Wick'ed grudge holds for a sequel

Movie reviewer Tamara MacKenzie talks pros and cons of Keanu Reeves latest performance in John Wick 2.

LEGENDARY ASSASSIN: Keanu Reeves in a scene from the movie John Wick: Chapter 2. Picture: Supplied by StudioCanal.

WHAT do you do when your dog is killed and your car is stolen?

You turn into a remorseless killing machine and seek vengeance.

What? Too extreme?

Not in the eyes of legendary assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves).

The words 'well that escalated quickly' don't even begin to describe the 2014 flick.

And three years later, Mr Wick still holds a grudge.

Picking up from where we last left off, John Wick 2 follows the retired super-assassin to retrieving his car from mobster Viggo Tarasov.

Upon calling a truce with his former enemy, Wick attempts to resume a quiet civilian life.

Obviously, that doesn't last.

"Ding, dong....” Surprise, surprise, he's confronted by an Italian gangster by the name of Santino D'Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio) who hands Wick a gold marker signifying to repay a past favour.

With little choice, Wick reluctantly accepts the assignment to travel to Rome and take out D'Antonio's sister, the ruthless capo atop the Italian Camorra crime syndicate.

Despite Wick's desperate attempts to retire, it seems he's returned to the job, fitted out with all the top end weaponry, threads, gadgets and more code words than headshots taken in the first John Wick flick.

The delivery in this part of the movie is quite tantalising.

As expected, the merciless fight scenes are as brutal as they come - true John Wick style.

Although well and truly beyond reality, we can all dream to have the adrenaline and stamina of this legendary assassin.

None the less what's an action movie without it's 'over-the-top' violence?

While I did enjoy what John Wick 2 had to offer in the way of good old fashioned vengeance, it by no means beats the original.

John Wick (2014), while seemingly holding an unrealistic dose of revenge, held a passionate storyline that we could all enjoy.

John Wick 2 seems to lack the same passion and in the end of more of a bloodbath of bullets.

But that's not to say it's not good, it's just not as good.

Despite that, there is also one other problem with the sequel which comes in the shape of a certain female villain - who apparently is supposed to be a mute.

... or so I discovered mid-way through the movie.

I thought Ares (Ruby Rose) was providing poor hand signals to D'Antonio's gangsters.

I'm not sure, even to this day, what the point of her character was.

Was it a cameo-style appearance?

Was she D'Antonio's right hand?

No back story was provided to even bring you close to knowing the purpose of her existence.

Was she a distraction from a very lightly drawn up plot?

As frustrating as it was, thankfully there was enough bullet spraying to take your mind off it to see the movie to the end.

John Wick 2 is an ideal popcorn flick, explosive with action, loads of angry statue-like faces and cool assassin accessories - thankfully no more puppy killing in this one.

Originally published as Wick'ed grudge holds for a sequel