“John Wick: Chapter 2” is Keanu at his best.

“John Wick: Chapter 2” (Lionsgate)

Keanu Reeves originated the role of John Wick in 2014 and it proved to be one of his most popular movies in quite a while. Now he is back with the sequel, “John Wick: Chapter 2′, and it should prove to be as popular or more so than the original. The character of John Wick allows Reeves to be silent and mysterious but also deadly, and that is right down his acting alley.

In the first film Wick went on a killing rampage because somebody had the nerve to kill his dog. There were other reasons to be sure, but it was mostly about the dog. In this new film the opening scene has him still exacting payoff for the dog killing but also for the stealing of his car. It is a violent opening scene and the body count starts off with a bang.

Later he is coerced into taking a job to eliminate the sister of a gang boss. This sister (Claudia Gerini) has a seat on a gang council and the brother (Riccardo Scamarcio) wants it. This leads to another shoot out between Wick and dozens of bodyguards for the sister, including one played by Common. These shoot-outs are a common theme to this movie and there are quite a few.

Wick is in constant danger but he does have one oasis. In any Continental Hotel he is safe. These hotels are sanctuaries and weapon free zones. This has been agreed to by the different groups of criminals, and a man named Winston (Ian McShane) makes sure all the rules are followed.

Also in the cast is Laurence Fishburne who plays the Bowery King. This is another man who has a band of lethal men who act on his command. If Wick gets on his wrong side then he will have to battle this group too. It is great to see Reeves and Fishburne appearing on screen together. They were so dynamic together in the “Matrix” series of movies.

Creating a character like John Wick is what Reeves does best. He is perfect at being the silent brooding type and he can realistically portray the physicality of the role. Even when John Wick is up against dozens of bad guys, he can take them all down and do it believably. For one thing he is constantly reloading his guns and we have all seen movies where the lead guy shoots and shoots and never runs out of ammunition.

The movie is rated R for profanity, violence and nudity.

If you are looking for a movie full of action and suspense then this is the movie for you. However if you want it to have deep character delivery or a complex and emotional plot you have entered the wrong theater. This is a movie full of action from beginning to end and gives you that adrenaline rush that viewers of this type of movie are always seeking.

Keanu Reeves doesn’t have a lot of weapons in his acting arsenal but as someone like John Wick he has the potential to totally deliver. And he does.

I scored “John Wick: Chapter 2” a burning 6 out of 10.

Jackie K Cooper

www.jackiekcooper.com