John Wick: Chapter Two - Stylish, Brutal and Brillaint

Certificate – 15

Directed by – Chad Stahelski

Starring – Keanu Reeves; Common; Laurence Fishburne; Riccardo Scamarcio; Ruby Rose; Lance Reddick; John Leguizamo & Ian McShane.

Running Time – 122 Minutes (2 hours 2 minutes)

★★★★✩

 

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After becoming a surprise hit in 2014 and one of the best action films in a long time, Keanu Reeves is back as former assassin John Wick who is forced back out of retirement fulfil a promise to a former associate.

Basically, chapter two of the John Wick story should be entitled F**kers Are Going To Die.

The film kicks off where we left Wick in the first film, but they do relay the legend of this former hitman explaining why he’s known as The Bogyman, but this time around the action has increased with a much bigger body count.

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The story was simple and crisp between both films and beyond because you see the effects of what happened previously in Chapter Two and the consequence’s from this film is going to make Chapter Three (this isn’t a spoiler) rad as balls. Meanwhile, expecting this universe seeing it become more international and we get a deeper look inside the world of assassins.

The dialogue is similarly crisp and, in some parts, funny.

Stahelski has done a fantastic job once again getting incredible performances out of Reeves and surprisingly Ruby Rose. Watching this film is like wearing a well fitted Italian suit, it was so stylised and beautiful you never want it to leave.

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Elsewhere, no one is directing action and fight scenes like Stahelski. He’s re-energised this genre similar to James Wan bring fresh life to the horror genre. The single shot makes it more believable and brutal and two scenes pop up. One is in Rome with a massive gun fight where Wick is trying to escape and in a train station later into the film where we see Wick with a pencil.

Major franchises have to be knocking on Stahelski’s door with the top two being the DCU and James Bond. Quickly speaking of Bond, the next film will have to improve on the action because John Wick has just pushed the bar a little bit higher.

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It must awesome thing to see is watching Reeves committing himself to this franchise and showing what he can do as an actor and action hero and a large part of that is down to Stahelski’s direction.

All the supporting actors did a superb job notably Scamarcio as the slimy villain, Fishburne and McShane just adds some class, but Ruby Rose a standout for me as a badass henchwoman/bodyguard and she maybe better than Sofia Boutella in Kingsman. They’re both badass, intimidating women and I’d love to see them fight in a film.

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Verdict

A sequel that can match the original or maybe better. John Wick: Chapter Two is stylish, brutal, brilliant and so much fun! Just make sure you hide your pencils.