John Wick: Chapter 2

John Wick was a classic cult hit back in 2014, it was therefore surprising that a sequel was made, relying on a fan base that grew out of DVD sales and not film tickets. However, John Wick: Chapter 2 proved to be not only a financial success (so far), but a satisfying follow-up to the first film as well.

John Wick: Chapter 2 follows our out-of-retirement hit man John Wick (Keanu Reeves) as he is pulled again into the assassin world he had left, due to an unfinished deal.

What struck me most about this follow-up was the expansion into the assassin cult that the first film introduced; here we get to see it functioning on a global scale. In a way the film did well to try and not only up the stakes from the first film, but also to further progress our discovery of the characters and world.

The John Wick films have found a distinct style of glamour in both it’s action scenes, where they give up close shaky cam for a steady wide shot, and in it’s aesthetic. Keanu Reeves proves that this character is the most suited for his acting abilities; due that his titular assassin is a man of few words and of repressed emotions (Reeves was never one for speeches).

If anything we have to give praise to director Chad Stahelski, who started off as a stuntman in Hollywood, but his two John Wick films have really confirmed him as a director with unique vision.

So John Wick: Chapter 2 is a surprisingly good follow-up to the first action film. The long and perfectly choreographed action sequences, along with a very different ‘look’ than most action flicks, make this a unique viewing experience.

7.4/10