Movie Review - John Wick: Chapter 2

John Wick: Chapter 2 **** (out of 5) (R) If you liked the first, you’ll find no sequel dropoff in the continuation of that action. The badness of the bad guys and motivation for this high-octane payback flick are not quite as emotionally compelling, but the pace, sets and body count more than atone for any lack in those elements. Keanu Reeves’ title character is a superstar hitman who tried to retire for love, but got dragged back in by chance in the first film. Now he’s trying to clear those decks with what’s left of the Russian mobsters and retire again. But a favor he owes to an Italian gangster derails that plan.

Round Two takes him to Rome for a difficult assignment, with the exit more arduous than the execution. Many die in many places by many colorful means. A few of the supporting players from the first return - most notably Ian McShane as the head of that industry’s hallowed New York sanctuary. Newcomers with solid contributions include Common and Laurence Fishburne.

Seeing the first will help one understand and appreciate the second, but a bit of opening dialog does fairly well at efficiently bringing rookies up to speed (no Reeves filmography pun intended). Director Chad Stahelski’s background in kickboxing and stunt work again pays handsome dividends in the action sequences, a/k/a most of the movie.

Great fun, with a third chapter all but inevitable, and that’s just fine with me. (2/10/17)