Nobody 2 Review: More Action, Less Conflict

Nobody 2 delivers the action-packed chaos that the first movie offered, but it gives up the nuance it had in its commentary on settling down.

While Nobody didn’t pretend to be more than pure entertainment, the film did carry an interesting thematic through line regarding settling down. You give up a life of excitement for a boring routine in a job that sucks the joy out of everything. What was once a passionate relationship with your partner becomes cold. Your children struggle to connect with you, and in some cases, perceive you as weak. One could say they wouldn’t trade the life they’ve built with their loved ones, but even then, there must remain a feeling of loss when looking back at their previous life. The way Nobody handled these themes wasn’t the strongest, though the attempt is still appreciated. Nobody 2, on the other hand, completely abandons any nuance it had and trades it for popcorn fun. 

Four years after coming out of retirement to take on the Russian mob, Hutch remains $30 million in debt to the criminal organization and is back in action, taking on international thugs. As it seems like he enjoys being back doing his “job,” Hutch and his wife Becca (Connie Nielsen, Gladiator II) drift further apart. The solution to their family and marriage issues? Take their kids on a vacation to Wild Bill’s Majestic Midway and Waterpark, the place where Hutch and his brother Harry (RZA, Problemista) once went on a vacation as kids. Once there, though, Hutch finds himself the focus of the most unhinged, bloodthirsty crime boss he has ever encountered, Lendina (Sharon Stone, Casino).

Regardless of your feelings on Nobody 2 and its predecessor, seeing Odenkirk in a role like this continues to be a treat. There is a warmth he brings that instantly makes Hutch relatable and easy to root for. His violent side is constantly fighting his better judgment, often letting it win. Yet, this side of him also comes from a place of wanting to protect. It makes for fun character conflict, even if it feels especially barebones in this sequel.

Another aspect that made the original Nobody stand out for me is its visual style. Again, it doesn’t move the needle in the action department, but by using anamorphic lenses and doing its best to achieve a film-like look with digital cameras, the movie had a decent amount of texture. Such as the cinema Nobody was emulating, like a John Wick, its world felt dirty and rough. That look is swapped for a completely clean digital visual language that is closer to the dullest streaming movies you can think of. The camera work is still fluid, and the editing can be quite energetic during its set pieces, but it’s not enough to make it memorable. To this day, I still think back on the bus fight from the first film. Here, the choreography remains impressive, and the action is bound to gain a few cheers from the audience, though without grit.

As for other performances, Nielsen continues to have solid chemistry with Odenkirk. Nobody 2 attempts to give Becca more to do, and while the idea of Becca steadily adopting Hutch’s violent tendencies is fascinating, it sort of comes out of nowhere with little to no explanation. Stone is clearly having a ball playing this larger-than-life villain, although her performance can come across as a try-hard evil character. Colin Hanks (Orion and the Dark) and John Ortiz (American Fiction) are playing caricatures rather than characters as the corrupt cop and powerful townsman, though they’re playing off the goofy nature of the film. Other returning cast members feel underutilized, such as Christopher Lloyd (Wednesday) and RZA, who leave an impression with catchy one-liners and nothing more.

The fact that Nobody 2 is laser-focused on entertaining the masses will surely play well. It’s the kind of moviegoing experience that allows you to turn off your brain for a couple of hours and forget about the outside world. For that reason, it’s hard to be too harsh on Nobody 2 because it ultimately succeeds in its mission. It is funny. It can be thrilling at times. You want to see these characters go on more adventures together. Movies like this deserve a place in the industry. Do I wish it tried a little bit more thematically and on a character level, similarly to the first installment? Definitely, but I can’t be mad about what we got when I ate a full bag of popcorn while laughing along with the ridiculous scenarios Nobody 2 kept putting Odenkirk in.

Nobody 2 will be released in US and Canadian theatres, in UK and Irish cinemas, and globally in theaters on August 15, 2025.