Most movie fans have a list of at least two actors they’d like to see on screen together. Whether it’s because of their similar styles, lofty careers or potential chemistry, one can only hope the pairing would live up to expectations. Robert De Niro and Al Pacino meeting in Heat was everything fans hoped for, while Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence coupling in Passengers was less so. Now, someone out there can check-off Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds from their list of dream teams because the trailer for The Hitman’s Bodyguard is here to prove it’s really happening.
Jackson’s and Reynolds’ characters have been on opposing sides for years. The former is one of the world’s most notorious hit men, while the latter is the world’s top protection agent. However, a recent incident has moved the infamous assassin to the top of the list of targets. So now the relentless bodyguard has been assigned to secure the life of his mortal enemy. With 24 hours to get from England to The Hague, they must evade a merciless Eastern European dictator (Gary Oldman) and manage the hit man’s equally notorious wife (Salma Hayek).
Who would have thought a hit man would ever need a bodyguard? The film’s title sounds like an oxymoron and the tongue-in-cheek poster is a humorous throwback to the Whitney Houston/Kevin Costner original. But it’s the absolute absurdity of the situation that lends itself to the potentially top-notch comedy shown in the trailer. Jackson and Reynolds appear to play off of each other very well and the action sequences are built into the comedic beats. Both actors are portraying personalities they’ve previously played, but together it seems fresh and entertaining. The film opens August 18.
