John Wick: Chapter 2

Three years after John Wick became a surprise box-office hit, Keanu Reeves's vengeful assassin returns, brought back to the criminal underworld to repay an old debt. But he is double-crossed and with nowhere to hide, he must give as good as he gets. The first film was a brilliantly simple slice of action from director Chad Stahelski and his follow-up is just as enjoyable. Expanding Wick's world just enough to make a new mission interesting, the amazing fight sequences are again the jewel in the film's crown. Between so many flying bullets there are some well-written verbal exchanges, too. Ian McShane is on top form as Wick's mentor while there's also a fun Matrix reunion between Reeves and Laurence Fishburne. Reeves is still fascinating to watch as the reticent antihero, magnificently cool even when dispatching bad guys with a pencil. Gorgeously filmed as well, it is a rare thing to have a sequel that demonstrates why less is more - in terms of plot, that is. The body count is much higher in an action film that shows the genre at its gruesome, graceful best.