Action movies have a bad reputation. They’re known more for mindless spectacle than for being shining examples of high cinema, a genre where substance is often sacrificed for style. John Wick: Chapter 2 is a reminder that an action film can have both.

The film picks off where the first one ends, as John Wick (Keanu Reeves) hunts down the men who stole his car. It’s a sequel in the most literal sense, as he faces the unexpected consequences of his own actions in the first film. We start in media res, and are immediately reminded of one of the original film’s biggest strengths: the intricately choreographed action sequences.

‘Keanu Reeves trained with professionals for the role and it shows, as he performed a majority of the fight scenes and stunts himself’

The action is brutal and raw, every impact made stronger by the choreography. Keanu Reeves trained with professionals for the role and it shows, as he performed a majority of the fight scenes and stunts himself, even doing the impressive driving manoeuvres at the start of the film. It also avoids the worn-out action film conventions of extremely fast cuts and a shaky camera. Cuts and camera shake usually hide sloppy choreography, injecting artificial momentum into a scene, but John Wick: Chapter 2 doesn’t need to do that.

The film ramps up the stakes from the first film. Everything is bigger, as John faces off against tougher, bigger crowds of enemies, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s better. In some of the sequences, each new enemy begins to feel like filler, particularly in the less interestingly choreographed scenes. The most interesting action scenes are the ones which progress the story; one scene in particular, between John and another assassin, is compelling because we know both the characters and their history.

What elevates the film from ‘generic action movie’ to ‘good action movie’, though, is its writing. Writer Derek Kolstad fleshes out the dark, shadowy world he merely hinted at in the first film, introducing new characters and locations. The world of John Wick itself, with its secret hotels, shadowy cabals and power politics, is fleshed-out and intriguing.

‘Writer Derek Kolstad fleshes out the dark, shadowy world he merely hinted at in the first film’

John himself as a character is simple, but his motivations are clear. He wants a normal life but keeps getting dragged back into the world of assassins and criminals. It’s a narrative through line that runs cohesively through the film, sold by Keanu Reeves’ tired, nearly apathetic performance. It may have become a meme—Sad Keanu’s acting style doesn’t necessarily work in every film he’s in— but in John Wick: Chapter 2 it’s the exact right choice. Combined with its writing, action choreography and visual flair, it makes John Wick: Chapter 2 a compelling watch.

Mikhail Hanafi

(Image courtesy of Niko Tavernise/AP)