Saturday, 25 February 2017

John Wick: Chapter 2 - The scoop and digest

Does this just go through the motions, or can Chad Stahelski deliver a sequel worthy of 2014 original?

Keanu Reeves - John Wick/The Boogeyman
Riccardo Scamarico - Santino D'Antonio
Ian McShane - Winston
Common - Cassian
Ruby Rose - Ares
Laurence Fishburne - Bowery King

Not long after the events of original bloodbath, JW plows through baddies and hunts down his stolen motor at chop shop owned by Abram Tarasov (Viggo's brother and uncle of Iosef).

After sparing Tarasov's life, JW goes in peace and retires.

Italian crime big cheese Santino pays JW a visit and reminds he is obliged to repay a historical favour.

He refuses to honour 'marker' and Santino reacts by blowing house to kingdom come.

In New York, JW chats with Continental hotel owner Winston, who reminds no kill can take place on Continental ground and promise attached to any marker must be fulfilled.

The former smacks of Highlander, as immortals mustn't violate tradition of duelling on Holy ground.

JW meets with Santino and agrees to assassinate his sister Gianna, so seat can be claimed on the High Table, which I suppose is the crime lord equivalent of King Arthur's Round Table.

Following the suicide of Gianna, numerous henchmen are dispatched with relative ease, but Gianna's bodyguard Cassian provides stiffer opposition.

Fight is 'paused' when they crash Continental party and after a drink, Cassian warns this ain't over.

Santino places a $7m contract on JW's head and while peeps try and claim the bounty, they spectacularly fail.

Cassian and JW resume fisticuffs and out of professional courtesy, a victorious JW slams knife into rival's aorta, that will only kill defeated rival if removed.

Is this actually true?

Maybe.

Underground boss The Bowery King guides JW to Santino's location.

JW leaves a trail of human destruction in his wake and finally confronts Santino at the Continental.

Despite Winston's warning, JW shoots Santino dead.

JW becomes 'excommunicado' and Winston gives him an hour's head start before open contract is announced globally.

Marked man flees on foot with his dog.

Bang bang thank you mam

Frenetic gun ballet is flamboyant, exciting and expertly staged.

Scraps don't hold up as well, but hardly bore.

Okay, action doesn't touch The Raid 2 (or original), but then again - what does?

At the beginning, Tarasov speaks of how JW killed x amount of men with a pencil.

Hitman does just that later on.

Cute.

Who knows if done on purpose, but one man and his dog certainly whiffs of I Am Legend.

Climatic battle inside hall of mirrors?

Enter the Dragon.

A third is already in the works and will surely bring series to a conclusion.

1 comment:

  1. Click popcornflix movies This is the best sequel Keanu Reeves has ever been a part of, or will ever be a part of. Yes, I know that The Matrix sequels were the only time he actually revisited a franchise, but at this point in his career, I can't see him starting up another franchise like this.
    John Wick was a blast to see on the big screen, but that's honestly just an appetizer.
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