Nobody (2021) was a surprise hit on several levels. First of all, it managed to hold its own at the box office despite being released during the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondly, it gave director Ilya Naishuller some renewed clout in the industry, a whole six years after the release of his first feature, Hardcore Henry (2015). Above all, it presented yet another facet of Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul, Mr. Show), with the actor proving himself capable of pulling off the lead role in a gritty action movie.
The original script, written by John Wick scribe Derek Kolstad, was a thematic antithesis to Wick. Where Keanu Reeves’ assassin loses himself by being drawn back into the criminal underworld, Odenkirk’s Hutch Mansell finds himself getting his groove back after trying to make it as a suburban, average Joe. Now, four years later, Odenkirk, a majority of the first film’s supporting cast, and Kolstad have returned with Nobody 2 (2025). Although Ilya Naishuller was unavailable due to his commitments to directing Heads of State (2025), Odenkirk was instrumental in replacing him with a director of equal weight in the action world: Timo Tjahjanto (The Night Comes for Us, The Shadow Strays).
The Mansell Family Takes a National Lampoon-esque Vacation
Timo Tjahjanto’s movies have become famous among action junkies for their embrace of unhinged, inventive carnage. The Indonesian filmmaker brings his brand of vibrant violence to Nobody 2, stuffing it full of action that star Bob Odenkirk, who never stopped his physical training since the first movie, is more than adept at delivering. Derek Kolstad, working with screenwriter Aaron Rabin, maintains fantastic continuity between the two films and expands the main characters further. However, it all unfolds so quickly that most of this sequel ends up feeling like an afterthought.
While Nobody 2 eventually devolves into an orgy of broken bones and fiery explosions, it has quite an intriguing beginning. Following the events of the first film, Hutch has regained his mojo, largely thanks to working for The Barber (Colin Salmon), a handler who sends him on violent assassination missions, rather than being stuck in a dull desk job. Unfortunately, this pushes Hutch’s work-life balance askew, with the father and husband continually missing out on quality time with his wife, Becca (Connie Nielsen), son, Brady (Gage Munroe), and daughter, Sammy (Paisley Cadorath).
Thus, Hutch devises a Clark Griswold-esque plan to bring his family together on a summer vacation to Plummerville, a small tourist town that he visited as a kid with his brother, Harry (RZA), and father, David (Christopher Lloyd).
Nobody 2 is Heavy on Carnage But Brief on Character
Unbeknownst to Hutch, Plummerville is a hotbed for corrupt cops like Sheriff Abel (Colin Hanks), who works for the ruthless and psychotic head of a local bootlegging operation, Lendina (Sharon Stone). When Hutch runs afoul of the law and, by extension, Lendina, he starts a war that will only end if he finishes it. Nobody 2, then, takes a few pages from First Blood (1982) and Death Wish (1974), as Hutch is forced to bring the pain to an entire town of creeps. Now that his wife and kids are inadvertently involved, though, the sequel gets a bit of extra juice in making Hutch’s fight a family affair.
As far as excuses for gnarly fight sequences go, Nobody 2 is a pretty good one. Sadly, it essentially rushes through the drama between Hutch and his family once the bloodshed begins. The first Nobody contained some compelling thematic and subtextual material that gave it some depth. Nobody 2 doesn’t necessarily try to abandon the conflicts between the Mansell family, but they are often skimmed over in favor of more explosions. It’s unfortunate, given the great effort Bob Odenkirk brings to this sequel and the way he and Connie Nielsen play off each other so well. They share much more screen time here, yet it’s usually in the midst of a larger action scene.
Timo Tjahjanto Comes to the Rescue
The previous criticism can be seen as a nitpick, however. Truly, the bigger problem in Nobody 2 is that the villains lack bite. They are run-of-the-mill thugs and psychopaths when it comes down to it. Even if their roles give enough for the action to work, it makes the film feel too weightless, especially when you have the likes of Sharon Stone and Colin Hanks playing what initially seem like threatening foes for Hutch. Hanks’ fascist sheriff is dealt with in a way that is a little too arch to be satisfying. Faring worse is Stone’s Lendina. Despite a marvelous introductory scene, she merely snarls and swears until a final anticlimactic confrontation with Hutch.
