He Said, She Said: John Wick 2 Review

Runtime: 2hr 2min

Director: Chad Stahelski

Release Date: 17th February 2017

Rating: 15 (UK), R (US)

Kick-ass Keanu 2.0 - myself and guest writer Natasha explain (and disagree on!) why John Wick 2 wasn't pulled off as expertly as we'd hoped..

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Plot Summary

The second instalment of the much-loved John Wick action-thriller; the man himself (played by Keanu Reeves) crawls back into the criminal underworld to pay back a blood oath, leading to a price on his life - and this time, even the rules can't help him.

He Said...

What made John Wick amazing was not only the incredibly well-choreographed action sequences and dozens of enemies being taken down with relative ease, but its' world-building provided a look into a never-before-seen assassin underworld, conveyed in such an ambiguous manner that I found myself asking so many questions. When I found out that John Wick: Chapter Two was going to delve deeper into this society, I was excited to see where the plot would take us this time. The fact that Laurence Fishburne and Keanu Reeves were being reunited in this film made this all the more promising - their first time working together since The Matrix Trilogy. What I received from this movie was very much exactly what I expected - while the action sequences did not quite live up to the original, nor the desire for setting up a satisfactory plotline, the environment as a whole was perfect, and the world of John Wick now has a much more fleshed-out identity. My main criticism here is the storyline, as the new characters are mostly unimaginative; though those reprising their roles fit in much more appropriately. The lack of care towards an overcomplicated storyline from the first film (which only added to the amazing action) did not transfer to the second, which is troubling when the plot itself did leave more to be desired. Sadly Laurence Fishburne did not get enough screentime to really justify his involvement, or the hype around his character; nonetheless, the film as a whole is incredibly enjoyable and is a fantastically-themed look into the assassin's society.

8/10

She Said..

Eat. Sleep. Kick ass. Repeat. - John Wicks' philosophy seemingly out of the window as he returns for a more plot-detailed ass-whopping. Alongside his new canine companion, Wick is back with a vengeance when an old acquaintance catches up with him to repay a debt. Cue action-packed shoot-outs, an underground party in Italy and more mentions of his 'impossible task'. I can't tell you how excited I was to see John Wick 2 - the first movie beyond exceeded my expectations and I was intrigued as to what the sequel would bring - which, it turns out, was an overly cliche plot, borderline-boring fight scenes that we've all seen a million times over, and a tonne of product placement. Without Keanu Reeves, I feel the whole flick would have fallen apart; Ruby Rose, Laurence Fishburne and the various other 'supporting' cast brought some disappointing performances into the mix. The thing I loved most about the original was the way it pulled you in despite its' deliberate lack of attention to detail - not a single moment of eye-rolling plot detail or boredom, just 2 hours of car chases and epic stand-offs in abundance. Even though Chapter 2 focused more on the interpersonal relationships and underground lifestyle, I somehow found myself less invested. With a year ram-packed with sequels, this needed to be something special to keep up; all it left me with was a need for Guardians 2 to come round the corner sooner.

6.5/10

He Said, She Said: La La Land Review

Runtime: 2hr 8min

Director: Damien Chazelle

Release Date: 12th January 2017

Rating: 12A (UK), PG-13 (US)

Critically acclaimed and currently totalling 14 Oscar Nominations, 11 BAFTA Nominations, and 7 Golden Globe wins, musical La La Land is not as incredible as you would expect. Myself and guest writer Natasha tell you why...

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Plot Summary

La La Land's centres on Seb (Ryan Gosling), an overqualified restaurant pianist with a penchant for Jazz, and Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress lacking in successful auditions. Upon meeting, Mia and Seb push each other to make their struggling dreams a reality, and the movie follows how their relationship moulds as they attempt to reach their goals.

He Said...

Damien Chazelle, director of La La Land, clearly knew with this project that he was on to a winner; but why did he have to make such a song and a dance about it?! With its' dazzling aesthetic and charm, it is difficult to imagine La La Land going home empty-handed at this years' Academy Awards, particularly for costume design and cinematography. Emma Stone clearly the star of the show, I felt Ryan Gosling's performance was not particularly special, nor any of the rest of the cast bar Stone. For its' praised musical elements, certain shots (and songs) were overused at times - every other song, it appeared, would open with dimmed lights and a spotlight on the performer (*eye roll*). Perhaps due to the overwhelming acclaim it has already received, my expectations were set high - and La La Land was not the solid 10/10 I had hoped it to be. The plot itself wasn't overly ambitious, and through all its glitz and retro glamour had an aura of arrogance despite being far from perfect.

7/10

She Said..

Did I like La La Land? Of course! Did I love it? Hmm, perhaps not.. With fantastic use of colour and costumer, as well as a hint of Baz-Luhrmann-esque beauty in its' shots and cuts, the storyline and catchy songs kept my intrigue until the end. But whilst I understand some of the hype, I can't help but feel it could have been a little less pretentious. This self-indulgent piece of cinema portrayed a bland Ryan Gosling, some fairly odd pacing (or total lack there-of), and an unusual, disappointing lack of chemistry between Gosling and Stone. Emma Stone was breath-taking as ever - endearing, gawky and not afraid to laugh at herself - but I felt paired with far too 'Hollywood' a role. The films' music (think 20's speakeasy & Parisian jazz cafe contrasted with blatant cheese), whilst catchy, was paired with some fairly mediocre singing and dancing. The whole thing just seemed a bit unnecessary, and its' overzealous approach to the arts just reminded me of the movie Midnight in Paris (FYI, not a favourite of mine). My final words? Over-hyped but a fun ride.

7.5/10