Forget John Wick, because there’s a new villain in town. His name is Hutch Mansell, and even though the name doesn’t sound the same, he’s as deadly as the great Baba Yaga. Hutch stars in Nobody, a new action thriller starring Bob Odenkirk, who looks incredible judging by the film’s trailer.
The high-octane film is penned by Ilya Naishuller, who directed the first-person shooter Hardcore Henry. Some people unfairly dismissed this film as an extended gimmick, but I found that the story worked alongside the non-stop action.
In Nobody, no one expects much from Hutch, a suburban father whose family is disappointed when he fails to defend them after two burglars break into their home. Though Hutch is continually overlooked and underestimated, the aftermath of the incident brings out his long-dormant rage, unleashing dormant instincts and propelling him down a brutal path that brings dark secrets and deadly skills to the surface. In a whirlwind of fisticuffs, gunfire and squealing tires, Hutch must save his family from a dangerous adversary (Aleksey Serebryakov) and ensure that no one ever sees him as a nobody again.
Connie Nielsen plays the role of Hutch’s wife, while Christopher Lloyd, also an Emmy winner, plays his father and RZA plays his brother, whose hidden talents help Hutch in his quest for revenge.
I mentioned John Wick earlier not only because the comparison is obvious, but also because John Wick creator Derek Kolstad wrote the screenplay for Nobody and original John Wick co-director David Leitch produced the film with Kelly McCormick through his company 87North. Braden Aftergood also produced for Eighty Two Films, while Odenkirk and Marc Provissiero produced on behalf of Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment. Kolstad served as executive producer on Nobody alongside Marc S. Fischer, Annie Marter and Tobey Maguire.
If John Wick hadn’t already established a rich mythology, I’d suggest a crossover between that franchise and this one (which I hope will spark a franchise), but let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. I don’t want to raise unfair expectations for this film, though I suspect Naishuller would encourage the hype, as his muscular filmmaking is not lacking in confidence.
Universal releases Nobody on February 26 – a week later than scheduled, by the way – and I hope the COVID-19 vaccine is widely available by then, because this looks like a cinematic experience like no other. But hey, I like hard knocks. That’s just me. Watch the red band trailer below and click here to see if Odenkirk made it into Collider’s list of the best guest stars to ever grace The Office with their presence.