It’s a character named the Bowery King, who is far more flash than substance. The sweet supporting role isn’t a crucial moment of the film. Lance Reddick returns as the hotel service specialist Caron, and Ian McShane gets an expanded role as Winston this time. He’s a one-trick dog and pony show, but this happens to be that one trick. He’s a weak character crafted carefully to avoid anything or anyone drawing attention to Reeves as a somewhat flawed performer. This isn’t any Bond larger-than-life arch-nemesis. The filmmakers actually played it smart by casting a pretty weak actor to play the lead bad guy. There’s very little dialog here, and most of the supporting cast is really there to round out the background. I suspect there are a few other levels to play before we get there. The kills happen with quick precision, and each of Wick’s rampages is another level leading to some boss level that doesn’t really come in this film. This is pretty much like watching a video game character. The action occurs at breakneck speed with Wick moving from one kill to another, all with laser-sharp focus on the endgame. Wick is dangerous because he can be singly focused and more of an automoton than a human being. He’s in no danger of setting the awards community on fire, but he’s pretty much the perfect guy for this film. There’s little question that Reeves has learned to step up his acting game here just enough to allow for a few emotional beats in the story. You knew they were going to set up Chapter 3, didn’t you?
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He ends up violating the rules to get his revenge and ends the movie on the outs and a hunted man. Suddenly there’s a $7 million contract on his head, and every assassin in the world is looking to collect. Then there’s the problem that Santino has to avenge his sister’s death, for appearances, naturally. He wants Wick to travel to Rome and take her out, which isn’t going to be easy, because she’s protected by folks just like him, including rival hitman Cassian, played by Common. Santino wants his sister’s seat at an international “board of directors” of sorts. Reluctant though he might be, he takes on the marker. Of course, Wick attempts to turn the job down, which leads to disastrous results to his life. Now Santino wants to cash in the marker, and the rules of the organization require Wick to honor the promise. To do that he had given a marker to Santino D’Antonio (Scamarcio). John Wick has been trying to retire to the quiet life. A couple of hundred dead bad guys later we get to the sequel’s real story.
It’s a wonderful chance for the filmmakers to wink at the audience and remind us that we’re all in it for the fun of it all. He gets to deliver the quiet warning about Wick, and there are some pretty sweet cuts to his facial expressions while he listens to the carnage of Wick taking out his thugs. That includes a pretty nice performance by Peter Stormare as another Russian mobster family member of last film’s kid. A few of the first film’s beats are reproduced here strictly for nostalgia. It gives you that quick introduction of the character and a reminder of what he can do and the legendary reputation he has earned. The first couple of minutes work as closure for the first film as Wick gets his car back. It took three years, but that possibility has turned into John Wick: Chapter 2. That led to a box office haul of $86 million worldwide and a respectful enough budget to make a sequel seem like a good possibility.
Along with their action star, everyone stuck to what they knew and refused to overcomplicate the whole thing. It would become the directing debut of the stunt team of Stahelski and David Leitch. There he teamed up with some stunt friends of his going back to The Matrix, and together they brought a new action hero to the screen that was as much graphic novel as it was action film. Keanu Reeves has enjoyed somewhat of a career renaissance thanks in no small part to the success of John Wick in 2014.