Review of “John Wick Chapter 2”

 * * C

I almost gave this film 3 stars, but it just didn’t quite make it. I’ll try to keep this review spoiler free. In short, this chapter failed in story. The action sequences are well choreographed, but, though the beginning of the film, which wraps up the events of the first film, worked well, the remainder was very linear and predictable. The quirky secret criminal world which you discover in the first chapter becomes the centerpiece of this chapter, rather than the boiling revenge story that drove the first chapter.

The villain is thinly drawn, disappointing after the strong villain in the chapter 1. Ian McShane reprises his role as Winston, the manager of the Continental Hotel, the one sacred sanctuary in the underground world, but he is unable to bear the weight. Finally, Laurence “Morpheus” Fishburne has a minor role which is laughably weak, as is the writing in general. The film is fun, but forgettable. The unbelievable 8.3 rating on IMDB is highly undeserved. The original was far better, yet gets only a 7.2, which is less that it deserved.

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