By Marrissa Ballard | Co-Editor-in-Chief
When the first John Wick hit theaters in 2014, I was mostly excited to see Keanu Reeves back in action with amazing stunts and perfectly choreographed fight sequences. After that first film, I anxiously awaited Wick’s next chapter, which promised to take the action even further.
One of the things that I looked forward to was all of the new co-stars that would be entering the story, such as Common and Ruby Rose. John Wick: Chapter 2 also held the promise of a Matrix reunion, with Reeves and Laurence Fishburne once again sharing the screen. Common does an amazing job as Cassian, one of Wick’s primary sparring partners in the film. Some of the most intricate and intense fight scenes happen between them, and I was really impressed with Common’s performance.
The main antagonist in the film takes form in Santino D’Antonio, a modern mob leader, who is expertly played by Riccardo Scamarcio. Rose, in her role as Ares, plays the main body guard of D’Antonio. Interestingly, the writers and directors chose to have Ares communicate solely with sign language, and Rose does a fantastic job with portraying her character through both the sign language and her facial expressions. Rose also has several impressive fights with Wick, and it was great to see a female in a powerful role. My only complaint is that I wish I saw more of her and Fishburne, but I’m speculating about the roles they’ll play in the third John Wick film.
Aside from increasingly amazing stunts and action, this film is full of gorgeous and well-designed cinematography. Chad Stahelski, the director of the films, always finds interesting settings to house the large-scale shoot-outs. My personal favorites included the gun fights in the catacombs under the city of Rome, as well as the visually complex stakeouts in the New York Museum of Modern Art. There is a section of the museum completely made up by mirrors in a demonstration meant to inspire reflection about one’s inner self and conscious. These mirrors added an amazing affect to all of the fights that happen there.
The scenes in the mirror mazes also emphasize the film’s preoccupations with morality. After all, John Wick is not exactly a great guy, and the film definitely holds elements of a masculine power fantasy. As the film continues, his kill-count rises to insane numbers, and his ability to take down just about anyone can be thrilling and a little scary. The characters in the film know this too, and they regard Wick with a sense of admiration mixed with fear at what he’s capable of doing. The stories that precede him are enough to make the toughest bosses in the film quake. Several of the more gruesome deaths in the film also emphasize this point.
However, John Wick: Chapter 2 is also peppered with comical moments and some emotional scenes that allow the audience to toe the line of identifying with Wick. Towards the end of the film, Wick also makes a decision that causes us to question how he will possibly survive in the next film.
In addition to questions of revenge, debt, and morality, John Wick: Chapter 2 is interested in letting the audience catch a more detailed glimpse of Wick’s world. Fans of action films like Point Break might enjoy the focus on the larger assassin organizations in the film. The Continental Hotel, for example, is one of the major rule-setters in the world of assassins. In the sequel, we also learn about the system of “markers” that hold people to debts, and the existence of an organization called “The High Table” which takes control of different cities. The film also makes more clear how expansive these organizations are in the sheer amount of countries and people involved.
Overall, John Wick: Chapter 2 is a worthy follow-up to its predecessor with well-shot action sequences, a storyline that builds on itself, and an awesome score. Reeves once again proves his capability in fight choreography, and manages to say more with a look than with words. While I wouldn’t give the film a perfect score due to one particular scene that I personally felt confused the tone, I would still recommend it to any action lover or fan of Keanu Reeves.
