Keanu finds a Franchise

Rating: 6/10 (13 February 2017)

I was a little amazed at the number of people attending the matinÃ©e showing of this film. My excuse for being there was that Hollywood has been releasing garbage this time of year, and this was the first film that showed some interest. Curiosity was the main attraction for me. How would they expand this code of honor among thieves mythology? How would the film expand it's world with a larger budget? Would the film meet it's higher expectations? To some degree this film has a bit of repetition from the first film, revisiting locations from the first film, with characters reiterating events that happened. I got to hand it to Keanu Reeves, his dark persona makes you think he was created from a graphic novel that is larger than life. Yet there are a few quirky moments that makes you think this guy is nuts. There are certain moments of offbeat humour, but I wish there were more. The story itself is a simple revenge story that has no real twists. You know John Wick will do what he says.
The action beats are top notch. A fair mix of car chase, martial arts, but primarily a tsunami of bullets. The film seems to take pride in keeping count of how many shots Wick fires per cartridge, as we witness the meticulous routine of changing cartridges throughout each orgy of gunfire. With a visit to Italy, production design has a chance to find new backdrops for our storybook characters. One could believe Nicolas Refn directed this film, with the heavy use of colored lights and lush architecture to enhance the look of our characters. There is not a great deal of subtlety in the story or dialogue, perhaps trying to feel like an old western, where one didn't need more than a few words to spell out their revenge.
I applaud what looks like a new franchise for Keanu. It's fun to just let the large set pieces play out, giving the filmmakers an opportunity to show their creativity, as well as competency in pulling off Bond/Bourne level of action sequences. I liked the quirkiness of the first film that is less apparent in the sequel. I like the locations and new characters featured in this film. One might wonder though how much of the fearless barrages against busloads of bad guys Wick can sustain before it gets old. For now, I once again will give the filmmakers kudos for clocking the film in at 2 hours, no over- complicated subplots, no extra twists.