It mostly worked as a high-concept and star-driven, three-star big-deal action-comedy. The Hitman's Bodyguard was a happy surprise in late summer 2017, becoming one of that season's only releases to break out ($76 million domestic and $172 million worldwide on a $30 million budget) despite merely mixed-negative reviews.
Reynolds gets stuck selling painfully literal explanations for Bryce's various hang-ups. Hayek devours scenery beyond the bounds of plausibility, but the schtick is less amusing when she's the main protagonist rather than a colorful sideshow. Jackson finally interacting onscreen becomes the definition of wasted potential. However, the notion of Morgan Freeman (as, well, it's a slightly amusing reveal) and Samuel L.
Banderas relishes playing a campy 007 villain and acting onscreen against his Desperado/ Puss in Boots co-star. The farce on display this time out makes Rush Hour 2 look like The Corrupter. The original flick was a surprisingly good movie precisely because it did the work to craft coherent characters and place the sometimes exaggerated action and comedy in a recognizable dramatic narrative.
