A ballet of action and violence, that almost gets lost in an unfocused story that relies a bit too much on the franchise’s lore. The film starts off right where the previous entry left off, but before long that fascinating new narrative gets pushed aside for what turns into a massive detour that seems to serve no purpose beyond traveling to new locations and deepening the mythos of this universe of assassins. We’re also introduced to Halle Berry’s character, Sofia. And while she doesn’t add all that much to the plot, her ability to hold her own alongside John Wick in a gun battle really cranks up the excitement. The movie once again succeeds in the action department. Not only is the signature gun play still awesomely choreographed, but the overall brutality is high, as anything from books, to throwing knives , to attack dogs are used to viscously dispatch the bad guys. The main villain Zero is physically impressive, but gets bit corny as the film goes along. There’s also a bit of suspension of disbelief required to watch Wick repeatedly get up from all the beatings he takes. Not to mention the fact that there are apparently so many assassins just hanging around, and despite all the shooting and stabbings, the public never bats an eye.
*** out of *****