Nobody 2 First Reviews: A Perfect Summer Movie Packed with Action

Bob Odenkirk is back as one of the most unlikely action heroes in history with Nobody 2, and the first reviews of the sequel are now online. This time, the John Wick-like assassin is just trying to take a vacation with his family when he crosses paths with a local crime boss. Directed by Timo Tjahjanto (The Night Comes for Us), Nobody 2 is being called an entertaining follow-up that is as good as or even better than the original, mostly thanks to Odenkirk’s performance and the movie’s action set pieces.

Here’s what critics are saying about Nobody 2:


How does it compare to the original?

Nobody 2 is far superior in every way.
— Travis Hopson, Punch Drunk Critics

With Nobody 2, we get one of those rare sequels that feels like an upgrade.
— Giovanni Lago, Next Best Picture

Nobody 2 [is] a sequel that outshines the entertaining yet cynical original.
— William Bibbiani, TheWrap

Nobody 2 proves its worth as an improvement on the original.
— Abe Friedtanzer, Awards Buzz

Nobody 2 improves on its predecessor, but that’s a low bar to clear.
— Siddhant Adlakha, Inverse

If you were a fan of the first Nobody, there’s a good chance that you’ll have a great time watching Nobody 2. It’s as simple as that.
— Nate Richard, Collider

Nobody 2 proves that a sequel can both expand its world and sharpen its focus.

As with most sequels, it isn’t as good as the original film… but it isn’t a horrible movie.
— Allison Rose, FlickDirect

When compared to the dour tone of the first, the sequel feels a little pedestrian.
— Witney Seibold, Slashfilm


(Photo by Allen Fraser/©Universal Pictures)

Does it try anything new?

The sequel does not stray far from what made the original work, but Tjahjanto sprinkles in a series of gruesomely enjoyable set pieces that keep the punches landing.
— Giovanni Lago, Next Best Picture

Tjahjanto adds his own flair to this franchise while embracing the drollness that makes it feel ever so slightly different from so many similar films.
— William Bibbiani, TheWrap

The movie’s biggest departure from its predecessor…Tjahjanto’s approach trades its moroseness for violent slapstick.
— Siddhant Adlakha, Inverse

Timo Tjahjanto tends to lean more towards the horror genre, which explains the level of gore infused into this sequel.
— Allison Rose, FlickDirect

The tone is a marked shift from the wintry feel of the first film; summer vacation offers a brighter, livelier environment, and Tjahjanto uses it to full advantage. The result is a burst of energy that the franchise didn’t have before.
— Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies


How is the action?

Timo Tjahjanto stages the mayhem-filled proceedings expertly, perfectly realizing the franchise’s blend of bone-crushing violence and slapstick humor. The stunt team and fight choreographers deserve tremendous credit as well.
— Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

The film’s action is exciting overall. It even made me gasp during a couple of the more bloody and brutal instances.
— Mae Abdulbaki, Screen Rant

The star is the action, and in that respect, the movie absolutely shines…Tjahjanto, Odenkirk, and the stunt team have wisely gone for pure impact over gore.
— Bill Bria, Discussing Film

Tjahjanto orchestrates the mayhem like a crunchy action symphony, heavy on fireballs, shattered teeth, and gun-fu.
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot

Tjahjanto’s skill at staging action is not dulled by the generic script. He finds creative ways to use environments to their fullest.
— Giovanni Lago, Next Best Picture

Tjahjanto adds flair to the action scenes, which have a bouncier and more comedic verve than Ilya Naishuller’s Nobody, while taking some amusing character-centric swerves.
— Siddhant Adlakha, Inverse


Gage Munroe, Paisley Cadorath, Bob Odenkirk, Christopher Lloyd, and Connie Nielsen in Nobody 2 (2025)
(Photo by Allen Fraser/©Universal Pictures)

Does the script matter this time?

The plot of Nobody 2 is irrelevant, which is a good thing because it’s also hackneyed.
— William Bibbiani, TheWrap

The plot exists mainly to yank Hutch out of suburbia and drop him into a literal funhouse, where he and his allies rig Home Alone-style death traps for an infinite wave of anonymous assailants… There is something refreshing about a movie that does not pretend to be deeper than it is. Tjahjanto resists the urge to inflate the mythology or shovel us more unnecessary Hutch backstory
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot

Nobody is going to this movie to find its plot even remotely believable, and this blockbuster doesn’t waste any time trying to make sense of it.
— Abe Friedtanzer, Awards Buzz

The mythology isn’t complex, and director Tjahjanto knows that we, the audience, just want to get to the good stuff.
— Witney Seibold, Slashfilm


Is it funny?

