Bob Odenkirk’s Nobody Has the Single Greatest Fight Scene of the 2020s

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The success of John Wick has inspired many similar action movies, with some being quite good, though many fall short. One example is Nobody, starring Bob Odenkirk from Better Call Saul. The film cleverly plays on the audience’s expectation of Odenkirk’s typically mild-mannered roles, making his character’s surprising transformation into a skilled fighter a major highlight.

In the movie, Hutch Mansell initially seems like a typical, unassuming family man who doesn’t want to harm anyone—even those who invade his home and threaten his family. But something shifts within him, revealing a hidden ability to expertly take down dangerous opponents. This transformation truly began during an incredible fight scene on a bus, which has quickly become recognized as one of the best of the 2020s.

Nobody’s Titular Protagonist Is “Activated” by the Most Unexpected Event

The show Nobody begins with Bob Odenkirk’s character in an interrogation room, visibly beaten and in handcuffs – looking every bit the guilty suspect. Just when you expect the usual scenario, he casually lights a cigarette, hinting at something different. But viewers were truly surprised when he then opened a can of cat food and revealed a kitten he’d been hiding in his jacket, immediately changing the tone of the scene.

Odenkirk didn’t aim for quirkiness when he calmly smoked and wouldn’t tell the confused FBI agents who he really was. This idea of his character, Hutch, claiming to be just an ordinary person, keeps coming back throughout the film and completely changes how we understand his journey.

By this point, the audience understood Hutch was someone important, even though the show then focused on his incredibly ordinary daily routine. He lived such a dull and predictable life that he blended into the background, becoming almost like a non-player character in a world full of heroes. It was clear he was deliberately trying to avoid attention, and subtle hints from Bob Odenkirk’s performance suggested a hidden past he wasn’t eager to reveal.

Hutch falls into a dull, repetitive daily life, but a hidden intensity remains in his gaze. Even when his home is burgled, it doesn’t seem to unleash the rage within him. He notices the thieves didn’t load their gun, so he deliberately avoids hurting them and lets them go. However, everyone has a breaking point, and for Hutch, this seemingly minor incident is the final trigger that unleashes a hidden, dangerous side of his personality.

Everyone is affected by the shocking home invasion, which is ironic considering the protagonist was just yelling at the garbage truck. Hutch is a devoted father, and when his daughter loses a beloved bracelet – likely stolen by the burglars – something deep within him changes. A fierce, protective instinct takes over, creating a tense situation reminiscent of confronting a wild animal protecting its young, and ultimately leading to action.

Nobody’s Hutch Mansell Slowly Transforms Into a Violent Force of Nature

We first meet Hutch as ‘The Nobody’ in a run-down tattoo parlor. He tries to provoke a fight by offering money to some intimidating men, seemingly wanting them to attack him so he can retaliate. However, an older man steps in, recognizing a tattoo on Hutch – a seven of spades and a two of hearts, the worst possible hand in poker. This suggests Hutch is a dangerous person, and anyone who crosses him will face serious consequences.

After finding the burglars, Hutch storms into their home, filled with anger, and threatens them until a baby’s cry interrupts the confrontation. This experience awakens a dangerous side of himself, hinting at unresolved issues from his past. Annoyed that something so straightforward has become complicated, he takes a late-night bus home, unknowingly heading toward an even bigger conflict.

Hutch Mansell unexpectedly gets a chance to unleash his hidden aggression. When a group of rowdy, intoxicated men try to force their way onto the bus, Hutch jokingly asks for divine intervention – and gets it. These men are immediately unpleasant and start bothering a woman on board, which Hutch sees as a signal to act. He quietly locks the doors, turns to face them, and fires every bullet in his gun.

Honestly, for the first part of Nobody, they don’t really establish just how good Hutch is in a fight. He gets in some solid hits, sure, but his opponents hit back just as hard. Everyone’s getting beat up, including him, which made me think his skills were a little rusty. Then, he casually pulls a knife out of his side and uses it in the next part of the fight, but ultimately gets overwhelmed and thrown through a window! It was a pretty chaotic introduction to his abilities, to say the least.

Hutch keeps fighting even after being knocked down, climbing back onto the bus where the villains are starting to look scared. The final part of the fight is chaotic – Hutch uses his knife to quickly disable three enemies and even tries to choke one with a bag strap. The struggle is so intense that the bus is covered in blood and broken glass, but Hutch is determined to finish the job.

The fight ends when the newest combatant bends down to collect the fallen bullets, giving Hutch a clear opening. He casually rips off a piece of the railing and uses it to knock the man unconscious before he can fire. What’s surprising is that Hutch isn’t eager to kill anyone, a change from how he used to be.

As the man gasps for air and chokes on blood, Hutch quickly performs an emergency procedure to open his airway. It’s a surprisingly gentle act, considering Hutch had just been fighting this man. He carefully makes a small cut in the man’s throat and inserts a plastic straw, allowing him to breathe again.

The bus fight in Nobody isn’t just about violence; it’s presented as a way to reveal who Hutch truly is. The fight isn’t polished or graceful; instead, he uses whatever’s around him in a spontaneous, chaotic way. Because the fight takes place in a small, confined space, it feels intensely personal and highlights Hutch’s pain, fatigue, and the messy reality of the struggle.

The movie cleverly turns expectations on their head, surprising both the audience and the bad guys. As Hutch fights with increasing skill and intensity, it becomes clear he’s been holding something back for a long time. His violent actions seem to help him rediscover who he is, reminding him – and us – that he’s always prepared for a fight. The real focus isn’t the violence itself, but what it shows us about Hutch Mansell’s character.

The Rest of Nobody Paled Before the Bus Fight Sequence

The intense bus fight happens right at the end of the first part of the movie Nobody, leading viewers to anticipate even more violence. It’s then revealed that the man Hutch saved on the bus is the brother of a powerful Russian mafia boss, immediately making Hutch a target. This forces Hutch to confront the fact that he can’t simply return to a normal life. He understands that more fighting is inevitable – something he wouldn’t mind, except that it puts his family in danger.

Once Hutch’s home was found, a wave of attackers came after him, and he responded with brutal force. He secured his family in a hidden panic room before unleashing a violent counterattack. Even after being stunned, kidnapped, and thrown in a car trunk, he managed to eliminate his attackers and break free. But upon his return, he realized he had to send his wife and children away for their safety.

Viewers finally learn the real story behind Hutch’s past – he wasn’t just an ‘auditor,’ but a secret agent who carried out unsanctioned assassinations. The rest of the movie Nobody delivers fantastic action sequences with higher stakes, but none of them quite measure up to the incredibly intense and satisfying fight on the bus – a scene that truly stands out as one of the best.

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2026-01-11 17:14