The Hitman's Bodyguard

In this formulaic buddy action-comedy, disgraced Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) is an elite private security guard (aka bodyguard) who botched an assignment when a Japanese arms-dealing client succumbed to sniper fire. So when his former girlfriend, Interpol agent Amelia Roussel (Élodie Young), asks him to safeguard a witness—which promises to restore his “Triple A” reputation—he accepts the assignment. Bryce must protect convicted hitman Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson), who is traveling from Manchester, England, to The Hague to testify in International Criminal Court against the deposed Belarusian president (Gary Oldman). Kincaid's badass obscenity-spewing Latina lover, Sonia (Salma Hayek), is incarcerated in a Dutch prison, and his evidence will be her get-out-of-jail card. Predictably, Bryce and Kincaid have bad history, and as they embark on a perilous 24-hour road trip, they soon realize that they must rely on each other to survive. Directed by Patrick Hughes, The Hitman's Bodyguard is generic to its core and chockfull of clichés, with the only saving grace being the occasionally humorous verbal sparring between Bryce and Kincaid. But for the most part, let's just say it misses the mark. Optional. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Patrick Hughes and a “Big Action in a Big World” making-of featurette (8 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are the production segments “A Love Story” (9 min.), “Dangerous Women” (9 min.), and “Hitman vs. Bodyguard” (5 min.), as well as outtakes (6 min.), deleted scenes (5 min.), extended scenes (3 min.), alternate scenes (3 min.), and bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a run-of-the-mill buddy action-comedy.] (S. Granger)