John Wick: Chapter 2

The return of Keanu Reeves as an action star looked very unlikely prior to the unforeseen success of the first John Wick movie. When it was released in 2015, Reeves was coming off the back of two relatively disappointing action movies. His stock was low. John Wick performed so well at the box office and then on its home release that another outing for the assassin was regarded as being very lucrative.

The film starts just after the events of the first movie. Don’t worry though if you haven’t seen it. The opening acts as a handy catch up for the audience without being exposition heavy. He is looking for his car and having found it he uses all his particular skills to ensure it is returned to him. Just as he finishes his business and tries to settle back into retirement he is graced with a visit from Mafia boss Santino (Riccardo Scamarcio). He holds a marker which he is calling in as Wick has come out of retirement. Wick has no option and has to carry out Santino’s wishes even though it will place him in mortal danger from more than one side.

Chapter 2 does not fall into the usual trap that snares sequels. Most go bigger, louder and longer. Here it would be difficult to go any bigger as the first was an all action spectacle showcasing gun fights, hand-to-hand combat and chase sequences. What the new film does is to give the audience what it loved from the first film but not go overboard. The run time, at just under two hours, is just right and ensures that it does begin to repeat itself.

The set pieces are as complex and innovative using Keanu’s athleticism to the best effect. They are well choreographed and you are never in any doubt as to what is happening. There are few jump cuts as the pacing of the action lends itself very nicely to a single camera following Wick as he kicks ass. Even though Wicks is a bit of a machine he never gets through a sequence without consequences. He is stabbed, shot and generally beaten up for most of the film. He doesn’t recover quickly and the later fight scenes reflect this in the damage already inflicted on him.

Going back for further adventures with Wick provides additional insights into the life of the assassins. The world building in the first film was a real highlight. The network and customs available to the killers is expanded on in Chapter 2. The Continental in New York is not a standalone hotel for hitmen. It is a seemingly worldwide operation. The action this time is set in both New York and Rome and we are given further access to the way in which these people operate effectively. The code they live by, the services accessible inside the hotels and through suppliers and the administration of the whole operation are given an extended look. It only leads to you wanting to see even more of this set up. Hopefully the mooted prequel TV series will delve further into the world.

As well as Ian McShane returning as Winston, the no-nonsense manager of the New York hotel, we get introduced to his Roman counterpart in the form is the terrific Franco Nero. These actors add some substance to the film and help to avoid it becoming just an extended fight scene. It is a clever move from the film makers as they, as well as a small appearance by Laurence Fishburne, sets the story that the action can then build on.

Don’t think for a moment that this is the end of this series. Chapter 2 is good enough in its own right to warrant further forays into the world of John Wick and associates.

John McArthur

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