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The Preview Reel: Will the Hitman’s Bodyguard Get Over Logan Lucky?

Scott Davis
The Preview Reel

Welcome to the “Preview Reel” column, where we look at the week’s upcoming wide-release movies. Annabelle: Creation scared away the competition last week with an impressive $35 million. The summer box office is starting to wind down and we have two intriguing, but mostly low-profile releases this week; the buddy comedy The Hitman’s Bodyguard and the NASCAR heist flick, Logan Lucky. Both look to tickle your funny bone, let’s see if either will succeed.

 

The Hitman’s Bodyguard

What we are excited about: The one-two punch of Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson is almost enough for us to get our butts in theaters. Add in the fact that it’s a “buddy” comedy, and we’re sold. The trailers have been leaning heavily on the two actor’s comedic chops, and for good reason as these are two of Hollywood’s funniest men. Hopefully the film will have a solid story and decent action to back up the comedy.

What we are worried about: The movie’s director, Patrick Hughes, was responsible for 2014’s terrible The Expendables 3 and not much else. Suffice it to say, he may not have the experience, but The Expendables 3 did not do a good job balancing action and humor, which is what The Hitman’s Bodyguard must do. Maybe the talents of Reynolds and Jackson can hide some of the director’s weaknesses, or perhaps The Expendables 3 was simply not a good showcase for Hughes. Either way, we’re a little worried about this.

The Buzz: The movie has generated weak buzz considering the two stars attached to it, but it could become a late-summer hit if audiences respond well to it. Comedies tend to do better later in the summer (see: Bad Moms, We’re the Millers, or even Horrible Bosses), but it seems like this year audiences are paying more attention to what kind of reviews a movie is getting. The film is currently sitting at a 45% on RottenTomatoes and a 53 on MetaCritic, so reviews have been very mediocre. With Annabelle: Creation likely experiencing a steep second weekend drop, look for this to debut at number one with around $18 million.

Final Thoughts: Ryan Reyonlds and Samuel L. Jackson in an action comedy sounds promising, but with the mostly sub-par reviews surfacing, we might wait for the home release for this one.

 

Logan Lucky

What we are excited about: A couple years after his “retirement,” Steven Soderbergh is back in a director’s chair for Logan Lucky. The man behind the Ocean’s 11 (and its subsequent sequels, but we won’t count that against him) is back at it with another heist flick. The first Ocean’s movie was a perfect blend of smart heist action, an amazing ensemble cast, and a memorable directorial flair. The trailers for Logan Lucky seem to highlight all these elements, especially the cast aspect, which includes Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Seth MacFarlane, Hilary Swank, Sebastian Stan, and Daniel Craig. We’re excited to see those big stars share the screen together, and Soderbergh has proven he can handle huge casts in the past.

What we are worried about: While the trailers look like it’s going to be a fun time at the movies, we’re a little worried that this will be all style over substance. We trust Soderbergh to make an entertaining film, but will it add to much? That is, is it going to be memorable or just a fun way to spend two hours? Only time will tell.

The Buzz: There was buzz for this movie the second Soderbergh said he was coming out of retirement, but we’re not sure if that will translate to box-office success. The movie is currently sitting at a very impressive 94% on RottenTomatoes and 78 on MetaCritic. Look for a solid $12 million opening and strong legs throughout August.

Final Thoughts: We’re excited for Soderbergh’s next heist flick, and judging by the reviews, we’re in for a good time.

Scott Davis

Scott Davis is a recent graduate of Oakland University where he earned a degree in journalism. He worked for the student newspaper on campus, The Oakland Post, where he became the paper's managing editor. He also earned a minor in Cinema Studies at OU. Scott enjoys all things film and TV related, especially the blockbuster kind. He might be the biggest Christopher Nolan fan you know.
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