BENJAMIN HAYLETT
staff writer

When critically anticipated, box office- breaking blockbusters hit theaters, it becomes easy for perfectly good movies to get swept under the rug and disregarded in the long run.
This is exactly what happened recently with “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” an outstanding action comedy starring Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds.
The movie tells the story of Ryan Reynolds’ character Michael, a down on his luck bodyguard to the rich and famous, who is contracted by INTERPOL to transport Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Darius, a notorious gun-for-hire, to the trial of the antagonist of the film, Vladislav Dukhovich, played brilliantly by Gary Oldman.
Dukhovich sends a myriad of henchmen to kill both Michael and Darius, and, in true action comedy style, gun fights, hand-to-hand combat and car chases follow suit.
The chemistry between Reynolds and Jackson is palpable throughout the entirety of the film. The backwards “buddy-cop” dynamic between them is the source of many of the film’s hilarious moments.
It is obvious that Reynolds took much of his comedic timing and sense of humor from when he played “Deadpool,” and it plays beautifully against Jackson’s overall stern demeanor to create some truly funny moments that resonated well with everyone in the theater.
Another standout performance comes from Oldman, playing the complex antagonist.
Oldman’s performance has exceeding depth not normally seen in the comedic atmosphere of similar movies and is a welcomed addition to the film.
The action sequences in “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” are built on the structure made popular by movies such as “John Wick” and “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” wherein brutally violent combat is shown in its entirety on screen in long continuous shots.
This style of showing action on the screen sharply contrasts the way Hollywood has been doing it for around the last decade.
Short, choppy editing that leaves the viewers confused as to what is happening on the screen has sadly become the norm for some time, and critics and audiences alike openly voiced their displeasure with what was seemingly becoming the status quo.
“The Hitman’s Bodyguard” keeps the viewer in the loop as to what is going on and uses the merciless nature of its combat to its full advantage.
The nonchalance with which the broken bones, blood squibs and headshots are portrayed adds to the comedic effect that encapsulates the entire movie.
The combination of all these elements works to tell an engaging story that keeps the audience engaged and in stitches for its entirety.
If you cannot get to the theaters before “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” leaves, I would highly recommend renting it as soon as it is available.

BENJAMIN HAYLETT
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