When we last saw John Wick (Keanue Reeves), the former elite assassin had just completed a bloody and brutal mission of revenge after being pulled
back into a world he risked everything to leave behind. In “John Wick: Chapter 2”, the film picks up with Wick tying off some loose ends from the
first film and then returning to his home to finally find peace and leave his old life behind forever.
Sadly, a marker from his past is called in and John is not so subtly reminded of the consequences of failing to repay a marker, and is tasked with a no win situation.
John soon finds himself in Rome where he must eliminate a person of position despite having no real reason to do so other than to repay his debt. The fact that he knows his target is an even more of a challenge for him to contend with.
As if this was not bad enough, John upon completing his task is soon double crossed and finds that a bounty of 7 million dollars has been placed on him, and he know has every assassin in the greater New York area gunning for him.
The film maintains the frantic and breathlessly intense and sustained combat of the first film without ever being stale or repetitive. Guns, knives, and other implements all became part of a symphony of violence and destruction that is captivating to watch.
The film also goes deeper into the characters around John and the world in which he lives such as Winston (Ian McShane), who runs the Continental Hotel where rules for conduct are set, and those in John’s line of work find refuge and supplies for their “work”.
The film is one of the rare sequels that is as good if not better than the original and sets up a third outing very well. Reeves owns the character and you can sense his conflict as one who wants to leave his past behind but who cannot escape his past.
The very physical and demanding nature of the part shows the passion he has for the character and watching the fury and smoothness of how he dispatches his foes really underscores that this is pretty much everything you would want in an action film and more.
The very satisfying action sequences and performances combine well to make a compelling, exciting, and highly entertaining adrenaline rush, and I cannot wait to see what they come up with for the next outing.
4.5 stars out of 5
Second Review by Chris Daniels
John Wick Chapter 2 delivers in ways most sequels only ever dream of. It’s an impressive feat.
Chapter 2 takes place very soon after the first film. The screen ignites with action from the start, and never truly lets up. The team in front of the camera (Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, Lance Reddick, Ruby Rose, Common, and other top notch actors) combine with the crew behind the camera (Chad Stahelski, Derek Kolstad, Dan Lausten, and others) to make magic happen once again for a stunning second installment.
The cinematography, action, and stunts have allowed the John Wick franchise to strike gold. If there’s a more perfect action film out there, I’ve never seen it.
Every aspect of this movie is a triumph. The humor is expertly timed, and it contains one of the most intense duo fight scenes ever filmed. You will be doing yourself an entertainment disservice by not witnessing its full glory in the theater.
This review has purposefully left out any mentions of the plot. Go see the movie.
5 out of 5 Stars
Reviewer: Christopher Daniels
Editor: Jeff Boehm