This is an action movie but boasts nearly as many laughs as it does punches and gunshots.
— Abe Friedtanzer, Awards Buzz

As an action-comedy, it still delivers plenty of laughs, groans, and “did-they-just-do-that?” moments.
— Linda Marric, HeyUGuys

Nobody 2’s story would’ve been considered less than mediocre without Odenkirk’s wry humor.
— Mae Abdulbaki, Screen Rant

[Tjahjanto] manages to stage a few effective action numbers that are sure to make anyone giggle.
— Witney Seibold, Slashfilm

Though the punches maintain their force in Nobody 2, the sole punchline they support has become a grating dad joke, one that you’ve heard so many times that it’s lost all meaning.
— Jacob Oller, AV Club


Bob Odenkirk in Nobody 2 (2025)
(Photo by ©Universal Pictures)

How is Bob Odenkirk’s performance?

Odenkirk remains the franchise’s greatest asset. He has not lost a step, and every punch, kick, and grimace lands with believable grit.
— Giovanni Lago, Next Best Picture

His ability to sell both lethal efficiency and “how did I get myself into this?” exasperation remains the franchise’s secret weapon.
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot

Odenkirk fits this role like a glove, and he seems more into it this time, which just makes it more fun.
— Abe Friedtanzer, Awards Buzz

It’s a testament to Odenkirk’s skill as an actor that he makes us buy this cartoon duality.
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety

The actor balances the angry brutality of fight sequences with the down-to-earth sincerity required in family scenes. It’s very believable, and Odenkirk is truly adept at pulling it off.
— Mae Abdulbaki, Screen Rant


Are there any other standouts in the cast?

The big bad, Lendina, a psychotic black-market queenpin played by a gloriously over-the-top Sharon Stone, devours the scenery and spikes the film’s manic energy every time she is on screen.
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot

If Sharon Stone is auditioning for more villain roles, Hollywood should be lining up after her appearance in Nobody 2.
— Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies

Stone hasn’t had a role this enjoyable in ages. Nor has she been this violent since The Quick and the Dead! She should play evil like this more often.
— Travis Hopson, Punch Drunk Critics

Stone…seems to be having the time of her life hamming it up as a Cruella de Vil-style villain, who at one point performs what can only be described as an evil dance. Her work here is not subtle, but subtlety isn’t what you’re looking for in a Nobody movie.
— Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

Christopher Lloyd, reprising his role as Hutch’s trigger-happy father, still gets some of the movie’s biggest laughs.
— Linda Marric, HeyUGuys


Bob Odenkirk in Nobody 2 (2025)
(Photo by Allen Fraser/©Universal Pictures)

Does it have any major problems?

Nobody 2 cannot quite shake the sense that it is recycling recycling. John Wick’s DNA is so dominant here it sometimes feels like an algorithm’s idea of “more of the same.”
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot

The longer the sequel goes on, the more it comes apart, thanks to physical and emotional setups that aren’t adequately paid off, and a tale of fatherhood left in suspended animation.
— Siddhant Adlakha, Inverse

The family drama feels less fresh and underdeveloped.
— Giovanni Lago, Next Best Picture

Truly, the bigger problem in Nobody 2 is that the villains lack bite. They are run-of-the-mill thugs and psychopaths when it comes down to it.
— Bill Bria, Discussing Film


Is this the perfect movie to end the summer with?

This sequel delivers breezy, bone-crushing entertainment for undemanding late-summer audiences.
— Alonso Duralde, The Film Verdict

It is the cinematic equivalent of a hot dog — perfect for summer, tasty in the moment, but nutritionally empty and gone from your mind as soon as you are done. But as long as you enjoyed the taste while it lasted, the hot dog is a perfectly serviceable meal.
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot

It’s not trying to be anything other than an ultra-violent late summer action flick, and if you go in expecting to watch some gnarly kills, brutal fist-fights, and gun-fu, you’d have to think pretty hard to feel disappointed.
— Nate Richard, Collider

It is a glorious Saturday matinée, a brisk trifle for the waning days of summer. It’s the kind of movie that you’ll remember better for the friends you saw it with than the movie itself.
— Witney Seibold, Slashfilm

It is a serviceable movie that can help you forget your troubles for about an hour and a half.
— Allison Rose, FlickDirect

Nobody 2 is one of the best times at the movies you’ll have all summer.
— Travis Hopson, Punch Drunk Critics


Christopher Lloyd in Nobody 2 (2025)
(Photo by ©Universal Pictures)

Are we going to want a Nobody 3?

As long as the cast stays this committed and the writers don’t lose track of that inner conflict, this great sequel could have plenty of great sequels of its own.
— William Bibbiani, TheWrap

If the franchise continues, Nobody 2 sets the bar high for where Hutch’s bloody, darkly comic adventures can go next.
— Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies

I hope this franchise has just as long of a run. Hutch’s story is far from over.
— Travis Hopson, Punch Drunk Critics

For me, Nobody 2 closes the chapter on wanting more from the Mansell family, though I would not say no to Tjahjanto bringing his touch to a sequel for The Beekeeper instead.
— Giovanni Lago, Next Best Picture


Nobody 2 opens in theaters on August 15, 2025.

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