Pimp my franchise...

Rating: 7/10 (19 February 2017)

Reeves at 52 is the undisputed king of the modern "man's thriller" and deservedly so.
I recall before the release of Wick 2 catching an interview with Reeves where he assured his many fans that Wick 2 would be even better than Wick 1 because so much time and energy (and money) had gone into the script.
And he was sincere.
Just as sincere as the many mainstream critics who panned Wick 1 but astonishingly have fallen in love with Wick 2...???????? Because at the end of the day, our society is an upside down society and most everything today from geopolitics to finance to film works backwards.
Wick 1 was a great film, the rarest of all things, an unexpected hit. It was a hit because it was pure and simple and the idea of man pining for his lost wife going to war over a car and a dog seemed ... right.
Wick 2 is one of the most contrived and over-written scripts I have ever seen. And Reeves was being completely honest when he said that a great deal of effort had gone into this production. Because, once they had a surprise hit on their hands, the producers moved into "franchise" mode and set about building an income stream, a brand, on the corpse of the first film -- which had nothing going for it except sincerity, good intentions, and outright class.
A film reviewer is supposed to help viewers refine their own tastes and see beyond the obvious.
I promise you that in years to come, more people will watch and cherish the first film than this loud and brassy pyrotechnic clone.