John Wick: Chapter 2

MOVIE REVIEW

Release Date: February 10, 2017
Running Time: 2 hours and 2 minutes
Rated R
Grade: B
Directed By: Chad Stalheski

How good to see you again so soon Mr. Wick

After doling out retribution for the loss of his 1969 Mustang and his puppy named Daisy, John Wick slides quietly back into retirement. The infamous assassin dubbed “The Boogeyman” spends his time with the pit bull that he rescued in the home that he and his deceased wife shared. Winston, the owner of the Continental, had warned him that if he had so much stuck his finger in the pond he may find that something reaches out and drags him back into its depths. Much to John’s chagrin, Winston’s warning rings true when Santino D’Antonia presents him with the blood oath marker that he rendered in order to spend the five years he had with his wife before she died. When Santino destroys his home, Winston reminds John that he must honor the marker or forfeit his life. Thinking that honoring the marker would set him free, John heads to Rome to carry out the task only to find himself stabbed in the back by the man who reached out and drug him back in. John Wick’s only hope of retirement is to eliminate the problem before he gets eliminated himself. As the body count rises, John’s rage is unleashed with unimaginable consequences.

The man. The myth. The legend.

On October 24, 2014 everyone who loves actions movies was introduced to the legend of John Wick. This weekend, opening alongside two other very popular sequels, John Wick resurfaces with even more deadly force. The director, Chad Stalheski, and the writer, Derek Kolstad, pick up right where they left off three years ago with a story that dives deeper into the operation of the international crime ring that the titular character is so desperately seeking to rid himself of. The fight sequences were plentiful and so heavily choreographed that it showed but Keanu Reeves’ sheer dedication to the role made me overlook it. Plus, the cinematography was so well done the main thought that kept coming back to me was that they must have spent half of their budget on blood packs.

I was pleasantly surprised when Reeve’s former cast-mate, Laurence Fishburne, appeared on the big screen. Fishburne’s brief, but important, role in the plot was a stroke of sheer genius as he is always a pleasure to watch. In February 2015 even though the first film only grossed $66 million (compared to The Lego Movie’s $409 million and 50 Shades of Grey’s $531 million), Stalhecki announced that he envisioned John Wick becoming a multi-title franchise. Judging from the conclusion of the film, I believe that Stalhecki’s vision is coming to fruition. I sincerely hope that John Wick: Chapter 2 does well in the box office because I’m looking forward to Chapter 3. If you love Keanu and/or action films, make an oath to see this one on the big screen!      ~Movie Buffette

Starring:
Keanu Reeves as John Wick
Ricardo Scamarcio as Santino D’Antonio
Ruby Rose as Ares
Common as Cassian
Claudia Gerini as Gianna D’Antonio
Lance Reddick as Charon
Laurence Fishburne as Bowery King
Peter Stormare as Abram Tarasov
John Leguizamo as Aurelio
and Ian McShane as Winston