Nobody 2: How the ending breaks away from the John Wick franchise, according to the director

Nobody 2 is the sequel to the 2021 action movie Nobody. It brings back Bob Odenkirk as Hutch Mansell, who seems like a quiet family man but hides a dangerous past. In this movie, Hutch is out to enjoy a family vacation in Plummerville but trouble finds him as usual. The film is directed by Timo Tjahjanto and, per IMDb, has a screenplay by Derek Kolstad and Aaron Rabin based on Kolstad' story.

Nobody 2 shows Hutch trying to spend time with his family as he constantly gets pulled into dangerous situations. He faces criminals and fights his way through some really wild situations. There are well-choreographed and brutal action scenes, like a fight on a tour boat and an amusement park showdown. Even with all the action, the movie retains Hutch’s family life in the story.

When it comes to genre, Nobody 2 is often compared to the John Wick series because of its brutal and stylishly choreographed action. However, critics and the audience note that this sequel has a lighter and more comedic tone. The reception has been good with praise for Odenkirk’s performance, the clever use of humor and violence, and the way the film expands Hutch’s world.

Nobody 2: One aspect makes all the difference

Nobody 2 starts with Hutch paying off a debt to the Barber. He wants to get out of this routine because every other day of the week, he is busy working. When he is busy, his family is free and wants to spend time with him. When he is free, his family is caught up in their own daily lives. This makes it hard for him to be with them, and they start feeling distant.

His wife, in particular, waits for him at dinner, but he often does not show up. Every night feels the same, with Hutch working to settle his debt and missing out on family moments. Hutch finally decides to take a break and tells the Barber that he wants to step away for a while in Nobody 2. The Barber lets him, but he also warns Hutch that trouble will follow him because it is part of his nature.

This turns out to be true when Hutch goes on a family vacation, and chaos seems to follow him there as well. He genuinely wants to spend time with his family and leave his violent past behind, but he cannot ignore the anger inside him. A moment of this happens in the gaming arcade when a man taps his daughter on the head in Nobody 2. Hutch is furious. He steps away but cannot resist going back and confronting the man. Violence seems to be something he cannot completely leave behind.

This is what makes Nobody 2 different from John Wick. In John Wick, the story is driven by revenge, like when John goes after those who killed his dog. It might seem similar at first but there is a key difference. John Wick is a lone wolf. He has nobody by his side. Hutch, on the other hand, though the movie is named Nobody, but he has his family around him. He is not completely alone and his story is not just about revenge or isolation.

Director Timo Tjahjanto even mentions this in an exclusive interview with ScreenRant:

"Reading the script, my biggest takeaway was, "Essentially, this is a film about a man who thinks he's a lone wolf; a man who thinks he can function completely outside the norm of having family, without realizing that it's actually his family that supports him the most." And I think that speaks true, especially for the idea that, all this time, Hutch is actually thinking, "I've got to support my family. I've got to bring them to this holiday." But ironically, in the end, his family saved him. And I always love that. When you see somebody like Connie, you don't see a damsel in distress. She's a lot of things. She's definitely a woman with tough skin, and when you see her, she's the perfect embodiment of Hutch's crutch. She's the backbone, essentially, and I think Bob agrees with that. By the end of it, when we see them under the water, she's literally giving him the kiss of life. We feel like we earned this moment because this is what makes us different from John Wick. John Wick is a lone wolf. He's a myth. He's literally a living myth, while Hutch is just a man who's killing a bunch of people, but at the same time, he's not above not having family. He needs that, and that's a good thing."

Nobody 2 shows that an action movie can focus on family, loyalty, personal struggle, and at the same time deliver intense action. Hutch is a character who wants normal life but cannot escape who he is and that makes the movie feel fresh and different from other films in the genre. The film's ending reinforces this idea. It shows that even a “nobody” can be connected to everybody and still be a hero in his own way.