NOBODY 2 -- Unnecessary Sequel

Review by Adam Donato

The first Nobody movie was a pleasant surprise in a dark time for cinema. The movie theater industry was still trying to recover from the pandemic and notable movies were sparse. The film made almost twice its budget domestically alone. That does inspire confidence when greenlighting a sequel, but does this concept have more juice left in it? This time around, Hutch takes his family on a vacation, but just can’t seem to stay out of trouble. Can Nobody 2 lure in any rage filled fathers looking to soak up the last of summer with the kids going back to school this week?

Bob Odenkirk carries a lot of street cred and deservedly so, especially for his work on Better Call Saul. Nobody was an ambitious swing from him. He did what many comedians are trying to do, cross over into other genres. The first Nobody film is a great deal of fun and Odenkirk kicks ass in it. Nobody 2 is a lot more of the same for him. His character isn’t given any major development in this continuation of the story. It’s clear he’s having fun with the over the top action sequences and that’s the real draw of the movie. Overall this feels like a paycheck for Odenkirk. 

The narrative is the same as it was before. He’s just a regular dad who wants to take care of his family, but becomes John Wick when he feels like he’s been provoked. The interesting angle of this sequel is the setting. The whole film takes place at this quaint family vacation spot, complete with carnival and water park. This leads to some funny action scenes, specifically one involving a waterslide. The film feels like an action parody of National Lampoon’s Vacation. What if Griswold beat the shit out of everyone who got in his way? The runtime checks in at just eighty nine minutes, which makes for a brisk experience. It’s like a feature length Looney Tunes movie for annoyed dads. 

Christopher Lloyd, Connie Nielsen, and RZA return for the sequel. Nielsen is given more to do this time around. The only real attempt at an emotional arc in the film is Hutch trying to improve his relationship with his wife. Their dynamic is similar to that of a superhero’s secret identity relationship drama in all the worst ways. Lloyd and RZA feel like they’re here out of obligation and to collect a paycheck. John Ortiz and Colin Hanks are big swings and misses as new antagonists who run the shady police force of Plummerville. Sharon Stone on the other hand as the big bad guy pulling all the strings is certainly memorable. Her look, her line readings, and her dancing were all big standouts in the film. It’s unfortunate that she wasn’t more directly involved with the story sooner and given a more personal beef with Hutch. 

Nobody 2 is a live action cartoon and a vacation movie parody. The fun setting of the film isn’t enough to make this sequel feel necessary. Nobody is a very good movie and should’ve been left alone. No harm done, just nothing to go out of your way to see. If you need to unload some violent testosterone in an unserious way, then check out Nobody 2 in theaters this week. 

Nobody 2 is in theaters on August 15. 

Rating: 2/5