“John Wick: Chapter 2” brings genuine artistry to the actioner.

Burnt out on action movies? “John Wick: Chapter 2” will restore your faith in what “shoot ‘em ups” can be. This sublime sequel to the 2014 cult classic not only builds on its predecessor but it expands what that franchise is and what a popcorn movie can be. Exciting, gorgeous, and smart, it does all that at a fraction of the cost of your average tent-pole production.

John Wick (Keanu Reeves, giving it his all) returns as a retired hit man out for more revenge and it’s fun from start to finish. Screenwriter Derek Kolstad and director Chad Stahelski twist genre tropes into exciting new shapes, creating an expensive world of international assassins, beautifully choreographed set pieces, and top-notch production values. This actioner is not only state-of-the-art, it’s practically art.