John Wick 2 Impressions

After missing out on the opening weekend of the anticipated Keanu Reeves sequel, I finally got around to seeing John Wick: Chapter 2.

If John Wick is like your favorite chocolate chip cookie, then John Wick: Chapter 2 is like a second chocolate chip cookie but with added scoop of mocha almond fudge ice cream on top. For the most part, John Wick: Chapter 2 (JW2) is a second helping of John Wick: More excellent gun choreography, more action, more muscle car porn, and more European criminal masterminds. But on top of all that, there are even more hints and connections to a larger John Wick universe which I personally liked.

First off, I love the movie. It's far from a cinematic masterpiece, but that is what makes it great. John Wick doesn't mess around either. Early and often, the movie sends a message to the audience that it's un-apologetically about guns, killing, cars, and more guns. But through all the chaos, the movie makes sure to develop a world where there is a certain amount order. I was surprised to see how much backstory all the characters shared with John and also how organized their hitman-for-hire society was. It has high court and everything.

I also love how the movie manages to attach you to John Wick. By the end of the movie I felt just as exhausted as John Wick looked. He gets pretty beaten up in the movie and also never really seems to catch a break once the movie picks up. Any time the movie slows down, it's just to setup another ridiculous action sequence. And each new action sequence just shows why each mob boss views John Wick as the boogeyman. Heck, even Common couldn't take him on. And if Common can't beat him, then no one can (I'll leave that ambiguous). 

Besting Common is no small feat. The man can drop straight hot fire.

I'd have to admit that the dialogue is utterly cheesy but man is it sooooo good...uh...cheesy. The script is pretty sparse in this movie, but whatever conversations that last longer than a few minutes seems to have at least one memorable line. At least this time around, they didn't go too overboard with the weird subtitles.

The one thing I personally don't like about Mocha Almond Fudge Ice Cream is the almonds. They give a rough and crunchy interruption to an otherwise smooth experience. And the issue I have with JW2 is that the story elements are not executed in a very smooth matter. Everyone already knows John Wick and a scene at the end of the movie almost makes like the entire population of New York were hitmen. I just don't think a lot of the plot points piece together. The other thing is that both movies initially show John as someone trying desperately to get out of the business he's in, but then show at the end of the movie that he has made no progress in getting out of the game.

I would recommend watching both John Wick movies; mostly because the sequel seems to directly continue the plot of the last. I mean, it takes a special actor to be over the age of fifty and still pulling off stunts like ones seen the movie. That alone is worth the price of admission.