Review of John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) by Minimoviemaniac — 06 Feb 2019

John Wick Chapter 2 does a great job at building the world established in the first John Wick. By that I mean you learn a lot more about new people and places that you saw in the previous film. For example, you learn more about the Continental Hotel and more of the rules that are in place when people like John stay there. Little details like that really open this world up to interpretation and a possible cinematic universe that could branch off from the background we got in this movie. While you are following John Wick the entire time, the scale of this movie is much larger than the first. In that you visit a lot more places around the world unlike the first film that was primarily based in New York for the whole movie. The expansion, in scale, really benefited the movie because you got a look more into John’s past and who he’s interacted with throughout his time as a hitman.

The filmmaking on display in this movie is something that all action movie directors and actors need to take notes on. This is some of the best action filmmaking I’ve ever seen. This really comes to light in this movie because of Keanu Reeves and his physical acting with the stunt work he does in this movie. While there are parts that a stunt double was needed, you clearly see that for a ton of those fight scenes it is Keanu doing a lot of the stunts himself. It is so refreshing to see and actor who can do his own stunts and isn’t afraid to be physical with his role. This also translated to amazing editing of the movie with a lack of cuts and shaky cam that makes your eyes hurt. This puts less stress on the director, a former stuntman, and allows them create these amazing action sequences without a variety of cuts and allows the audience to see the action. It’s so hard today to find an action movie that does that all that because many actors are incapable of doing their own stunts. This movie was a breath of fresh air with the amazing filmmaking on display with all of the one-take action scenes that the audience is in awe while watching.

John Wick Chapter 2 is an amazing sequel and Keanu gives another amazing performance as the hitman himself. Some of the best on-screen action I’ve ever seen while sitting in the theatre. The filmmaking on display is great and John Wick Chapter 2 is a more than fitting sequel to John Wick.