'Nobody 2' review: Don't mess with this dad!

Dads of the world, rejoice: Bob Odenkirk is back in "Nobody 2” as Hutch Mansell, a beleaguered family man who also happens to be a highly trained killing machine. If you’re in the mood for a none-too-serious fantasy about a guy who looks a bit like you — over the hill, unshaven, reduced to wearing slides with socks — but who can also beat the bejeezus out of anyone who gives him a dirty look, then "Nobody 2” is your ticket to a pretty good time.

In the previous film, from 2021, Hutch’s murderous past was a secret. Now he’s openly working to pay off a $30 million debt to an ominous figure called The Barber (Colin Salmon). That’s more glamorous than a mortgage, perhaps, but also life -threatening given the various criminal gangs Hutch routinely has to slaughter. Meanwhile, his teenage son Brady (Gage Munroe) is developing his own aggressive streak — the kid comes home from school with a shiner — and his wife, Becca (Connie Nielsen), is tiring of her husband’s long absences. (Their younger daughter, Sammy, played by Paisley Cadorath, seems perfectly happy.)

Hutch’s solution: A family vacation to one of his favorite childhood haunts, the Tiki Rush waterpark in Plummerville. "You know, make some memories," he says hopefully. Now, however, the park is run by Wyatt Martin (John Ortiz) and the corrupt Sheriff Abel (Colin Hanks, playing nicely against type), who use it as a contraband shipping hub. But they’re small fry compared to their boss, Lendina, a cheerful sadist played briefly but with relish by Sharon Stone.

Think of "Nobody 2” as a wildly violent version of "National Lampoon’s Vacation," if Chevy Chase’s Clark Griswold knew how to break necks and punch out teeth. That comedy had more psychological nuance than "Nobody 2," by the way, but that’s probably intentional: You came for highly choreographed fistfights and shootouts, not character development. Director Timo Tjahjanto, an Indonesian horror filmmaker making his major studio debut, effectively carries out the vision of co-writer Derek Kolstad and producer David Leitch, both of "John Wick." Abetted by stunt designer Greg Rementer (also the film’s second-unit director), Tjahjanto makes sure the action is fast, splattery and often funny. The land mines in the ball pit are a nice touch.

Christopher Lloyd and RZA return as Hutch’s reprobate dad and loyal brother, respectively, each adding their own flair. But it’s Odenkirk who carries the movie, making us believe that this AARP-age guy with an average build can somehow bludgeon five guys with nothing but a pipe and his braided-leather belt. With a lightning-fast running time of 90 minutes, "Nobody 2” is over before you know it, and that’s a good thing. The less you think about this movie, the more fun you’ll have.

By Rafer Guzmán

rafer.guzman@newsday.com