Review of John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) by Barney O — 01 Jun 2017

WHAT I LIKED: Weirdly enough, I never felt the undying love that everyone else had for the first John Wick, and consequently I had equally reserved expectations going into its sequel; 'John Wick Chapter 2.' What I got here though was actually a rather pleasant surprise - a film that not only delivers all the cool action and striking visuals you'd expect, but also one that delves properly into the world and characters that I felt were so under-utilised in its predecessor. Yes finally we really get to understand the methods and behaviours of this mysterious underworld, and consequently we can begin to invest in our awesome lead character too. As a result, it's all a far more engaging experience, and the action sequences feel more exciting because you genuinely care for the outcome.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: John Wick is still fairly one-dimensional himself, and this is becoming more apparent the more we get to know him...

VERDICT: The man is back, the myth is gladly gone, and the legend is finally growing - 'John Wick Chapter 2' is better than its predecessor because it truly begins to look a little deeper. Roll on 3 is all I can say.