THE PICKET — Action movies are nothing new. We’ve all seen the typical thinly laid plot of burly guys punching each other in the face while soaking up bullets like sunlight…usually fighting over a damsel in distress. No one should really care at this point.
Thankfully John Wick: Chapter 2—just as the original film—is not your typical action flick. Fans of the first film can rejoice over how we didn’t just get a sequel to one of our favorite movies, but we got a sequel that tops the original.
The John Wick series (which is set to become a trilogy) follows the story of John Wick, an infamous ex-hitman who came out of retirement seeking vengeance after a band of gangsters killed his dog. Chapter 2 continues almost immediately after the ending of the first film, where we find Wick is being forced to continue his work after an old associate blackmails him with an old blood oath.
Chapter 2 continues to bring the same breath of fresh air as the first film did in 2014. The film takes the same choreographed action that made the original a fan-favorite and not only doubles-down on it, but elevates everything to a new level that couldn’t be done with the budget of the first film. The action in this film is non-stop, exciting, and manages to never get stale, something that not enough action movies can do these days.
John Wick: Chapter 2 does have a more typical plot, at least compared to its predecessor. John Wick seeking vengeance for his dog brought a level of humor that connected with the audience, and that level of on-the-nose humor does continue into the sequel, but it can only be stretched so far.
The hitmen that Wick encounters throughout the movie serve their purposes, but there is room for improvement, especially with Ruby Rose’s character, Ares. Everything Ares does throughout the film screams that she is a dangerous villain, but nothing she does actually amounts to anything important. Personally, I’m hoping we see more of her in the future.
All things considered, John Wick: Chapter 2 is definitely a pick-it. For it’s roughly two-hour runtime, the film never fails to keep you entertained and the choreography is even more stunning than that of the first. In fact, I enjoyed it so much I just might see it twice—and you should too.
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Edward Smith is a reporter for the Picket and can be contacted esmith08@rams.shepherd.edu