Nobody 2

Story: A former assassin takes his family on a seemingly innocent break to Plummerville to make happy memories. A small altercation at an amusement arcade escalates into a violent chain reaction, pulling him back into a brutal showdown with a corrupt local syndicate and its handmaidens in the police.

Review: When the original ‘Nobody’ landed in 2021 it felt like a cheeky, blood-soaked answer to the modern revenge/action template set by the ‘John Wick’ franchise — part dark comedy, part bruising choreography — and it created a tidy playground for sequels.

'Nobody 2' steps into that playground with a straightforward brief: give audiences more of what worked before while widening the toybox. Director Timo Tjahjanto embraces that mandate, staging set-piece after set-piece in and around an eerily cheerful amusement park that becomes a playground for grisly creativity. The choice of a theme-park backdrop is not new but turns out to be smart nonetheless – it’s visually distinct, it provides novel stunt possibilities and it lets the film alternate between childhood nostalgia and ugly violence with effective contrast.

At the centre is Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk), who once again wears the envelope of a mild-mannered suburban dad while hiding lethal skill. He sells the contrast between a worn family man and a trained killer with convincing subtlety. Odenkirk commits fully to the physicality and the comic timing the role requires; his measured, rueful expressions make Hutch a believable and oddly sympathetic engine of mayhem. Around him the supporting cast supplies colour and muscle. Becca (Connie Nielsen) is finally given more to do than in the first film. She shares meaningful moments that strengthen the couple’s dynamic. Family members played by RZA (cousin Harry) and Christopher Lloyd (Hutch’s father David) add texture, reminding viewers that Hutch’s life is more than a string of fights.

Yet not every performance lands equally. Lendina (Sharon Stone), conceived as the film’s primary antagonist, is treated with a broad, cartoonish brush that flattens her into a stylish cipher — all-black avatar, dark shades and hair pulled back — rather than a layered, menacing foil. That choice is especially jarring given Stone’s history of playing dangerously complex women; it’s hard not to think of her seductively nuanced, hopelessly lethal Catherine Tramell in ‘Basic Instinct’. It’s disappointing to see a performer of Stone’s calibre relegated to a one-note role that emphasises style over depth.

Tonally, the movie often chooses spectacle over soul. The action is loud, cleverly choreographed and frequently entertaining, but the dramatic stakes sometimes feel cursory. The sequel excels when it embraces chaos and momentum; it falters when it tries to manufacture emotional weight from shallow conflicts. Still, there is clear craft in the fight design and a consistent sense that the filmmakers understand their audience’s appetite for kinetic set-pieces.

In short, 'Nobody 2' is an assured, unapologetic action sequel: not particularly ambitious, but confident in its purpose. The script by Derek Kolstad and Aaron Rabin moves briskly but limits deeper character work. It will satisfy viewers who came for expertly staged violence and Bob Odenkirk’s surprising physical charisma. Those seeking anything deeper than that might find it wanting.