John Wick: Chapter 2

The formula to a good sequel is hard to pin down. For every sequel that expands and builds upon what came before it, there’s another that goes too far and betrays what came before it. So many decide to play it safe and give the viewer the first movie again. That’s John Wick 2. That’s not a bad thing, mind you. John Wick 1 was a blast. John Wick 2 puts the titular character in some new locales, and carries on the story from some things mentioned in the first movie, and has a great ending that sets up part 3, but by and large, it’s JW1 again. All the action, choreography, cinematography, head shots, the criminal underbelly, everything is back. Including John’s total lack of character depth. Virtually nothing whatsoever is changed from 1 to 2. Oh, wait, he gets his car back. And a new dog. So, yeah. If you like JW1, you’ll like 2, as long as you’re not expecting some kind of evolution or growth. I didn’t, and I’m happy with what I got. Sometimes, it’s good to stick to what you know.