Die Harder with a Vengeance

Rating: 8/10 (30 May 2017)

God. The one person you want to listen to and not p|ss off is John Wick. Well, I guess broken rules and burned bridges are Common amongst the baddies.
Like the first one? Personally, I loved it. This 'Chapter 2' is one of those rare direct sequels that doesn't necessarily improve on the first one, but beautifully continues the saga of a Man and His Dogs.
Previously on John Wick, after briefly mourning his dead wife and getting his car stolen and dog murdered, John returns for his car for "old time's sake" and is immediately and unwillingly thrust back into the life of the kill from a promise – a marker.
"First rule of assassination: Kill the assassins," said Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. So, here, there wouldn't be a movie if John just paid back his marker.
While the first movie was great, it was simple. This one is definitely more complex and yet it is seamless in the universe John resides in. It's hard to compare or state which one was better as they're both different and yet, both a perfect companion piece.
On a deeper level, I do love the character of John Wick. Part Super- Villain with a heart/Part Super-Killer with a low tolerance level. He also has some Super-Powers that surely would've killed him 10 minutes into his career had he been based on a real person. The fun part of this fiction is how balanced his human-side is with his indestructability on the playground.
As for his human-side, I love how awkward John's steps are, how he fumbles getting out of his cars. As much as everyone builds him up as The Boogeyman, or "the man you send to kill The Boogeyman," he's very clumsy at times. Don't get me wrong; the hype around his legend is warranted and I believe it in the stories about him.
That said, and as much of a Bourne fan I am, John Wick seems to be much more ferocious and effective in the slaying game. And those falls he takes – just one small example: the three layers of stairs – I have no idea how the real actors pulled those off and lived. Well done. If nothing else, these actors must be honored for what they put their bodies through for entertainment and the director and crew should also be praised for their extreme ability to showcase such brutality in the fight/killing scenes. Bravo!
This is one of those movies you can't skip the previous chapter and frankly, why should you? These are perfect together. Just send the kiddies to bed, get the popcorn and know you won't be disappointed.
***
Final thoughts: Pleasemake this a trilogy. I have an idea how it would end and I don't want to see that ending, but this definitely needs another Chapter. Only, and I never thought I'd say this, I feel bad for Keanu. These movies HAVE to hurt him bad. At least, in the bruising department.