Wick goes off again and even more explosively!

Rating: 10/10 (11 February 2017)

John Wick: Chapter 2
The first one grabbed the audiences by throat. It was in your face on how to innovate and capture the dance of Gun-fu. But what made the first one captivating was its presentation of the crime and assassins' world, their code of conduct, their hangouts, the hotels they stay- in, etc. It seems that Chad Stahelski knew what made the first one so fascinating and did a commendable effort in creating a further depth in this world. John Wick seems like a book cover only versus the Chapter 2, which comes across like a whole dossier on this underworld's crime kingpins and how the hired killers operate across the globe. I am still wondering who is the managing the accounts opening department. Guess this is another point very successfully developed in the movie and by the end of it, you want to know more about the operations of this underworld. And this need for knowing further left you wanting more Chapters.
Chapter 2 start with a usual chase scene. Its robust, skillful, too long but ends unexpectedly. It reminded me of another movie, Blade II. which was 2nd in series, had exactly same way starting with a chase in continuation from the first movie. But as the movie progressed, you realized that how amazing the story line and much bigger and bolder are the action scenes. Chapter 2 is audacious and has enough action to fulfill Adrenalin and video game junkies. It doesn't have any character that are there just there for the need of the scene. I will look forward to return of that henchman in Chapter 3 that was left on the train with a blade in his heart.
Having discussed the greatness of this movie, I still find bit difficult to believe that smart man as John Wick agrees to do one last job to free himself from the oath. The kind of a job which is self- explanatory that there will be consequences after this hit. So why even accept it and not kill the one who burned your house. However, by the end, the movie is bit heavy handed in dealing with the psychological pressure that John Wick faces as he sits with his nameless dog in his burned house and mourns the loss of his life, his beloved wife and the emptiness of his heart. Its takes a rare risk to show how this undefeatable anti-hero will face the same fate as anyone who breaks the rules of the house. I love when movie makers are willing to take chances to show that even the mighty ones have a limit and powerless of their fate. Above all like us they are extremely flawed driven by their primitive need to fulfill their immediate hunger.
John Wick Chapter 2, like its predecessor is one the best action movies in its specific category. It works like a video game during the shootout scenes but from time to time it slows down for hand to hand combat and giving you a glimpse of grit and resolve the characters have. It always a pleasure to see that besides the main protagonist, other players are also as skill full, intelligent and as fierce as John Wick.
This time also, the wick goes off and creates an explosive experience. In the memory of my favorite movie citric Roger Ebert, I would like to say that this movie is two thumbs up and way up. 4 out of 4 stars.