Weak Spots: “Nobody” is a cinematic yo-yo of emotions. There are times when the film gets it right, which makes the action believable and enjoyable, and there are times when the movie goes too far over the top for its own good. The film’s plot is held together by conveniences and inconsistencies.
Early on Mansell finds himself in a one-versus-five bus brawl where he gets beaten for most of the fight. The scene is realistic in its presentation of how a middle-aged man who has been out of the game for years would look in a street fight against random punks. However, once Mansell’s secret has been exposed for the remainder of the film, he is seen taking down armed killers with ease.
The story also leaves much to be desired with the revelation that the couple who robbed his house is a struggling Hispanic family that had no choice but to commit a crime in order to save their sick child. Since committing a hate crime was out of the question, the film shifts focus to a random group of drunks who just happen to be connected to the Russian mob, and the plot snowballs from there. “Nobody”’ is far from the best-written action film, but when the focus remains on its action set pieces, the positives remain balanced despite the drawbacks.
