Movie Review: Swishing Bullets and Squishing Bodies Have Never Been More Stylish!- John Wick- Chapter Two

***Spoiler Alert!***
Don't blame me for liking violence when it is so damn beautifully captured. Keanu Reeves comes back for the second installment of surprise hit film, John Wick. In the era where quality action movies had a fall from greatness, Chad Stahelski brings an action movie with a lot of power, potential and style. He continues it for the second time too. John Wick had floored the audience with a revenge tale after a bunch of amateurs steal John's car and kills his dog in the process. Keanu Reeves got praised a lot for his performance as the troubled, retired assassin with style and suave written all over him. That suave assassin is back again and well, will he recreate his magic on screen?

The movie kicks off with John Wick (Keanu Reeves) kicking some ass to retrieve his stolen car. A lot of bodies are dropped even before the titles. He gives a shot at retirement, again, but his demons from the past are hell bent on keeping him alive in business. This time around, it is Santino D'Ontonio (Riccardo Scamarcio), who holds a blood marker from John Wick for helping him get out of this business on his 'impossible night'. Santino wants John do a deed for him for which John refuses. Santino being the hard headed he is, burns down John's house. With no other choice, John approaches Winston (Ian McShane), who convinces him to do the deed and pay the marker off. He demonstrates how important the rules are in the world they live and that a blood marker has to be answered to. John takes the assignment up only to find out that Santino has hidden intentions in approaching him. What follows is a faction of assassins trying to pocket some money by killing John while John tries to track down and kill Santino with the help of an old friend.

Cinematography. High credits to that. Such beautiful captures of exotic locations and action sequences. The devil can't get any beautiful! The music puts you in the mood all along. Though the plot doesn't seem fresh or with heavy potential, the adrenaline filled script makes for it. The Boogeyman is given enough to work on and he just slays it! If there is a performance that has to be given credit for, it is of Keanu Reeves. The cold eyes while hunting and killing people, the unflinching body language, the double taps, they all make us feel that Keanu is in fact an assassin and is not just playing a role as such. Another powerful performance comes out in the form of Laurence Fishburne. And, oh the nostalgia of seeing Morpheus and Neo again on the screen! (That's a discussion for another day). Dark humor used appropriately adds a fresh feeling to the movie. The second half seems to lag a little towards the closing. Ending the movie with a hint at sequel pumps up the excitement.

Highlights:

  • Cinematography
  • Script
  • Keanu Reeves (Baba Yaga)
  • Music
Drawbacks:
  • Lag towards the End.
Just as the Club shooting from the first part, the climax action sequence will be remembered from this second installment of a quickly growing franchise. The use of setting and camera reminded me of the cult classic, Enter the Dragon.

Verdict: An action extravaganza!


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