John Wick Chapter 2

John Wick Chapter 2

Now that January is finally over and the more interesting movies are starting to release every other week, I hope to start reviewing more movies again and I want to try to keep up with new releases at least once a week if possible. To sum up the month of January that I missed: sequels no one wanted, horror movies no one wanted and one good movie in Split. So the first big movie of the year I saw was John Wick Chapter 2, a movie a was pretty excited for considering how surprisingly good the first one ended up being. I've always been a fan of Keanu Reeves, especially as an action star he seems to really work hard on his acting and stunt work. So we return to the dark and underground world of the legend known as John Wick.

John Wick Chapter 2 is not too different from the first, but I think that was really what it needed to be. Reeves is great as the character of John Wick and it was great to see more of him and follow along his new struggles. The film does a good job at making you believe that John is this really big threat and that he is one of the best, if not the best at what he does (or did). The action sequences are all fun to watch and the fighting and choreography done in the film are all really cool looking. When the action starts it's all very fluid and runs smoothly, though the camera shoots aren't always the best like in most modern action movies it can be a bit shaky. Still that doesn't take away from how cool it all looks and how much of a bad ass John Wick is.

The story picks up pretty much right where the last movie ended and it wraps it all up quickly with some good action and funny dialog. John Wick is finally done with his revenge and is finally looking to settle down to a quiet life with his dog. Of course the peace doesn't last long as an old acquaintance reappears in Wick's life to use a favor of sorts that John Wick owes him. With no choice, Wick is forced to do one last job before he can truly settle down, but of course it's not all as easy as it should be. I really liked the world that John Wick lives works in, this underground society of killers with lots of different rules and codes to follow and connections. It's all very interesting to learn about as the movie goes a little deeper into it this time around and you get to meet some interesting characters along the way. It's clear there is still a lot to be revealed about the underground world of killers the movie is about by the end, and it looks like there will be at least one more movie to dive into this world again with.

There are some moments, one in particular that felt a little "over dramatic" even by this movies standards. Just one scene that felt like it lasted a little too long and went a little too over the top. The rest of the movie was always enjoyable whether it was the great action or learning more about the lore of John Wick. John Wick does feel a bit too powerful at times, but I think it's necessary since they established him as a legendary killer who most men fear. I can't say I really loved this movie, but I did love Reeves in it and his character of John Wick. It's a great action movie, but it's nothing more than that really and that's not a problem since it's what it was trying to be. Any fan of action movies should watch this, you will have a good time.

Overall Grade: B-