Ultra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews

When we last saw John Wick, he’d come out of retirement to take out the Russian mobsters who were responsible for stealing his prized muscle car and killing his puppy. In this well-made sequel, we are greeted by an angry Wick who’s still on the hunt for his Mustang Mach 1, which he finds in a local chop shop. Needless to say, Wick dispenses some brutal street justice on the thugs—and he does recover his car.

Wick is ready to ride back into retirement, but his plans are hijacked when an Italian mobster calls in a marker that can’t be ignored. When Wick initially refuses, the mobster decides to “motivate” our dark hero into returning to what he’s best at—kicking tail and taking names.

I’m generally not a fan of violent movies, but it’s hard not to like this film. John Wick resurrected Keanu Reeves’ career in 2014, and I’m positive that this isn’t the last we’ve seen of this character. The story isn’t groundbreaking by any stretch, but the action and fight scenes are extremely entertaining. Furthermore, we get to see exactly how Wick uses a pencil as a deadly weapon—something the previous film referred to.

Shot with Arri Alexa 2.8K cameras and finished in 2K for its theatrical release, this 4K version is another upconversion on UHD. Both look phenomenal, although there’s certainly an uptick in detail on the 4K. Furthermore, the UHD has richer colors and better-resolved shadow detail, which may be enough to warrant the price premium for the cutting-edge format.

The Dolby Atmos track, which is on both the Blu-ray and UHD, befits the genre and is to die for. From the opening montage, you’ll know you’re in for a treat as Wick chases a motorcycle through the streets of New York. Panning effects zoom throughout the room, and the LFE is deep and hard hitting, just as it should be.

The plethora of supplements includes an audio commentary from Reeves and director Chad Stahelski, deleted scenes, ten behind-the-scenes featurettes, a three- minute recap of all of Wick’s kills in the movie (over 100 and loaded with spoilers), a faux trailer, theatrical trailer, and UltraViolet Digital Copy.

As long as you don’t think too much about the story, this one is a fun ride filled with plenty of action and the right mix of dry humor. Definitely check it out.

Blu-Ray
Studio: Lionsgate, 2017
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Audio Format: Dolby Atmos / TrueHD 7.1 core
Length: 122 mins.
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Chad Stahelski
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Riccardo Scamarcio, Ian McShane