John Wick - Chapter 2 : Review

[_Stormin_]

Just got home from the theater and I decided that it wouldn't be a bad thing to post up a review. I was on the fence about this one initially, thinking that it might be better to just wait for it to make it to Netflix. The wife wanted to go see it, and I had a "buy one - get one" movie ticket deal, so I figured that it couldn't hurt to go see the film.

Glad I went.

To not spoil the entire film, it's captivating enough from a plot standpoint while being a glorious symphony of violence that really does not let the initial movie down. They did a bit to develop the main characters, they brought a couple of new faces along that could appear in the third film (already working on it), and there are a couple of great twists that I did not expect.

As we all know, Keanu Reeves did a ton of work with Taran Butler to make sure that his shooting was realistic. They did a great job, and aside from a few obvious moments where accurate gun handling was sacrificed to not have the weapon obscuring the actors faces, the shooting is far better than the usual Hollywood fare. People aim, people miss (even the good guy, especially when trying to point shoot), magazines empty and need reloading, etc... Aside from a Burris product placement that actually made me groan, the brands represented are quite respectable. The cast is a great ensemble as well, with each person being believable in their role. Stand out for me was Ruby Rose. I hadn't seen her in anything before, but hope she's in more things in the future. That woman is pretty damned cute...
Ruby-Rose-John-Wick-e1485539236960.jpg

Definitely worth the watch.

[Straight Shooter]

Dang bro- I couldn't believe no one had already put up a review yet...I logged back on to do just that and you beat me to it.
To me- its a definite GO SEE'ER. I too, liked to cast...the chick Rose is a sexy little thing, loved the weaponry, and how he "ordered" them & his clothing. The 1911 "thing" was funny.
Im REALLY hating the destruction of so many classic cars though. I mean there is a finite number of them, and it makes me sick to see them completely f-ed up in so many flicks.
My fav character besides Wick was Winston...dude is LARGE & IN CHARGE for sure.
Yall wont be disappointed...check it out. Cant wait for JW3!

[Rattlehead]

The scene where they took pot shots at each other with suppressed pistols in public was the high point of the movie for me.

[_Stormin_]

Im REALLY hating the destruction of so many classic cars though. I mean there is a finite number of them, and it makes me sick to see them completely f-ed up in so many flicks.

Had a family member very heavily involved in the movie biz... Most of the classics and supercars destroyed in movies are replicas and fakes. Rest easy at night.

[Straight Shooter]

Had a family member very heavily involved in the movie biz... Most of the classics and supercars destroyed in movies are replicas and fakes. Rest easy at night.

Bro-THANKS...I NEEDED THAT!!

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Good flick. Read a review about how this movie has wide, no-jumpcut action sequences because Keanu can actually do it. I actually think they slow down some of the shooting scenes because he can shoot faster than people can watch. Single shell shotgun reload.... sweet.

My thought was a 3-gun comp based on those shoots.

Common plays nice rolls like here and Ace of Spades.

Great set up for a third movie.

Is the Rome scene why Die Antwoord is in my head?

[m1a_scoutguy]

Good flick. Read a review about how this movie has wide, no-jumpcut action sequences because Keanu can actually do it. I actually think they slow down some of the shooting scenes because he can shoot faster than people can watch. Single shell shotgun reload.... sweet.

My thought was a 3-gun comp based on those shoots.

Common plays nice rolls like here and Ace of Spades.

Great set up for a third movie.

Is the Rome scene why Die Antwoord is in my head?

Yea some crazy stuff for sure ! After all its just entertainment,,I don't look to deep into movies like this ! It was a bit over the top at times,,but so what I enjoyed it ! Here is a quick vid of the man getting it done !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yk7K8-HnfI
(How do you embed the vid like most of you guys do. I'm being a blockhead. )

[hotrodder636]

I thought I remembered seeing a review thread started by Will Brink but am having trouble finding it.

