Hutch (Bob Odenkirk) is a middle-aged, self-proclaimed “nobody” working a monotonous job as a pen-pusher at a factory, who finds himself in a sexless marriage and growing increasingly irrelevant. When inept, desperate burglars break into the family home, he lets them go, drawing scorn from his own family and a feeling of emasculation from his neighbours and even the police. When he learns that the crooks have made off with his daughter’s ‘kitty cat bracelet’, Hutch finally snaps. He finds out where the thieves live, breaks in, holds a gun to their heads and yells, “give me the goddamn kitty cat bracelet mother fucker!” On the bus ride home, Hutch unleashes his pent-up fury on a gang of obnoxious thugs (which includes martial arts stars Alain Moussi and Daniel Bernhardt, the film’s fight choreographer and Odenkirk’s trainer). One of the thugs turns out to be the brother of a powerful Russian crime lord, who sends in the heavies to try and put an end to Hutch’s insatiable midlife rampage. This film is an absolute hoot; a bracing 90-minutes of well-executed, confident action filmmaking with tongue placed firmly in cheek throughout. The surprise casting of comedian Bob Odenkirk as a John Wick-style retired assassin could easily have backfired in less competent hands. He brings his customary world-weary brave-face to the role of Hutch – his humdrum hound-dog expression instantly winning you over – before revealing the extent of his training at the hands of the 87eleven Action Design team. He is equally committed to the fisticuffs as he is the dramatics and, crucially, although the film is something bordering on an absurdist comedy, his performance never feels less than genuine. Christopher Lloyd and RZA are also welcomed additions to the cast, rounding off an unlikely alliance of gun-toting action heroes. The ironic song choices played over the more violent sequences might now seem like a well-worn trope in modern action comedies (see Kick-Ass, Guardians of the Galaxy, Suicide Squad and many, many more), but somehow, the choice of oldies really suits the tone, adding to its eccentricity. (The use of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ played over a violent gun battle is particularly inspired). Considering the film’s close links to the world of John Wick – the first film from David Leitch and Kelly McCormick’s production company, 87North, and with similar thematic hints to a wider underground world of criminals and assassins – we may well have another franchise on our hands. On the evidence of this, bring it on.