Thankfully, Nobody 2 does not rely solely on its villains. The star is the action, and in that respect, the movie absolutely shines. For fans of Timo Tjahjanto’s action films, they may be surprised to see that Nobody 2 does not end with everyone being soaked in gallons of blood. Instead, Tjahjanto, Odenkirk, and the stunt team have wisely gone for pure impact over gore. The set pieces come with their own distinct, versatile environment, ranging from a cramped office building elevator to a touristy duck boat on a lake. Tjahjanto and company make expert use of these high-spirited and sun-soaked locales, having Hutch utilize the seemingly unordinary objects and structures around him to gain a grisly advantage.
In Nobody 2, the Action Tells the Story
While Nobody 2 is wild from the start, Timo Tjahjanto understands the importance of escalation and allows the action to build rather than peak early. Along the way, he adds a handful of over-the-top gags in every fight scene, much like a chef uses spices, deliberately and effectively. This goes for the characters, too, as this isn’t just the Bob Odenkirk show; the roster of both the heroes and villains switches up with each fight. By the time the final set piece, which takes place in a water park, utilizes the various rides and attractions in a way that recalls both Zombieland and Beverly Hills Cop III (a compliment), you will likely have a huge grin on your face.
Courtesy of Universal
Just because Nobody 2 is brief doesn’t mean it’s devoid of any meaning. In a similar fashion to how the action sequences utilize their environments, the colorful locations of Plummerville convey something about the characters who inhabit them and the themes of the movie itself. For instance, the town’s water amusement park acts as a funhouse mirror for Hutch himself. It’s advertised as “the oldest water park” in America, and, like Hutch, doesn’t look very impressive on first glance. But underneath, there are some dark, dangerous secrets that belie the fact that there’s still a lot of life left in it.
A Rare Action Flick for the Entire Family
Maybe it was always the filmmakers’ intention to keep Nobody 2 at a lean 89 minutes? Or, like so many of Universal’s recent genre movies, we’ll see an “extended cut” on the home release. Whatever the case, what allows Nobody 2 to make up for the script’s shortcomings is the way that director Timo Tjahjanto uses his action sequences to develop character and not simply deliver gags.
The third act, which is basically wall-to-wall action, doesn’t stop for character moments. Alternatively, the movie finds ways to work them into the fights as they are happening. Nobody 2 is an action movie where the action isn’t the single main event; it’s also the story itself, and this time the story doesn’t belong only to Hutch. Perhaps the most unique thing about Nobody 2 is that, perversely, it’s the rare action film that’s kind of for the whole family.
Nobody 2 hits theaters on August 15!
Release Date: August 15, 2025.
Directed by Timo Tjahjanto.
Screenplay by Derek Kolstad & Aaron Rabin.
Story by Aaron Rabin.
Produced by Bob Odenkirk, David Leitch, Kelly McCormick, Marc Provissiero, & Braden Aftergood.
Executive Producer: David Hyman.
Main Cast: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, RZA, Christopher Lloyd, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside, Nolan Grantham, Pyper Braun, Jahron Wilson, Colin Salmon, Billy MacLellan, Gage Munroe, Paisley Cadorath, Colin Hanks, John Ortiz, Mckenna Grace, Daniel Maclnnis, Madison MacIsaac, Isla Verot, Ryan David Younes, Nicholas J. Verdi, Cindy Myskiw, Zara Longe, & Daniel Bernhardt.
Cinematographer: Callan Green.
Composer: Dominic Lewis.
Production Companies: 87North Productions & Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment.
Distributor: Universal Pictures.
Runtime: 89 minutes.
Rated R.
