(Credits: Lionsgate)

Here is the deal: The Hitman’s Bodyguard is saying goodbye to Netflix on August 31st. Which means there are only a few days left to soak in peak Ryan Reynolds fun before it vanishes into the streaming void. And this is not the kind of movie that you yet again transfer into your later watchlist. Later is August 31st. Later is doom.

First of all, it is an iconic movie. With the perfect cocktail of mismatched buddy comedy and high-octane action, this one is to be watched on the day where you just want to sit and relax and enjoy some good laughs.

Reynolds plays Michael Bryce, a bodyguard whose career is in shambles and whose stress levels are permanently at maximum. His latest job? Escort Samuel L Jackson’s infamous hitman, Darius Kincaid, to testify at the International Court of Justice. Simple enough, right? Except Kincaid is reckless and gleefully uncooperative. The dynamic between them is pure mess. While Bryce clings to professionalism, Kincaid laughs in the face of danger. All this while swearing and shooting his way across Europe.

The result is a Netflix movie that thrives on banter. Every car chase, every explosion, every narrow escape is laced with sharp one-liners and snappy comebacks. Reynolds plays the world’s most reluctant babysitter. Sure, he panics all the time, yet he’s equally sarcastic. On the other hand, Jackson steals scenes with his trademark swagger and more F-bombs than a Tarantino script. The humour is relentless, and the action is loud. The best part is the balance between the two makes it wildly entertaining.

And then there is Salma Hayek as Sonia Kincaid. She plays Darius’s equally unhinged wife, stealing every frame she appears in. Add Gary Oldman chewing scenery as the villain, and the ensemble becomes a who’s who of big personalities having the time of their lives.

Back when it first hit cinemas in 2017, The Hitman’s Bodyguard stood out as the rare action-comedy that did not take itself seriously at all. It knew it was ridiculous and leaned into that energy completely. Now, with hindsight, it feels even sharper. Reynolds has since perfected his trademark “sarcastic man under pressure” persona in Deadpool and beyond, but this movie captures him in peak form.

That is exactly why a rewatch is worth it. The jokes still land, and the action still pops. For anyone who missed it the first time, the chance to discover this wild buddy comedy is right here. For everyone who already saw it, watching it again is like hanging out with two chaotic friends who cannot stop roasting each other. All while dodging bullets coming along.

But here is the warning: once the calendar flips to September, it is gone. The Hitman’s Bodyguard leaves Netflix on August 31st. Until then, it is loud, funny, action-packed, and waiting for another spin. Reynolds, Jackson, Hayek, and Oldman are all at their unfiltered best. This is not just another streaming option. This is movie-night gold, and time is running out.