Can we just take a moment to admire
this movie's poster? I love it. I mean, there's countless film
posters out there that show nothing but the main character's face and
– just like one-word movie titles – tell you nothing of what the
movie is about. But the poster for John Wick: Chapter 2 does
it right. In addition to providing insight into the film's blend of
humour and over-the-top action, the poster tells us everything we
need to know about this movie: it has people in suits, it has lots of
shooting, and everyone wants John Wick dead. And never have I been
more thrilled to see a film deliver what it promises!
John Wick: Chapter 2 follows
John Wick, a former hitman who's brought back for one last job but
soon finds himself getting more than he bargained for. I have to
admit I have not seen the first John Wick (2014),
though it is on my to-watch list. To be honest, I wish I had seen it
earlier since this movie makes references to things and follows a
culture/set of rules already established in the previous film. In
fact, it took me a while to figure out what the title character was
supposed to be (A spy? A supersoldier? A hitman?). While these
thoughts were at the back of my mind the whole time, this didn't
impede my ability to enjoy the film.
Instead I was busy picking up my jaw
from the mind-blowing hyper-active action scenes. Balls to the wall
doesn't even begin to describe it! The action in John Wick 2
is so good. It's very fast paced, compressing its intensity almost to
the breaking point, yet it still remains watchable. It goes for a
slightly preposterous, over-the-top feel, which works well with the
world this film plays in. The action scenes are brilliantly
choreographed, which I think makes the hand-to-hand combat more fun
to watch than the shootout parts. One minor complaint I have is that
John Wick seems kind of invincible during the shootout parts, which
robs those scenes of tension (mind you, he still has difficulty in
taking out bad guys). They're still fun, though.
John Wick 2 is a movie that
oozes with style. Fancy-looking shots, bright lights, an electric
soundtrack, and a trippy final action scene go a long way to really
give this movie some soul. There's also a dog. Neat, huh?
Speaking of characters, Keanu Reeves
does a fantastic job of playing the title character, a man of few
words who can still get the job done despite his reluctance to do so.
The determination and intensity he brings to the role defies his 52
years. The side characters are also pretty interesting, especially
the hobo/genius crime lord played by Lawrence Fishburne, the obsessed
bodyguard played by Common, and the mute assassin/bodyguard chick
played by Ruby Rose.
And that's it, I guess. I wish I could
have come up with more to say about John Wick: Chapter 2, but
there really isn't much to say other than “go watch it”. This is
one of the best, most energetic, and skillfully directed action
movies I've seen in a long time. It helps if you've seen the first
movie, but it isn't required for having a good time with this one.
For fans of shoot-em-up movies it doesn't get much better than this.
Grade:
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