John Wick Chapter 2

JOHN WICK : CHAPTER 2

Director : Chad Stahelski

Year : 2017

Genre : Action

Rating : ****

2015 was a pretty surprising year at the cinema and undoubtedly one of its biggest surprises was Chad Stahelski's ultra-stylish revenge romp 'John Wick'. Starring Keanu Reeves as a retired hitman who goes on a murderous killing spree after the murder of his pet dog, the film was violent, thrilling and wildly entertaining and thanks to great word of mouth, it became both a commercial and critical hit. Now Stahelski and Reeves reunite for the predictability titled 'John Wick : Chapter 2', a most satisfying sequel that may lack the emotional heft of the first movie but one that still bears the unmistakable bullet scars that made it's predecessor such a genre-defining smash. 

Taking place just a few days after the events of 'John Wick', 'Chapter 2' once again sees Reeves' eponymous assassin reluctantly called back to his deadly profession when a slick Italian playboy (Riccardo Scamarcio) demands repayment for a long-forgotten blood-oath. What ensues is another saga of untold death and destruction as Wick shoots his way through the streets and catacombs of Rome, viciously correcting the many mistakes of the past. 

The always magnetic Keanu once again delivers a wonderfully stoic performance as the grizzled Wick while franchise regular Ian McShane shamelessly chews the scenery as Winston, the effortlessly charming chairman of the hitman underworld. The sumptuous cinematography courtesy of frequent Del Toro collaborator Dan Lauststen is also very impressive, lending a futuristic, almost video game-y neon sheen to the many ornate Italian locales through which Wick bombastically rampages. However, the true stars of 'John Wick : Chapter 2' are the countless gun, fist and knife battles which are all shot and executed with a ferocity and skill unmatched in recent cinema history. As hypnotically beautiful as they are relentlessly brutal, these are the moments that make 'John Wick : Chapter 2' utterly unmissable and as it's sequel-setting finale goes to show, this most unique of action franchises still has many more tricks up its blood-stained sleeve - and I for one can't wait to bear witness to them.