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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 17 augusT 2017
Review: ‘Hitman’s Bodyguard’

a fun, action-packed escape

By SANDY COHEN protecting is killed by a snip- through Amsterdam’s ca-
AP Entertainment Writer er. Bryce blames his Inter- nals. Jackson soars in roles
There’s not a whole lot pol detective ex-girlfriend, like these, and his perfor-
that’s new about “The Hit- Amelia (Elodie Yung), for mance is as bulletproof as
man’s Bodyguard .” Its the deadly mistake, believ- Kincaid is rumored to be.
mismatched-pals premise ing she leaked information The 68-year-old is as thrilling
is the stuff of classic buddy to her law-enforcement an action star as any de-
comedies. Stars Ryan Reyn- colleagues. cades younger. It wouldn’t
olds and Samuel L. Jackson A couple years later, Ame- be surprising to learn he
play their typical character lia is tapped to transport does his own stunts, and
This image released by Lionsgate shows Samuel L. Jackson, left,
and Ryan Reynolds in “The Hitman’s Bodyguard.” types: Reynolds the hand- notorious hit-man Darius insisted on manning that
Associated Press some do-gooder; Jackson Kincaid (Jackson) to Inter- speedboat himself.
the unflappable badass national Criminal Court, Jackson’s Kincaid is also
whose favorite word is where he’s to be the sole the story’s wise elder, giv-
mother(expletive). And like witness testifying against ing Bryce romance advice
many movie heroes past, murderous Belarusian dic- as they dodge Dukhovich’s
they’re tasked with taking tator Vladislav Dukhovich thugs.
down a brutal dictator. (Gary Oldman, always Reynolds works his com-
Yet that kind of familiar perfect). Dukhovich de- ic and superhero action
framework is what makes ploys his bottomless army chops and Hayek is at her
this action-packed mashup of goons to take out their fieriest as a barmaid un-
of gun battles, car chases, convoy and ultimately afraid to cut a guy’s carot-
fist fights and international eliminate Kincaid, who id with a broken bottle.
intrigue such a delight: promised his testimony in Director Patrick Hughes
Leave reality’s chaos at the exchange for the release (“The Expendables 3”)
door, and lose yourself in a of his wife, Sonia (Salma keeps the action ground-
world where the bad guys Hayek), from jail. ed in the story’s narrative
get what’s coming to them Outgunned and desper- without compromising the
and Sam Jackson sponta- ate, Amelia turns to Bryce excitement. The movie is
neously breaks into song. for help, promising to help loud, with several explo-
(He actually sings three restore his career if he can sions that could shake a
times in this film — once in get Kincaid to The Hague nervous viewer from her
Italian! With nuns! Plus his safely. Thus begins the odd- seat, but the chases are
own, original F-word-laden couple pairing of Reynolds epic, especially the speed-
tune.) and Jackson and premise boat scene, during which
And did I mention there’s a for various physical and Reynolds’ character kept
love-story subplot? verbal throw-downs, with pace on a motorcycle.
Reynolds plays Michael the bad guys and each Screenwriter Tom O’Connor
Bryce, a well-manicured, other. mitigates the serious matter
tightly wound, type-A When Bryce says he’s in his story — the trial of a ty-
personality who works in there to keep Kincaid out rant for war crimes against
“executive protection,” of harm’s way, Kincaid re- his own people — with brisk
providing high-end, high- plies, “I am harm’s way.” banter and thrilling fight
stakes bodyguard services And he proves it, taking out sequences, along with a
for society’s unsavories. His baddies even while hand- touch of sweetness as it
career and polished im- cuffed and outracing a becomes clear that both
age take a nosedive after fleet of armored cars while Bryce and Kincaid are mo-
a weapons dealer he was whipping a speedboat tivated by love. q
Cruise ankle break halts ‘Mission:

Impossible 6’ production

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Pro- ered Cruise leaping to a
duction has shut down on building, hitting its side and
“Mission: Impossible 6” due then crawling over the top
to star Tom Cruise’s broken and running away. After
ankle. Paramount Pictures he finished the take, Cruise
said Wednesday that pro- is seen limping, though he
duction will go on hiatus was able to rappel back
while Cruise makes a full to the building he jumped
recovery. from.
Cruise broke his ankle while The 55-year-old actor is In this Tuesday, May 30,
performing a stunt for the known for performing 2017, file photo, Tom Cruise
film during its London- many of his own stunts. poses during a photocall for
based shoot. The studio says that the film the French premiere of “The
TMZ posted a video Sun- remains on schedule to Mummy” in Paris, France.
day that showed a teth- open on July 27, 2018.q Associated Press