Samuel L. Jackson brings plenty of “motherfucker”s to The Hitman’s Bodyguard trailer

Even though Ryan Reynolds has proven his bona fides in the “being able to swear and sound good doing it” department, thanks to movies like Deadpool and Blade: Trinity (not a good film, admittedly, but Reynolds is good in it), he’s about to face his toughest opponent, someone who makes swearing sound as natural as breathing. In the trailer for The Hitman’s Bodyguard, Reynolds’ protection agent—one of the best in the world, we’re told—is assigned to a legendary hitman, played by Samuel L. Jackson in full-on “don’t give a fuck” mode. Reynolds does his best to guard his murderous ward, as they stave off attacks by an Eastern European dictator played by Gary Oldman.

This is the kind of high-concept comedy that can easily go astray, though the trailer manages to sell it pretty well, in large part thanks to Reynolds’ affable charm. Jackson is an old pro at these kinds of mismatched buddy-action flicks, though they often don’t turn out so great (The Man, anyone? Formula 51?). Still, given the abundance of “motherfucker” in this trailer, there’s hope for an R-rated comedy that manages to deliver on both laughs and action, something with which director Patrick Hughes has an uneven record at best. (Red Hill was solid; The Expendables 3, not so much.) The Hitman’s Bodyguard comes out August 18.