When the first John Wick came out in 2014, many were surprised by just how good it was. Although it was a fairly simple revenge story, that did not keep the movie from being an amazing action film. While John Wick: Chapter 2 is more of the same, it takes everything great about the original and makes it even better.
The film picks up shortly after the end of the first one, with John (Keanu Reeves) getting his stolen car back and returning home with his new dog. He is still mourning for his lost wife, but yet again, he is not able to take the time to do so. When Italian assassin Santino D’Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio) comes with a task for John that will repay an old debt to him, he is once again dragged back into the life that he has been trying to escape.
While the story itself is not too deep, it does a great job of expanding and fleshing out the secret assassin society that was introduced in the first film. Things go much broader than just the Continental hotel in New York. There are societies across the world and underground ones that are all interconnected, and it is fascinating seeing it all come together.
Keanu Reeves once again does a great job as John, the near impervious assassin. He is a man of very few words, with many of his conversations consisting of him only saying “Sure.” Give him a weapon of some sort and he will let his actions speak for themselves. At the same time though, he is still a man. Throughout the movie, his apparent vulnerability begins to crack and he grows more desperate. Reeves sells this desperation well, as well as John’s desire to want to get out of the game. It is clear that he does not want to be in this world anymore. He got out once and wants to stay out, but simply continues to be dragged back in, and he is not happy about that in any way, shape, or form.
Two other highlights of the movie are assassin’s Cassian and Ares, played by Common and Ruby Rose respectively. These two are intimidating and certainly steal the scene whenever they are on screen. They are both on the same level as John and as such, spell real danger whenever they appear. The two of them truly make it feel like they could kill John at any moment, helping distinguish them from the other random henchmen and not just feel like casting afterthoughts.
The one area that the movie absolutely excels in is its action. Just as with the first film, the action here is amazing to watch and miles ahead of action scenes that you would see in any other movie. John is precise and efficient with a weapon, whether it be a gun, knife, or even a pencil. Watching John take down enemies is like watching a beautiful, bloody ballet, thanks to the fight choreography and camerawork. Fights are devoid of the quick cuts and choppy editing that you would find in most action films, and the camera is kept nice and steady during the fights as well, allowing you to follow everything that is happening, as well as allowing the fight choreography to really shine. It has a certain style and flash that makes it mesmerizing and exciting to watch.
John Wick: Chapter 2 is a successful follow up to the first film. Director Chad Stahelski (who co-directed the first film) delivers a film that takes everything that made the first one so successful and dials it up a notch, and the movie benefits from that. The cast does a great job and the action is still in a league of its own. And although the story may not be that much more complex than the first film, it does take the lid off the secret world of assassins and introduces us to much more about it. John Wick may not have wanted to be in this world anymore, but by the end of the movie, it is very clear that he is there to stay, and I couldn’t be happier about it.
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