Nobody 2 (2025) Review

The first Nobody took audiences by surprise. Bob Odenkirk, best known for his sharp wit and everyman persona, reinvented himself as Hutch Mansell, a seemingly ordinary suburban husband who revealed himself to be a lethally efficient former government operative. It was equal parts tongue-in-cheek and bone-crunchingly brutal, fitting neatly into the John Wick mold while also giving Odenkirk a unique corner of the genre to call his own. Now with Nobody 2, directed by Timo Tjahjanto, Hutch is back, and he’s bloodier, brasher, and more comfortable than ever in his double life as a family man and unrelenting action juggernaut.

The setup this time around is deceptively simple. Hutch decides he wants to take his family on vacation, a move that seems both wholesome and oddly unsettling given that his wife (Connie Nielsen) and kids now appear fully aware of his violent side gig. Where does a man like Hutch take his loved ones to unwind? To Plummerville, a small tourist town he remembers from his own childhood. The irony is thick, because of course this sleepy little spot turns out to be the beating heart of a large-scale drug operation overseen by Lendina, played with gleeful menace by Sharon Stone. The local sheriff, Abel (Colin Hanks), keeps things quiet for her, which naturally puts Hutch right in the middle of yet another chaotic storm of fists, bullets, and bloodshed.

From the very first action sequence, Nobody 2 makes it clear that subtlety is not on the itinerary. Tjahjanto, known for high-octane Indonesian action films like The Night Comes for Us, stages the violence with reckless abandon. Bones snap, knives flash, and explosions erupt in gloriously over-the-top fashion. Hutch dispatches enemies with the same matter-of-fact brutality that made the first film such a delight, and the choreography is designed to keep audiences wincing and grinning at the same time. It’s the kind of action filmmaking that embraces excess, leaning into ridiculousness without ever quite crossing into parody.

The cast around Odenkirk adds plenty of texture to the carnage. Connie Nielsen gets a bit more to do this time as Hutch’s wife, though she remains more of a supporting player than an equal partner in the chaos. Christopher Lloyd once again steals his scenes as Hutch’s father, a retiree who proves he is still more than capable of handling himself with a shotgun. John Ortiz shows up as a slick intermediary caught between Hutch and the town’s criminal underworld, chewing scenery with relish. And then there is Sharon Stone, who seems to be having the time of her life as Lendina. She imbues the villainess with both glamor and venom, giving the movie a theatrical villain worthy of its pulpy tone.

The biggest weakness of Nobody 2 lies in its story and its stakes, or rather, the lack of them. The first film worked because Hutch’s hidden life was gradually revealed, and his family’s safety felt uncertain. Here, there is no mystery. We know Hutch is capable of annihilating anyone who stands in his way, and his family appears more or less unshakable. No matter how bloody or battered Hutch becomes, the film never convinces us that he or his loved ones are truly in danger. The narrative hits familiar beats of “reluctant hero pulled back into action,” but without the suspense of wondering whether he might lose something dear, it can feel more like a theme park ride than a tense thriller.

Predictability aside, the film succeeds because of its pacing and sheer entertainment value. It moves at a relentless clip, never giving the audience a chance to catch their breath between set pieces. Tjahjanto’s direction injects a kind of feral energy into every brawl, elevating even the most straightforward scenes with inventive camera work and kinetic editing. Odenkirk, for his part, continues to sell the idea of Hutch as an unlikely but utterly convincing killing machine. There is something inherently charming about watching a man with Odenkirk’s unassuming presence suddenly dismantle a room full of heavily armed goons.

In many ways, Nobody 2 is less about character development and more about cementing Hutch Mansell as a franchise figure. Just as Keanu Reeves turned John Wick into a modern action icon, Odenkirk seems fully committed to turning Hutch into a recurring antihero whose exploits can continue in increasingly outrageous sequels. This film may not add much depth to Hutch’s character, but it firmly establishes his place in the growing pantheon of aging, reluctant action stars.

What keeps it fun is the tone. Unlike many grim action movies, Nobody 2 never forgets that it is supposed to entertain. It has a sly sense of humor beneath the carnage, and it embraces its own absurdity without undercutting the visceral thrill of its fights. The mix of grisly violence and wry charm is exactly what made the first film work, and that balance carries over here.

Ultimately, Nobody 2 may not surpass its predecessor, but it doesn’t need to. It delivers exactly what audiences came for: Bob Odenkirk tearing through waves of villains with creativity, grit, and a deadpan expression that somehow makes every punchline land harder. The plot is thin, the character arcs are minimal, and the stakes are practically nonexistent, but none of that matters much when the action is this well executed and this much fun.

For fans of the first film, this sequel is a satisfying continuation. For action junkies, it’s another shot of adrenaline straight to the heart. And for anyone still doubting Bob Odenkirk’s place among Hollywood’s unlikely action heroes, Nobody 2 leaves no doubt. Hutch Mansell is here to stay, and if the mayhem on display in Plummerville is any indication, audiences will be more than happy to watch him burn through as many sequels as the filmmakers can muster.