Originally published to FOX5 Vegas on Aug. 13, 2025.

Lean, stylish and crowd-pleasing, “Nobody 2” proves there’s still room for mid-budget action to shine in a summer stacked with superhero epics and franchise behemoths. Four years after the first film fought through a pandemic-disrupted release to find its audience, this sequel returns with the same scrappy confidence.

Helming the film is Bob Odenkirk, best known for his titular role in “Better Call Saul,” where he reprised his beloved character from “Breaking Bad.” “Nobody,” and now its sequel, doesn’t exist without him. He’s so easy to like while still believable, grounding the film enough to guide it through the more fanciful and sometimes silly set pieces. Instead of getting lost in the sauce, Odenkirk brings the everyman perspective to Hutch, becoming a cipher for an audience who can easily relate to his decisions. It’s wish fulfillment wrapped in vulnerability: a good guy, sometimes doing questionable things for good reasons.

The supporting cast amplifies the balance. Connie Nielsen returns as Becca Mansell, walking a fine line between challenging Hutch’s choices and standing firmly at his side. Christopher Lloyd makes a welcome, if brief, return as Hutch’s father, while Colin Hanks surprises with a villainous turn as a small-town sheriff hungry for control.

Sharon Stone’s flamboyant criminal mastermind, however, feels like she wandered in from a pulpier, less grounded movie. While her twitchy, strange characterization is grossly out of place, it distracts from but doesn’t demean an otherwise fantastic cast.

While the terrific cast is instrumental, “Nobody 2” wouldn’t stand without great action. The fight choreography is believable without being boring, and the cinematography eschews jittery jump cuts for smooth, easily trackable action beats. Paired with just enough violence to get fists pumping, the film doesn’t often take its foot off the gas.

“Nobody 2” may be the perfect summer film. It’s fun, action-packed, quick-witted, and at a fast-paced 89 minutes, it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Without the weight of a cinematic universe to either build or prop up, it feels like a fun and easy time at the theater, blending family stakes with bone-crunching action.