Nobody 2

Nobody 2 has the distinction of providing the steepest quality decline mid-film since Hancock, but unlike Hancock, they didn't wait until the halfway point.

As the film opens, we're treated to a fun little adventure that establishes Hutch's (Odenkirk) life/work imbalance as he struggles to pay off the $30m debt he incurred when he burnt the stacks of cash in the original. His wife is unhappy, his children are unhappy, and he's exhausted... from all the murder.

By smashing together the everyday grind of family life with the wild, blood-soaked chaos of Hutch’s secret job, guys will see themselves in Hutch’s quiet dread of his wife’s unspoken frustration. It hits like a gut punch, and that sinking feeling of letting her down while doing the right thing stings all too real because even knowing he’s stuck in a cycle, Hutch can’t just pump the brakes. His juxtaposed lives have him pinned, and you feel that tension in your bones while simultaneously appreciating the humor inherent in this ridiculously exaggerated example of real life. It's why people go to the movies.

Then Act II begins, and the alcohol kicks in because everything from the 16th-rate dialogue to each character's unnatural behavior slurs into a goo of boring, overwrought clichés all punctuated by one of the worst performances ever filmed. Sharon Stone, who is best known for her wildlife shows, especially that of the North American beaver, gives a horrifically awful turn as a villain, so schlocky, over the top, and empty, it makes Dennis Hopper's Koopa in the 1993 Super Mario Bros. look like an Oscar winning performance (back when that meant something). It's not entirely her fault; the script had her spouting dialogue so bad that she should be applauded for keeping a straight face.

Nothing was helped by a plot that remains a needlessly ambiguous mystery until Stone's introduction in the last few minutes. From there, it's a rush to get everyone into their places for a half-hearted attempt at recapturing the big-boy Home Alone vibes from the original's climactic final showdown.

Between the stellar first act and this flaccid climax, the family stumbles around aimlessly courtesy of a script clueless about what to do with them. Then, a series of meaningless side characters with dangling subplots eat up time while also giving Bob Odenkirk's Hutch an excuse to liquidate various groups of randos. That's really the only thing that Nobody 2 gets consistently right. With the exception of the final battle, the violence is almost as much fun as the original. Odenkirk is always a joy to watch, and he once again infuses Hutch with a ton of humanity amidst the chaos. Only this time it's in a film that in no way deserves his brilliance.

As sequels go, it's safe to say that Nobody 2 is a major disappointment.