While gritty, serious, Bourne-style action flicks seem to be the flavor du jour, there’s something to be said for a good ol’ fashioned, ’90s-style camp-fest. Let’s face it, most of the genre’s films are inherently ridiculous, so there’s nothing wrong with taking a more tongue-in-cheek approach. That being said, the latest trailer for The Hitman’s Bodyguard, starring Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson, may just make you want to yippee-kai-yay all the way to your local theater.
Here’s the gist: Ryan Reynolds is an elite bodyguard who is tasked with shepherding an infamous hitman (Samuel L. Jackson) to an international court, where he’s been summoned to testify. For his part, Jackson doesn’t seem too keen on being babysat, and tries to kill Reynolds upwards of 27 times (or maybe it’s 28). Despite the fraught nature of the partnership, a ruthless, Eastern European dictator (Gary Oldman) forces the pair to play nice.
Clocking in at just under two minutes long, the spot features a heady blend of fast-paced action and cheeky humor. Our favorite example of the latter has to be Samuel L. bopping along as a van full of nuns harmonizes in Italian (1:10), but his co-star’s calm, workmanlike extraction of a terrified “client” is a close second (0:01).
Also, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the number of Marvel alums taking part in this one. If you watched this trailer and thought: “Why is Deadpool/Green Lantern chasing Nick Fury around and what does Elektra (Elodie Yung) have to do with any of this?” you’re not alone.
Despite its distinctly B-movie feel, however, this film seems like it could be a lot of fun. You can check out the full trailer above, along with a hilarious poster which pays homage to The Bodyguard, the Kevin Costner/Whitney Houston star vehicle that debuted in 1992 and lends this film at least part of its name.
The Hitman’s Bodyguard is set to hit theaters August 18, 2017.
