Nobody 2 (2025) – Brutal Fights and Vigilante Vibes (Movie Watch Diary 24)

Hello, movie lovers! Welcome to my twenty-third Movie Watch Diary on Bookimov: Books & Movies! Fresh off sinking my teeth into gothic romance, I'm switching gears to high-octane action with Nobody 2 (2025), the sequel to the 2021 sleeper hit. Directed by Timo Tjahjanto and starring Bob Odenkirk as the unassuming badass Hutch Mansell, this one delivers raw, bone-crunching fights with a dash of humor. It's a solid popcorn flick that scratches the itch for vigilante justice, earning a 6/10 from me. Let's break down the punches, and as always, I need your movie picks for my next diary!

Nobody 2 (2025) - Punching Up the Action, But Familiar Territory

Nobody 2 picks up where the first left off, leaning hard into Hutch's trademark bare-knuckle brawls that feel gritty and real—no superhuman invincibility here. The opening and closing fight scenes echo the original's intensity (bus brawl, anyone?), which is both a strength and a slight letdown, like a remix of your favorite track. It's a fun, no-frills actioner blending the stylish gun-fu of John Wick with the personal vendetta edge of The Equalizer. If you crave movies where an everyday guy turns the tables on scumbags, you'll dig the satisfying "justice served" vibe, laced with dark humor. But don't expect deep twists—it's built for one thrilling watch.

The Plot: Family Ties and a Bloody Road Trip

Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk), the retired auditor with a shadowy past in a secret government cleanup crew, is trying to keep his life low-key after the events of the first film. When his daughter (played by a newcomer with spunk) gets kidnapped by a ruthless crime syndicate led by a charismatic but unhinged cartel boss (Connie Nielsen in a villainous twist), Hutch hits the road for a cross-country rescue mission. Teaming up with his estranged brother Harry (a returning Christopher Lloyd, stealing scenes with his wild energy), Hutch unleashes hell—bus hijackings, warehouse melees, and a brutal finale atop a speeding train. The story explores family bonds strained by Hutch's violent history, all while piling on escalating fights that mix hand-to-hand savagery with improvised weapons. It's straightforward revenge porn, but the stakes feel personal, making each punch land with cathartic weight.

Performances That Pack a Punch

Bob Odenkirk is the heart of it all—his everyman charm sells Hutch as a reluctant hero who bleeds and bruises like the rest of us, yet dismantles goons with surgical precision. It's a role tailor-made for him, evolving from the first film's quiet rage to a more world-weary fighter. Connie Nielsen chews scenery as the icy antagonist, adding layers to the usual crime-lord trope, while Christopher Lloyd brings manic glee as Harry's unhinged support act. Their chemistry amps up the humor amid the chaos, though the supporting cast feels a bit interchangeable in the fight fodder department.

A Sequel That Delivers on Demand

Nobody 2 builds smartly on the original's success— that 2021 film turned a $16 million budget into $57 million worldwide, proving audiences crave Odenkirk's underdog fury. This one's $22 million production grossed $39 million in its mid-August 2025 opening weekend alone, hitting theaters with summer blockbuster energy. It amps up the scale with bigger set pieces, but stays true to the "nobody" ethos: no capes, just a dad done wrong. Compared to John Wick's balletic excess or The Equalizer's moral lectures, Nobody 2 feels more grounded and relatable, like your neighbor snapping after one too many bad days.

Ratings and Critical Reception

Nobody 2 sits at a 6.5/10 on IMDb (from 45,000 votes) and 68% on Rotten Tomatoes (audience score). Critics hail its "visceral action and Odenkirk's charisma," with The Hollywood Reporter dubbing it "a worthy encore to the bus-fight breakout." Detractors, like those at IndieWire, call out the "recycled fight beats and thin plot," saying it coasts on nostalgia without innovating. Still, the box office haul shows fans aren't complaining—they're just here for the beatdowns.

A Minor Critique

The recycled vibes from the first film drag it down; those bookend brawls feel like copy-pastes, and the middle act meanders with too much setup before the fists fly. It's entertaining, but lacks the fresh spark that made the original memorable beyond one iconic scene.

A Fun Ride for Action Fans

Nobody 2 (2025) is a blast if you're in the mood for unpretentious thrills—Odenkirk's Hutch dishes out justice with style, humor, and zero mercy, making it a must for John Wick or Equalizer devotees. It's not reinventing the wheel, but that's the point: sometimes you just want a nobody to wreck some everybodies. I rate it 6/10, recommend it for a one-and-done theater trip, and it reignited my love for those brutal, satisfying vigilante tales.

Now, looping back to the original for context...

See also: Dracula (1992) vs. Dracula: A Love Tale (2025): Gothic Horror Meets Modern Romance

Nobody (2021) - The Bus Brawl That Hooked Me

I stumbled on Nobody (2021) via a viral social media clip: a grizzled guy in his 40s dismantling a bus full of punks in a frenzy of punches, kicks, and improvised mayhem. Directed by Ilya Naishuller, it stars Bob Odenkirk as Hutch Mansell, a seemingly ordinary family man who's actually a ex-elite operative from a covert "auditors" program. That bus scene? Pure adrenaline—brutal, bloody, and refreshingly realistic, with Hutch taking as much punishment as he dishes out. It's the kind of fight that lingers, blending raw hand-to-hand with knife work that feels earned.

The Plot: From Home Invasion to All-Out War

After two lowlifes break into his home and steal his daughter's kitty bracelet, Hutch snaps, tracking them down and unwittingly igniting a war with a Russian mob syndicate. What starts as a petty revenge quest spirals into a citywide rampage, pulling in his assassin-trained father (RZA) and uncle (Christopher Lloyd) for backup. The story skewers the "ordinary guy" trope—Hutch's buttoned-up life unravels to reveal a past of wetwork for the feds—culminating in that legendary bus takedown and a snowy showdown. It's a lean setup for escalating chaos, heavy on the satisfaction of one man righting wrongs outside the broken system.

But here's the rub: outside that bus fight, I barely remember the rest. I caught myself fast-forwarding through the domestic boredom and mob exposition, rating the whole thing a generous 5.5/10 just for the action highs. It's the ultimate "justice fantasy"—bad guys terrorize the innocent, cops do nothing, so our "nobody" hero steps up with fists and fury. That catharsis is why it clicked (and cashed in), echoing John Wick's stylish grief or The Equalizer's righteous rage. Fun fact: it bombed in test screenings until they amped up the violence, turning it into a word-of-mouth hit.

Both films nail that escapist thrill of vigilante wins, but the sequel edges out with better pacing and family stakes. If you're binging, start with the original for the full arc.

What did you think of Nobody or its sequel? Team bus brawl or train topper? Drop your thoughts in the comments, and here's the big one: suggest a movie for my next Movie Watch Diary! I'm eyeing more action or maybe a thriller twist, so hit me with your picks. If you enjoyed this post, please like, follow, and share so you don’t miss the next punch. Thanks for joining me—see you in the next one!