Never hate on Keanu Reeves. Looking past how humble and modest he is as a celebrity, you have to respect his work ethic. This guy vanishes for years, but his return is the thing of gods. When “John Wick” premiered, it reminded us all just how much Reeves can accomplish. He became the boogeyman to the Russian mob, an unstoppable force with an affinity for head shots.

Keanu Reeves returns as the lead character in “John Wick: Chapter 2.” (photo by Niko Tavernise/courtesy of Summit Entertainment)

In this unprecedented sequel, Reeves packs more punches than ever before, accruing his greatest kill count to date. And he makes it all look so easy. You’ll cringe, laugh, cry and cheer in a film best enjoyed with a few rounds of vodka and a merlot as a chaser.

John (Reeves) is a retired hitman. Well, he tried retiring until a punk kid stole his car and killed his puppy the same week his wife died. Yikes. That set him on a bloody trail to justice that would take down a whole lot of bad guys. But that’s just part one. “John Wick: Chapter 2” picks up soon after.

Trying to put that messy business behind him, John attempts to retire once more. But just as he buries his suit and guns, he must host an unexpected guest, Santino D’Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio). John owes him a debt. He wouldn’t have collected had John remained in the shadows, but his recent foray didn’t go unnoticed.

If he doesn’t make good on this particular debt, John will be exiled from the Continental Hotel, the front for a secret society of assassins that provides neutral territory and access to all kinds of weaponry and other goodies. So begrudgingly, our vicious assassin with a soft spot for a dog is pulled back in.

Rising star Ruby Rose appears as “Ares” in the action-packed thriller “John Wick: Chapter 2.” (photo by Niko Tavernise/courtesy of Summit Entertainment)

Keanu might’ve saved us all from the Matrix years ago, but he’s a machine now. His ability to learn fight choreography is near inhuman. If you wanna complain about his acting, you just don’t get what he brings to table. Few can move like him, and director Chad Stahelski knows exactly what to do with him.

There’s mindless action movies, and then there’s something like this, something with just enough backstory to make us care, and some rather solid acting from a sizable supporting cast. The rapper Common gets his hands dirty as fellow Continental member Cassian. He’s been in plenty of action films, but he’s never stood head-to-head with someone else in such wildly entertaining hand-to-hand scenes.

Next, we have Ruby Rose, as Ares, who never speaks, signing out her taunts before going in for the kill. She’s a newer face since her debut on season 3 of “Orange is the New Black,” but she’s made her presence known, already starring in three films that recently premiered in 2017 alone. This role, however, ascends her other B-movie performances.

And let’s not forget the helpful staff of the Continental. There’s Charon (Lance Reddick), who always provides everything you need, from clean clothes to a medic. And the mighty leader, Winston (Ian McShane), who reminds everyone about the rules, though he’s got a soft spot for John.

As for Scamarcio, he’s just the right amount of dirtbag, but Claudia Gerini, who plays his sister Gianna, outshines in one of the most memorable scenes in the entire film.

“John Wick: Chapter 2” is a bloody masterpiece, what a sequel should be, the kind of guilty pleasure that removes any semblance of shame as it taps into the pleasure centers with a non-stop pace and enough action scenes to make the most numbed moviegoer drool. Where else can you enjoy a couple take downs with nothing but a pencil? Thanks Keanu. We love you. We need you.