Bride Hard (2025) - Film Review

      **Bride Hard, 2025**

      Directed by Simon West.

      Featuring Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Anna Chlumsky, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Sherry Cola, Gigi Zumbado, Sam Huntington, Michael O’Neill, Colleen Camp, Stephen Dorff, Justin Hartley, Mark Valley, Jeff Chase, David Lengel, Craig Anton, Dhruv Uday Singh, Johnno Wilson, Kristian Kordula, Zachary Vazquez, Brannon Cross, Rey Hernandez, Alison Haselden, Makena Taylor, Caroline Raynaud, Remy Ortiz, William West, Langley Cornwell, and Cristofher Griffin.

      **SYNOPSIS:**

      A group of mercenaries takes a lavish wedding hostage, unaware that the Maid of Honor is a secret agent ready to unleash chaos on anyone who threatens her best friend's special day.

      Instead of categorizing Simon West's Bride Hard as a tone-deaf action-comedy, it might be better to create a new category: the Rebel Wilson sub-genre. Viewers know exactly what type of self-absorbed character and irritating one-liners they can expect. It's even plausible that she is recycling jokes from earlier roles, like winking after making a promise not to do something. While this is a generic gag, it could very well be one that belongs to Rebel Wilson. Essentially, even though the actress has noticeably lost weight over the years (which is commendable), her style of comedy and delivery remains off-putting.

      Rebel Wilson's significant weight loss may have contributed to her taking on a lead role in an action-comedy (not that she couldn't have done so before or hasn't previously engaged in humor of this nature), which is, again, "good for her." This is about the most positive sentiment I can express while watching anything featuring Rebel Wilson, as there are no surprises, and the humor is undeniably poor.

      Even the title "Bride Hard" is cringe-inducing. The premise of a wedding taken over by terrorists, with guests held against their will, isn't particularly original (I vaguely recall something similar starring Jennifer Lopez a few years back that went directly to streaming), and it fails to evoke Die Hard beyond the presence of hostages. It’s also worth questioning why Simon West (collaborating with screenwriter Shaina Steinberg, who co-created the story with Cece Pleasants) felt the need to reference such a classic thriller in the title. It comes off as another terrible joke and makes viewers wish they were watching that film instead. If you're borrowing from something, don't make it this obvious and desperate.

      Nonetheless, Bride Hard serves as a platform for Rebel Wilson to showcase her usual antics, this time portraying secret agent Sam, who has an impressive success rate in her line of work, while her personal life is in shambles. She is the maid of honor for her childhood friend Betsy (Anna Camp), who has started to feel neglected in their friendship as they transitioned into adulthood. Given that Sam often disappears from social events, such as the bachelorette party, and seems not to have played a significant role in Betsy’s life while appearing self-centered, it's already a poor presentation for a character we are meant to support as a hero. It's surprising Betsy still desires Sam as her maid of honor.

      After another successful mission during the bachelorette party, the group heads to the estate of Betsy’s wealthy future in-laws for the wedding celebrations. Sam has to be explicitly instructed by her psychiatrist (Sherry Cola) to take a vacation and be there for her supposed best friend. While much of this is intended for humor, it doesn't mean it succeeds. Meanwhile, various actresses portray the bridesmaids, including the extraordinarily talented Oscar-winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who is far too gifted to be in this film, at one point singing vulgar lyrics to comfort the baby inside another bridesmaid during a hostage scenario.

      The groom, Ryan (Sam Huntington), is depicted as a simple-minded guy, alongside his best man Chris (Justin Hartley), whose father was imprisoned due to dubious business activities during his childhood. This situation brought Chris and Sam's families closer, almost making them brothers. However, Chris harbors resentment and blames Sam's family for not ensuring his father's innocence. He has also hired a mercenary team led by Stephen Dorff’s Kurt to invade the wedding, take everyone hostage, and access a vault that might contain evidence proving Chris’ father’s Innocence, alongside a ridiculous amount of gold.

      This plotline is as predictable as it gets: Kurt and his crew storm the venue at a moment when Sam conveniently isn’t present. She quickly learns of the situation and shifts into secret agent mode to save the day. However, despite some mildly amusing moments from Chris (who finds joy in being handed a gun without understanding how to use it, inadvertently revealing crucial information to Sam while thinking he's in control, and falling for her faux