Saagar Kote
As the storyline of the action comedy drama ‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard’ nears its conclusion, Michael Bryce and Darius Kincaid find themselves being hunted by Vladislav Dukhovich’s men. The assassins attempt to stop the protagonists before they reach the International Criminal Court, and Kincaid testifies against the former dictator of Belarus. After encountering several obstacles throughout the narrative in their unlikely team-up, the duo must find a way to work together before a dangerous man goes away without facing justice. As the Interpol and the other authorities struggle to maintain peace at The Hague, the stakes get higher and deadlier for the lead characters. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Hitman’s Bodyguard Plot Synopsis
The film starts with Michael Bryce, an elite private bodyguard enjoying a rank called ‘Triple A’, preparing to execute his assignment for the day, which involves protecting an arms dealer, a Japanese man named Kurosawa. When the criminal is shockingly assassinated despite security provided by Bryce, his life turns upside down. Two years after the incident, the disgraced bodyguard works at a much lower level, with his rank stripped away, protecting a corporate boss named Seifert. In another part of the world, Vladislav Dukhovich, Belarus’s ruthless former dictator and Human Rights Offender, faces a trial at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, specifically the mass murder of a section of his country’s population. The prosecution, desperate for solid evidence or testimony, is pinning its last hopes on Darius Kincaid, a hitman currently in prison.
Kincaid, who is a key source of evidence against Dukhovich, agrees to testify against Dukhovich if his wife, Sonia, is released from an Interpol Remand Center in Amsterdam. Interpol Agent Amelia Roussel is tasked with leading an armed convoy, escorting Kincaid safely from Manchester to The Hague. As the convoy starts moving, Dukhovich’s hired men, aided by the treacherous Interpol Assistant Director Jean Foucher, successfully ambush the convoy in Coventry, killing most of the security team. Darius eliminates the attackers, and the sole survivor, Amelia, takes him to an Interpol safehouse in Coventry. Realizing a possible leak within the agency, Amelia enlists her former lover, Bryce, to escort and protect Darius on the way to The Hague.
Michael arrives in Coventry as directed by Roussel and tells Roussel that he has always been in love with her. However, he unexpectedly starts to exchange blows with an injured Kincaid. It is revealed that the two men are rivals in their profession and have a history of mutual dislike. Roussel promises Michael that she will do everything in her power to get his ‘Triple A’ rank restored if he safely transports Kincaid to The Hague. Due to further information leaks from Foucher, their location is compromised, and they are attacked by Dukhovich’s men. The lead characters steal a car and escape. In Amsterdam, Sonia is pressured by the Interpol to reveal her husband’s location, but she doesn’t give away anything. As the protagonists continue to travel, they are again ambushed by Dukhovich’s hired assassins.
After escaping another ambush and hitchhiking a ferry to Amsterdam, the two men take refuge in a safe house belonging to Bryce. Pretending to take a shower, Darius escapes by breaking open a window of the bathroom and attempts to see his imprisoned wife. Realizing that his partner is out in the open, Micahel follows him, protecting him from multiple attackers. After being discreetly saved, Darius claims that he murdered Kurosawa, causing Bryce to lose his rank. This revelation infuriates the bodyguard, who abandons his assigned protectee at the safehouse and walks away.
While Bryce is contemplating his decisions at a beer stand, Darius is ambushed by Dukhovich’s men again, and Michael is captured by a psychopathic torturer called Goran. Realizing his partner needs help, Kincaid breaks into the torture den and frees the bodyguard. A high-speed chase ensues after a while in the urban areas as the assassins desperately try to capture and kill the potential witness before he can reach the International Criminal Court. What follows is a wild game of chaos, guns, and adrenaline-fueled moments of epic proportions.
The Hitman’s Bodyguard Ending: Does Bryce Die?
Throughout the narrative, Michael is always close to death and destruction, the perks of his dangerous profession. After Kincaid’s testimony at the International Criminal Court, chaos ensues both within and outside The Hague, as the evil former dictator tries to escape by ambushing the institution. To save his protectee, Bryce dives in front of Kincaid to save him from the bullet fired by Dukhovich. Gravely injured, he lies on the floor as a shocked Darius looks on. The injured protagonist convinces his unlikely partner to go after the dictator and not worry about him. Despite being struck by a bullet, Michael continues to fight against the disruptors, and in a pivotal moment, he shoots the corrupt officer Foucher, engaged in a fight with Amelia.
