Mike Bryce. Poor Mike is bereft, has lost his license as a bodyguard (has dreams of his winning the annual award but sabotaged by Kincaid). And, worse, poor Mike goes off to a harassed therapist who urges him to talk to his inner self and pursue the use of guns (though is allowed the penknife which, of course, is crucial to a final dramatic encounter). He does use his phone to talk to himself for therapy!

Kincaid is not particularly impressed at having Mike as Sonia’s bodyguard and there is continuous comic repartee between them, rivalry, trying to best each other. And Sonia is really no help!

But, the screenwriters must have been overdosing on James Bond films because they come up with a plot which more than resembles them. Here is Antonio Banderas as the contemporary Blofeld, millionaire, desire for superpower especially for his native Greece, resentful of the EU and their sanctions on Greece, wanting to get revenge – on the widest scale possible, sabotaging European communications. This involves getting a USB stick (something James Bond never had to do), and the hitman and his bodyguard having to stop the insertion of the stick to avoid sabotage explosions. And Mike waits to the last millisecond to achieve his aim.

There is also an American advisor played by Frank Grillo (the screenplay even having him reference his performance with Bruce Willis, Cosmic Sin). And he tangles with the European Union’s equivalent of M, played by Caroline Goodall.

If we allow ourselves, and the invitation is most powerful, to let ourselves be caught up in these adventures, their straining of plausibility, the oneupmanship and rivalry, for Mike combating without any guns, then it is two hours of as they might say, mindless action entertainment with laughs. But, for good measure, Morgan Freeman also turns up as Mike’s father, living in Tuscany in comfort, welcoming his son back (with Darius and the audience wondering how it is possible for Morgan Freeman to be Mike’s father!) But then, more than a few twists as well.

The film was directed by Australian, Patrick Hughes, who made a mark with his action film in 2009, Red Hill. And, then, he landed on his feet in Hollywood, directing Stallone and co in Expendables 3, then the first Hitman film.

1. The popularity of the original film? Action? Comedy? Parody? The sequel taking action, comedy and parody further? Going over the top?
2. The focus on Michael Bryce as the bodyguard, his behaviour in the original, guarding Darius Kincaid, success and failure, the issue of his licence? The opening here, the awards, Michael and his pride, Darius reappearing, the nightmare? His going to the therapist, her wariness, his stories, urging him that he had graduated, getting him to write letters to his future self, to go on a holiday? Capri, relaxing, his letters? The mayhem behind him, Sonia helping him, the dive into the water?
3. The background mission, the James Bond kind of plot? Aristotle as the arch-villain, his way of life, effete, the arts, Greek pride, the EU sanctions, the confrontation with the official, killing him, the deadline because of the sanctions? His team, the experiment, the destruction of the Balkan city? Mayhem? The map for the destruction of the European cities?
4. Crowley, police, her Scots assistant, the mission, to stop the Greek? Bobby O’ Neill, from Boston, very American, his mission, his demands for office in budget, the limits? His theory of getting the baddies to confront the worse? Making contact with Michael, Darius and Sonia?
5. Sonia, her personality, over the top, relationship with Darius, wanting a honeymoon, wanting a child, her preoccupation with this and talk? The flashbacks? The issue of fertility, Darius and the fertility centre, his injuries (and Michael being responsible)?
6. The action sequences, fights, shootings, vehicles, chases, explosions, special effects?
7. Michael, promising the therapist not to use guns, the pepper spray, the penknife – and his using these against the bodyguard, the squads, his father?
8. The deadline, Aristotle, the artworks, exhibitions? His moving from city to city? His boat? His advisers, his bodyguard in action?
9. The visit to Tuscany, Michael embraced by his father, jokes about the race issue, the flashbacks to his mother, the ice cream and his phobia? His father providing the safe house,
10. the car? The darts, the three captured, returning the car, discovering the truth about his father, bodyguard to Aristotle?
11. Bobby O’ Neill, the contacts, desperation, the demands by Crowley?
12. The deadline approaching, Sonia and her being captured, the flashbacks, with Aristotle, overboard, amnesia or not, the danger with her bangle and the danger of explosions, having the case with the program?
13. Michael and Darius on the boat, the decoy, their getting to Aristotle’s boat, the various fights, Michael and the pepper spray and the fight with the bodyguard he admired, his knife, meeting his father, his father’s disdain, the guns, and the irony of his using his penknife against his father?
14. The countdown, on the boat, Michael hesitating, pulling the lever at the final second, there are escaping from the boat?
15. The combination of over-the-top action, Sonia’s character, the comic dialogue and ironies – and the introduction of all kinds of themes as if they had been thought up overnight! In the final scene, song and Darius unable to have children, adopting Michael!