Wolf Warrior 2 is even bigger and bolder than its predecessor
Wu Jing again stakes his claim as the natural heir to Jackie Chan with the sequel to his 2015 action movie that was a hit in his native China. Starring, directed and co-written by Jing, Wolf Warrior 2 (CHIEN LANG 2) is even bigger and bolder than its predecessor.
Which doesn’t always work in its favor. But genre fans will definitely relish the near-constant barrage of elaborate set pieces that are choreographed and film for maximum impact.
Jing again plays Leng Feng, now living a quiet life in Africa after having left the titular Chinese Special Forces. That unit under unfortunate circumstances depicte in the previous installment. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t ready to spring into action when necessary, as illustrate by an elaborate pre-credits sequence. In which he battles a group of pirates in an underwater fight that could easily fit into a James Bond movie.
Apparently belove by all of the Africans with whom he comes into contact.
Even when he beats them at drinking games, Feng doesn’t hesitate to get involve when the country is wrack by a civil war and invade. That by a group of bloodthirsty American mercenaries led by Big Daddy (Frank Grillo). He also strives to protect the local Chinese community. Since the Chinese government is apparently helpless to intervene due to internecine rules of international engagement.
Although the convolute plot also involves an epidemic of a deadly disease for which a Chinese doctor (Celina Jade). He is attempting to find a cure in action film. It’s basically an excuse for a relentless series of action sequences featuring martial arts combat, gun battles, car chases, a tank battle and pretty much anything else you can think of. The star’s charisma is enhance by his athletic prowess. Which makes the hand-to-hand combat particularly arresting, especially a brutal brawl between him and Grillo (no slouch himself) that provides a fitting climax.
Hard to believe that the director/star need two collaborators on the screenplay, judging. That by such lines as Leng’s declaration “Once a Wolf Warrior, always a Wolf Warrior!” Grillo, too, doesn’t have much to work with. That as he’s often reduce to looking sinister while smoking a cigar and issuing such commands as “I want that son of a bitch!” American audiences. At least, may also be put off by the relentless Chinese jingoism on display, although, to be fair. It seems a fair price to pay for such American movie characters as Rambo.