Australian filmmaker Patrick Hughes knows how to film a large scale action sequence, but he also loves to have a good laugh while doing it. The director of the underrated suspense thriller Red Hill and the most recent entry into The Expendables franchise finds himself once again tackling chaotic shootouts and multi-vehicle chases with his latest effort The Hitman’s Bodyguard (in cinemas everywhere this weekend), a mismatched buddy flick starring two of the biggest names in comedy and action: Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson.
The Hitman’s Bodyguard
A passably entertaining bit of late summer fluff, the action comedy The Hitman’s Bodyguard is exactly what you probably think it’s going to be going in: two charismatic actors riffing on each other while dodging bullets, fists, and bombs. A comedy firmly steeped in the traditions set forth by Midnight Run and Lethal Weapon, The Hitman’s Bodyguard doesn’t earn too many points for originality or style, but it achieves every modest goal it sets out to make. If you’re in the mood for an action comedy, this is an action comedy that won’t wow you, but it won’t let you down, either.