Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard [Blu-Ray]

Director: Patrick Hughes

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek

Release Date: August 17, 2021

A Review By: Kevin Lovell

Film Rating: 6/10
Disc Rating: 7.5/10

Synopsis:

The world’s most lethal odd couple – bodyguard Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) and hit man Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson) – are back. Still unlicensed, Bryce is forced into action by Darius’s wife, the infamous international con artist Sonia Kincaid (Salma Hayek). As Bryce is driven over the edge by the volatile spouses, the trio get in over their heads in a global plot and soon find that they are all that stand between Europe and a vengeful and powerful madman (Antonio Banderas). Joining in the fun and deadly mayhem is Morgan Freeman as…well, you’ll have to see.

Please Note: Lionsgate Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Post. The opinions I share are my own.

The deadly and hilarious odd couple that was introduced in ‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard‘ returns in ‘Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard’ which finds bodyguard Michael Bryce (Reynolds) trying to get back to normal after his previous misadventure with Darius Kincaid (Jackson) left some turmoil in his life to deal with. After some therapy, he heads out for a relaxing beachfront vacation which is promptly interrupted by Sonia Kincaid (Hayek) who enlists Michael’s help to rescue her captured husband. Currently on a sabbatical and refusing to use violence or shoot a gun, he reluctantly accompanies her only for the rescue to lead to a whole new set of headaches and dangerous situations which they might survive if they can stop bickering long enough to work together.

Once again directed by Patrick Hughes (The Hitman’s Bodyguard, The Expendables 3) from a screenplay written by Tom O’Connor (The Hitman’s Bodyguard, The Courier) and co-written by Phillip Murphy and Brandon Murphy, from a story by O’Connor, Hughes does a solid job at the helm of ‘Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard’ guiding along the action and fun with a good natured charm and embracing what worked so well with the first film. The sequel also includes a noteworthy cast featuring some returning individuals and newcomers to the series including Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool), Samuel L. Jackson (Spiral: From the Book of Saw), Salma Hayek (Like A Boss), Frank Grillo (Boss Level), Antonio Banderas (The Expendables 3), Morgan Freeman (Going In Style) and more, with most offering pretty decent if not at least fitting performances in each of their respective roles.

‘Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard’ is another violent, vulgar and quite hilarious ride that embraces the strengths and fan-favorite elements of the first film and pushes them to their limits, resulting in another wonderfully over the top action comedy that shouldn’t have any trouble slapping a grin on the face of anyone who appreciated the first film. It retains much of what made the first one so enjoyable and brings a bit more of the somewhat less utilized elements such as Hayek’s marvelous role which is far more prominent in the sequel, while still making certain to up the ante on the chaos, bloody violence and scope; all while relying significantly on the ever-amusing bantering between Reynolds and Jackson which is surely the most enjoyable element of the series. It doesn’t bring a whole lot new to the tale (although it does bring in some new, notable stars such as Antonio Banderas and Morgan Freeman who mesh well with everyone else) but the filmmakers seem to know what most folks will want out of the follow-up and it certainly delivers enough of what fans loved about its predecessor to make it worth their time to check out. I would definitely encourage any fans of the first film to try and find the time to give ‘Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard’ a whirl whenever convenient. It probably won’t be a big awards contender but this sequel certainly has no problem delivering ample amounts of over the top violent fun and laughs that should keep everyone thoroughly entertained from start to finish.

Overall, ‘Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard’ is a bloody, hilarious and fast paced follow-up that reteams our favorite new odd couple for another over the top action comedy that fans of its predecessor probably won’t want to overlook. Offering up more of the elements fans loved about the first film and adding a couple noteworthy new stars to its roster of talent, it’s a ridiculously fun sequel that plays to the original’s strengths instead of trying to do something notably different or unique. ‘Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard’ is definitely recommended, especially for those who enjoyed the first film. It’s another fun, funny and fast paced misadventure that’s well worth checking out. If you’re looking for a violent and vulgar good time with a great cast that never tries to take itself too seriously, then ‘Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard’ should not disappoint.

VIDEO:

The Blu-ray release of ‘Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard’ features a full 1080p High Definition presentation with the film’s original 2.39:1 Cinemascope Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks wonderful altogether and offers a sharp, clean, colorful and vibrantly detailed presentation from start to finish with no unexpected troubles or issues to be found along the way. It holds up beautifully even during the various darkly lit and fast moving sequences, never resulting in anything occurring onscreen becoming negatively affected or problematic at any point. Overall, this is a magnificent high definition video presentation that never disappoints and should easily thrill fans and first time viewers alike.

AUDIO:

The Blu-ray release features a Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 channel compatible) soundtrack. Please note that this review pertains solely to the Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio presentation. This multichannel soundtrack serves up a crisp, smooth and wildly aggressive audio presentation throughout. It constantly takes full advantage of all seven available channels in order to send a flurry of gunshots, vehicles and other action effects, along with a great deal more consistently zipping throughout the various speakers, while always making certain that any dialogue or other audio elements that might be occurring simultaneously also remain clear and fully audible. Overall, this is a fantastic Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible) soundtrack that constantly contributes plenty of extra fun to the overall viewing experience.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The Blu-ray release of ‘Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard’ includes a few noteworthy extras that fans of the film(s) should enjoy. Included on the release is a ‘Gag Reel’ (running approximately 5 minutes in length), along with some Behind the Scenes Featurettes that include interviews/comments with the cast and crew, plus behind the scenes footage and more. They include ‘Ryan, Sam, Salma: One F’d Up Family’ (running approximately 9 minutes), ‘Gone Soft: The New Michael Bryce’ (approximately 7 minutes), ‘Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard: #stuntlife’ (8 minutes) and ‘On the Set of Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard’ (4 minutes). Also included are the Red Band Trailers for each film (The Hitman’s Bodyguard and Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard) (approximately 5 minutes combined).

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Blu-Ray and resized. They will additionally suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on this Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

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Film Rating: 6/10
Disc Rating: 7.5/10

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‘Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard’ Arrives Home on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & DVD August 17, 2021 & is Now Available on Digital from Millennium Media & Lionsgate Home Entertainment

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