By doing so, Bryce manages to eliminate a mole in the Interpol and save the love of his life. After Dukhovich is handled, we see Michael, on a stretcher and in immediate need of medical attention, talking to Amelia Roussel, his former lover. It is made very clear that the protagonist survives Dukhovich’s deadly shot and will receive all the care he needs to recover. As he rests, hoping to get out of the messy building, he is approached by Kincaid, who reassures him that he will be okay, and also tells him that he has helped him earn his ‘Triple A’ rank again by handling the former dictator of Belarus. The two former rivals, both alive and well, continue to exchange pleasantries as they walk out of The Hague.
How is Dukhovich Taken Down?
Throughout the narrative, Dukhovich attempts to avoid his fate at the International Criminal Court by repeatedly trying to eliminate evidence and potential testimonies. He is particularly interested in stopping Darius Kincaid from setting foot in the trial. Unfortunately for the former dictator, Michael and Kincaid arrive just in time at the courtroom to fulfill their mission. Kincaid delivers a clear testimony and provides evidence through an FTP site against Dukhovich, which proves that the Belarusian leader was involved in the mass killings of his population. To distract the court and to establish his stand, the criminal says that he can do whatever he pleases in his own territory, and that he doesn’t recognize the authority of the International Criminal Court.
Before the judges can deliver a judgement, Dukhovich executes his twisted plan, which involves his trusted men storming The Hague and creating chaos both inside and outside. In the ensuing chaos, the criminal attempts to shoot Kincaid, who is saved by Michael, who takes the bullet by diving in front of his partner. As Vladislav tries to escape through the rooftop by boarding a chopper, he is pursued by Darius, who kills many of the criminals’ men to reach their boss. The hitman shoots down the chopper, preventing Dukhovich from escaping. The evil dictator taunts the protagonist, trying to get him to kill him. Kincaid happily obliges, and as a consequence for shooting Michael, pushes the international criminal from the rooftop, following which he falls to his death, as protesters look on.
Do Michael and Amelia Reunite?
For a significant part of the runtime, Michael tries to rebuild his relationship with Amelia. He exhibits deep love for her and goes to extreme lengths to win her back. During the attack on The Hague, Michael saves Amelia by shooting Foucher before he can kill her. After heroically saving the love of his life, despite being struck by a bullet earlier, he survives. As the protagonist is being prepared to be taken to the hospital on a stretcher, he is held closely by Amelia, who is thankful to him for protecting Darius and fulfilling his mission.
Amelia gently kisses Michael on his forehead, showing that she is not angry at him anymore, and presumably indicating that she still loves him. During a high-speed chase at an earlier point in the film, Michael confesses his love for Amelia through a call, which could also have led to her realizing that he’s an honorable man who deserves a second chance at love. We can safely assume that after the protagonist recovers from the bullet wound, he and Amelia will get back together and explore the intricacies of the criminal world in their own way.
Is Sonia Freed From Prison?
Kincaid’s main objective in the storyline is to free his wife, who has been imprisoned at the Interpol Remand Center in Amsterdam for her association with him. He enters into a deal with Interpol officer Casoria to testify against evil dictator Dukhovich at the International Criminal Court, in exchange for Sonia’s freedom; however, he will still continue to be imprisoned for his crimes. Sonia is repeatedly pressured by Interpol agents to reveal her husband’s location, but she doesn’t say anything, proving that she cares for him. After Darius successfully manages to testify at The Hague and eliminate Dukhovich, the Interpol officer Casoria stands by her end of the deal and frees Sonia from her prison in Amsterdam.
The ending of the film reveals an intriguing twist, which is cleverly hinted at by Darius before he walks out of The Hague, accompanying Michael. He says to Michael that though he will continue being imprisoned, there is no telling if he will stay there. At the very end of the narrative, we see news reports flashing on TV that Kincaid has escaped from Her Majesty’s Prison in Belmarsh to escape to Honduras. Darius is seen dancing with his newly prison-free wife at a bar in the Latin American country, the same bar where he had first laid eyes on her, and fell in love with her. It is safe to assume that the couple will have a happy marriage, as they truly love each other and have shown loyalty despite being distant for a long time.
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