Film - John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum

The first John Wick was so unique I was compelled to watch the second.If you’re unfamiliar with the unfamiliar world of the international assassin's guild, the rule is that no one should kill anyone on the premises. Which of course is exactly what super-assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) did last time around so now there’s a $14m price tag for his death and he’s only minutes to escape.But escape to where? The International Assassin's Guild exists everywhere in the world and the texts have landed with every assassin globally who want the bounty. Yes, texts, in this world where an assassin’s guild can operate openly and technology is everything, there are blackboards and dial-up telephones (doesn’t seem right to call them phones).In Chapter 3, the adjudicator turns up to get rid of the management (Ian McShane - commanding your full attention every time he's on the screen) in New York where the killing happened and appoint their successors. However, I’m perturbed by the fact – and I know there are bigger things to be perturbed by – that no-one asks for ID from the adjudicator. She could be anyone coming in ordering people out of jobs and the death of others and no doubt demanding free hotel rooms. It’s KFC all over again.And there are always dogs – that’s where this whole story started – although I’m uneasy about them being used as soldiers. The fact that John Wick will kill anyone who's killed a dog just about makes up for the fact that he never washes his hair or changes his suit. These things bother me.For all of its frenzied action, all the killing becomes dreary in the first five minutes and there is no let-up and frankly, no need.Unclear if this one really needed to be made although Chapter 4 is coming too.6½/10