'John Wick: Chapter 2' - Movie Review

"John Wick" was one of the surprise hits of 2014, a violent action flick that brought a good action character using a fun-to-watch new form of action (occasionally referred to as "gun-fu") to the screen. It was an absurd world and an absurd story line, but its considerable success guaranteed us a sequel. The critics of Rotten Tomatoes rated this one even more highly than the original (89% as compared to 85%). But when you look too closely at an absurd world (as a sequel inevitably does), the inconsistencies and problems are magnified and drawn out into plain view.

John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is attempting to settle down again after the events of the last movie, but Santino D'Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio) shows up, demanding a favour he's owed (which ties into the mythology of the previous movie). Wick refuses, but is eventually forced to assassinate someone - someone he knows. And then of course he has to fight his way out. And it just goes on and on. And the last twenty minutes are set-up for "John Wick 3," while I sat there wondering why they didn't just finish "John Wick 2," but that's Hollywood for you.

The movie brings nothing new to the table and exposes all the cracks and flaws in the previous movie. One of those really terrible sequels that's not only really bad, but makes the previous movie look worse as well.