“Working again, John?”

“You wanted me back... I'm back!”
Yes, John, we wanted you back.

Official: “Legendary hitman John Wick is forced out of retirement once again by a former associate plotting to seize control of a shadowy international assassin's guild. Bound by a blood oath to help him, John travels to Rome where he squares off against some of the world’s deadliest killers.”

JOHN WICK was a modest success in late 2014, that was “found” by many after on video and cable later on. Those who did see it it on release, like I did, found a refreshing antidote to overblown, shaky-cam action movies. Directed by Chad Stahelski(a former stuntman for Reeves in THE MATRIX movies), the film brought you into a stylized, underground world where things are paid for in gold coins and John Wick(Keanu Reeve)'s name turn the head of the Russian mob's blood cold. The world-building with the briefest of glimpses into how the organization world was one the high-points, giving a sense of something bigger than what is seen. While the world is not the “real” world, it is grounded in the reality of the action scenes. Intense and fluid, the action is strong & unique in recent years that guns that have to be reloaded, hand-to-hand combat that is brutal, and long, unbroken takes of Reeves doing the action all himself.

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 drops you right back into the world, with John finishing off some business left over from the last movie. This sequence helps viewers out if they haven't seen the first movie(or this can help), but also sets up that Wick is finished with his vendetta. But like any good man of mystery, Wick's past comes back to collect on an old debt, sending him to kill in Rome. This also gives returning director Stahelski & screenwriter Derek Kolstad a chance to open up their world even further. Catacombs lead to luxury bedrooms and a hotel's sommelier has only the finest of weapons for your needs. It is fun and rich, showing how far and wide it reaches into ours.

The action continues just as strong in this film, escalating without getting too outrageous. There is always a risk at running into simply repeating yourself by doing more gun fights and martial arts battles. But they are much more integrated into the story, rather than something to happen between people talking. The nod to the killing someone with a pencil gag is nicely done. Along with that, how Wick gets to responds with the action makes it that much more interesting. Dealing with limitations shows you just what Wick is capable of doing-and makes him so dangerous.

Ian McShane and John Leguizamo are welcome returns from the first movie, along with the addition of Common, Ruby Rose, and Laurence Fishburne. Common's Cassian especially is great at coming across as a near equal of Wick. Fishburne brings a great menace as The Bowery King, who is one of the few that doesn't fear Wick. But really, this is all about Keanu Reeves as Wick. He's obviously invested himself into the role, with plenty of videos showing his weapons training. But he's also interested in showing the man who really wanted to be “out”, yet finds a certain comfort in going back to is old life. Like the suit he dons before heading to Rome, Wick's life fits too well.

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER TWO is a happy return to a wild world that is not like any we've seen in film lately. Personally, I'm all ready to visit it again for a CHAPTER 3, should it come about. If it doesn't, we are left with a fitting end to Wick's journey; the continued reminder that no action is without consequence.

NOTE: There is no post-credits scene.