Dang bro- I couldn't believe no one had already put up a review yet...I logged back on to do just that and you beat me to it.
To me- its a definite GO SEE'ER. I too, liked to cast...the chick Rose is a sexy little thing, loved the weaponry, and how he "ordered" them & his clothing. The 1911 "thing" was funny.
Im REALLY hating the destruction of so many classic cars though. I mean there is a finite number of them, and it makes me sick to see them completely f-ed up in so many flicks.
My fav character besides Wick was Winston...dude is LARGE & IN CHARGE for sure.
Yall wont be disappointed...check it out. Cant wait for JW3!

[Cazwell]

I remember he did one on the first John Wick - https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread...-Wick-(Review)

I liked the movie. I agree with the criticism that I wasn't rooting for Wick as much in the second as the first. In the first movie, he was legitimately wronged in a somewhat plausible scenario, and the idea that some pompus thug kid went after the "wrong guy" was a fun scenario. I'm a dog lover, his deceased wife gave him the dog, retired badass hit man with nothing to lose. Good story. JW2, the premise was weaker.

Also agree with the criticism that the second one straddled the line of stylish comic book and gritty realism. I like gritty realism.

I also didn't like the emphasis on the whole gold coin, blood oath, secret texts to other hitmen and cleaners (apparently 50% of the population on any give street or subway). Too much of the secret society, comic book world in the second one.

That being said, I really enjoyed the movie. It really is a symphony of violence, from CQB hand to hand improvised weapons (pencils) to obvious nods to 3 gun and some fun center axis relock stuff, in the setting where that technique makes most sense (phone-booth range).

Beggars can't be choosers and on a relative scale, compared to most options for action movies, this one is pretty great. I respect the heck out of Keanu for actually being a martial artist, studying JJJ, Judo, and actually being a shooter, training, shooting 3 gun and seeking out guys like Taran to teach him how to shoot. I really hope Keanu isn't a liberal tool anti-gunner (when it comes to his views on everyday citizens and guns).

They had a cool selection of guns, cool cars, some good martial arts techniques (Omoplata, armbars, kata guruma, ogoshi and ogoshi variations that I can't remember the names of, several foot sweeps and reaps, guard pulling to sweep variations into full mount, side mount, berimbolo and lot's of Japanese hard style striking, Kyokushin etc).

When I find a movie with more action than drama, cool guns, cool cars, good hand to hand and good or even decent gun handling, actual mag changes etc, I don't complain much. I just smile and grab my popcorn. Then I go home, hit my heavy bag and fondle my guns. All is right in the world for a small moment.

Oh and by the way, where can I get one of those bulletproof suits? I may need one some day.

[Firefly]

I guess I'll be "that guy".

It took coaxing to get me to watch JW1 and it was a comic book. If I were 15, I would.....maybe ...have liked it more. I didn't hate it, didn't love it, and it was a movie I felt good with only seeing once

So I figured JW2 would be better and it kinda is....

Namechecking Glock 34s and BCMs was cool. That androgynous, waifish sign language girl shall always be welcome in my boudoir, and it had its moments.

But....Neo got old and Morpheus got fat.
I also liked the jab at 1911s in a modern day gunfight (low capacity).

A few parts of the film felt like 3 gun stages and painfully so. Most people wouldn't notice but you can totally peg certaibn parts where one could say "Shooter ready? Stand By....BEEEP"

It didn't feel remarkably different from JW1. If I were 15 again maybe......actually....no. I still like what I did when I was 15. The movie felt kinda ....not boring, not wholly uninteresting....just I didn't care about John Wick. I didn't care if he won, knew he was going to succeed, and just waited to see pissy Euro spot intertwined with pissy NYC urban renewal backdrop.

It felt like I was watching a video game playthrough. Everything was all neon and dubstep but kinda bleh.

I don't think it was "bad", just well...

I didn't like it.

It wasn't like Leon or Commando.

It felt like the actiony parts of the first Matrix before bullet time but aimed at the CBS crowd.

It was a popcorn movie. I would say I liked the first one more because you don't kill a man's dog. But....this one was like....what's the point?