Nobody 2 ups the stakes and the laughs, sending its assassin hero and his family on a summer vacation that’s anything but relaxing.

I have to be honest: I completely forgot what happened in Nobody. I remembered that Bob Odenkirk starred as an assassin, but that’s about it. I couldn’t tell you the plot without looking it up (which I just did). In fairness, the late March 2021 release arrived while the Covid-19 vaccine was still rolling out. At that point, I was watching most major films as watermarked press screeners—which was hardly ideal but the best option in an otherwise awful situation. Four years later, Nobody 2 offered a very different experience.

One thing I really appreciated about Nobody 2 is its brisk 89-minute runtime. I could have done without the non-press attendee to my right, who kept checking messages on their phone, but distractions aside, I didn’t check my watch once. The big screen and uninterrupted viewing made a huge difference. Watching at home always comes with its own set of interruptions—something I didn’t have to deal with this time.

Four years after dismantling the Russian mob, suburban husband, father, and part-time assassin Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) is still $30 million in debt to the syndicate and chipping away at it through relentless international hits. While he secretly thrives on the adrenaline, his marriage to real-estate agent Becca (Connie Nielsen) is strained, with both feeling overworked and distant. Hoping to reconnect, they pack up their teenagers—Brady (Gage Munroe) and Sammy (Paisley Cadorath)—for a nostalgic getaway to Wild Bill’s Majestic Midway and Waterpark, the same spot Hutch and his brother Harry (RZA) visited in childhood.

With Hutch’s dad David (Christopher Lloyd) joining the trip, the family rolls into the sunny tourist hub of Plummerville, ready for low-stakes fun. But trouble comes quickly when a brush with local bullies spirals out of control. Suddenly, they’re on the radar of crooked park owner Wyatt Martin (John Ortiz) and his equally dubious sheriff, Abel (Colin Hanks). Things escalate when Hutch draws the wrath of the most deranged crime boss he’s ever faced—Lendina (Sharon Stone), a ruthless figure whose idea of revenge turns the vacation into a blood-soaked survival mission. What was meant to be a weekend of water slides and family bonding becomes a no-holds-barred fight for their lives.

After Better Call Saul, I might have expected Bob Odenkirk to return to his comedy roots. Instead, he’s stayed on a darker path with projects like Nobody and now Nobody 2, showing an impressive range in the process. The film also explores Hutch’s work-life balance and how that plays out at home. We already know these characters—if you remember the first film without looking it up, even better—so the sequel has breathing room to try something new. Derek Kolstad and Aaron Rabin’s script takes advantage by placing the Mansells in a fresh and unexpected situation.

You’d think a family vacation would be a chance to relax. In Nobody 2, not so much. Hutch isn’t just off his game—he’s in trouble with the law after losing it in an arcade. Was it a blessing in disguise? Maybe. Some things never change, though, as Harry and David once again come to the rescue in an explosive climax.

And just when you think you’ve seen every kind of cinematic crime boss, along comes Lendina. Whether you compare her to villains from Scorsese, Bond, or The Godfather, she’s in a league of her own—scorched-earth, burn-it-all-down evil. Once Hutch crosses her, it’s like he’s signing his own death warrant. If Sharon Stone is auditioning for more villain roles, Hollywood should be lining up after her appearance in Nobody 2.

Behind the camera, Nobody 2 director Timo Tjahjanto makes an impressive English-language debut. Taking over an established franchise isn’t easy, but his style fits perfectly. The tone is a marked shift from the wintry feel of the first film; summer vacation offers a brighter, livelier environment, and Tjahjanto uses it to full advantage. The result is a burst of energy that the franchise didn’t have before. There are thirteen different fight scenes, including a wild one aboard a duck boat—a great example of why the Academy’s new Oscar for Stunt Design is long overdue.

Michael Diner’s production design in Nobody 2 is equally strong. Winnipeg, Manitoba, convincingly doubles as a Midwestern Americana town, with signage and details inspired by the 1940s and 50s. The Lilac Resort in Saint Anne, Manitoba, stands in for Wild Bill’s Majestic Midway and Waterpark, expanded with a custom-built arcade and extra amusement rides—all of which set the stage for the chaotic third act.

Much like the production design, Nobody 2 cinematographer Callan Green shot on ARRI 35 with Panavision T-series anamorphic lenses to create visuals that evoke the warmth of summer rather than the darker, wintry tones of the first film. The result is a vibrant color palette reminiscent of films like The Big Lebowski, yet still grounded in reality. On the soundtrack side, the film offers a wide mix of songs—including covers of Tony Bennett’s “The Good Life” and Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”—alongside Dominic Lewis’s score. Lewis blends blues-country rock with keyboards and ambient sounds you might hear drifting through an amusement park, perfectly complementing the film’s setting.

Nobody 2 proves that a sequel can both expand its world and sharpen its focus. By shifting from wintry streets to a sun-soaked, nostalgia-tinged setting, the film finds fresh ways to put Hutch and his family in peril while keeping the action inventive and brisk. With a villain as memorably unhinged as Sharon Stone’s Lendina, and a creative team firing on all cylinders—from direction and stunt design to production, cinematography, and score—the result is a lean, lively 89 minutes that rarely lets up. If the franchise continues, Nobody 2 sets the bar high for where Hutch’s bloody, darkly comic adventures can go next.

DIRECTOR: Timo Tjahjanto
SCREENWRITERS: Derek Kolstad and Aaron Rabin
CAST: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, John Ortiz, RZA, Colin Hanks, with Christopher Lloyd and Sharon Stone

Universal Pictures will release Nobody 2 in theaters on August 15, 2025. Grade: 4/5

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