Nobody 2 is a new film set to release in theaters this weekend, and is the sequel to the 2021 hit, Nobody. Written by Derek Kolstad & Aaron Rabin and directed by Timo Tjahjanto, the film stars Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, John Ortiz, RZA, Colin Hanks, Christopher Lloyd, and Sharon Stone. Suburban dad Hutch Mansell, a former lethal assassin, is pulled back into his violent past after thwarting a home invasion, setting off a chain of events that unravels secrets about his wife Becca’s past and his own.

When 2021’s Nobody first came out, it felt like one of the first big movies to come out of the pandemic. I really enjoyed it at the time, but I had only seen it once, and it didn’t feel like we needed a sequel. Just because a movie is successful doesn’t mean we always need sequels. In preparation for the sequel, I rewatched the first, and it surprisingly still holds up. Unfortunately, the sequel does not live up to those standards.

Whenever I see a movie before the Rotten Tomatoes score comes out, I try to guess what it’s going to be. For the most part, I haven’t been wrong. I honestly think this isn’t going to fare well with critics, but audience members, especially fans of the first, will enjoy the film. Those who like the movie might be able to see it for what it is, but I also can’t imagine viewers agreeing it’s better than the first. If that’s the kind of reaction the film is going to get, then did we really need this? No. Couldn’t Bob Odenkirk do a different action movie? Absolutely.

To get the positives out of the way, the action is where the film shines for the most part. There are a few stand out action-packed scenes that were visually impressive. The way the camera follows the action is admirable. Odenkirk continues to be great, while Nielsen gets more to do. The film is certainly a lot sillier than the first, which may give the film its identity, but it’s also the film’s downfall.

The worst thing this film has going for it is the writing. It’s clear the first movie was never meant to have a sequel. After the success of the first, the film came up with a unique way to keep the story going, but goes absolutely nowhere with it. I avoided all the trailers of this film, thinking it would be better that way. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Instead of going on vacation as a cover or under more realistic standards, Hutch decides to take a break from the $30 million he still owes to some bad people from the first. The movie doesn’t even resolve that. It’s utterly ridiculous.

The first act has some stand out moments that embrace the new silly tone, however, it still falls back on the formula as the first. When you think about it, it’s just a beat-for-beat remake in a new location and more ridiculous plot points than there needs to be. By the time the film gets to its third act, I was ready for the film to wrap it up. It’s predictable and cliche. The way the characters fall into place makes absolutely no sense.

The film makes you think you’ve met the bad guy. Then, it makes you think someone else is. Then, it makes you think about it again. At that point is where we actually get the real villain played by Sharon Stone who is in a completely different movie. It’s like she was told she was in a John Wick parody. Colin Hanks is also horribly miscast and wasted. He needs a new agent.

As for other issues I have with the film, there’s some painful product placement, low-budget music, and rushed visuals. There’s a misplaced poster at the end of the film that would never be hung in anyone’s house. The music feels like it was taken off a free royalty site. The visuals are not always as effective as they could be. Instead of creating more tension, they look more fake than anything else. The violence also can be out of place as it tries to go for shock value.

Overall, Nobody 2 is a film I didn’t need. Viewers might enjoy it for what it is, but never feel inclined to explore it again. It does very little to push the story or the characters forward in a meaningful way. The sillier tone does have its moment with its action & humor, but it also leaves much to be desired.

VERDICT: 2/5 (Bad)