A thrilling, action packed sequel

Rating: 8/10 (5 January 2019)

Opening four days after the first film ended we see retired hitman John Wick retrieving his car... inevitably this includes a fair amount of violence. Following this prologue he returns home and is approached by Santino D'Antonio, a senior Mafioso who wants John to do a job for him... go to Rome and kill his sister so he can take the top position in their organisation. John declines despite having given the man his marker. Soon it becomes clear he has no choice. The job isn't going to be easy as his target is well protected and Santino doesn't want any loose ends... Wick is considered a loose end.
The first film may have had more emotional depth but that doesn't mean this is inferior. It is action packed from start to finish. There are only brief lulls in the action as the job is explained and Wick gets the equipment he needs for the job. Even these quieter scenes are fun as Wick and his arms supplier talk about firearms as if he were discussing what to eat with a waiter at an upmarket restaurant. The action scenes are full-on with numerous bad guys being shot, stabbed and even dispatched with a pencil. It is delightfully over the top at times; I loved how just about every other person in New York appeared to be a hitman keen to get the seven million dollar reward for killing Wick. Keanu Reeves does a fine, no-nonsense, job as Wick and the rest cast are solid even if their roles are much smaller. Overall I'd definitely recommend this to fans of full on action.