Wolf Warrior II has some of the most impressive action scenes in recent memory. It's a shame about that plot, though. Despite its extreme love of director-star Jing Wu's native land of China, this is no less generic than any standard American action film save for the fight choreography, of course. This is yet another film about someone living a peaceful life after spending so many years being a badass who must perform one more job. This is Unforgiven, this is The American, this is Shane. There is nothing special about this story, which makes the fact that it is so grounded in Chinese culture make it feel off rather than patriotic.
Jing Wu plays Leng Feng, who is living a quiet life, spending time with his godson (Nwachukwu Kennedy Chukwuebuka) and beloved by the town due to a murder he committed a few years back that landed him behind bars and had him stripped of his honors. However, a group of mercenaries, led by Big Daddy (Frank Grillo) and including a cavalcade of henchmen (two are played by Oleg Prudius and Heidi Moneymaker, a wrestler and a stuntwoman who both deserve better than this.) I'm sure you can guess what this means. Leng has to come out of retirement to fight against these corrupt baddies. I won't reveal anything else but I assume I would know the answer if I were to ask you, the reader, whether or not Big Daddy and Leng are connected in some way and who will win out in the end.
Look---I know something like Wolf Warrior II is not trying to be particularly deep. These movies are meant to showcase some cool action and let an actor like Wu stroke his own ego as he gets to play the cool, slick hero. However, the action scenes are fairly sparse. There are long stretches where the film is trying to build up its plot and none of it works. I was fully invested whenever two people starting throwing fists at each other. In between, I was checking my watch. Wu is a convincing enough hero and Grillo demonstrates once again that he has no problem playing the no-nonsense villain but they're trapped by so many cliches I lost count after a while. There should be more flavor here, more moments to stand up and cheer with.
The script is credited to four writers (including Wu) and that doesn't surprise me one bit. This feels like a contrived mashup of ideas when a much more simple approach to the storytelling would have worked wonders. At one point, there are so many villains fighting against so many good guys that I just kinda gave up figuring out who was on what side. After all, the only real indication they give is the outfits people are wearing.
The film also seems to be portraying a slightly dangerous message that Americans (and especially white Americans) are the devil. While I think that may be a valid point in this current political climate, it comes across as off putting in what should be a relatively straight forward action film. All the head villains are white (save for one Black American henchman) while all the heroes are Chinese and African. Perhaps I shouldn't be complaining since Hollywood has done plenty of its share of whitewashing and making other nationalities into people to be feared but two wrongs don't make a right.
Wolf Warrior II is an extremely enjoyable film when it sticks to its stylized, intense action. Whenever it goes back to the plot, however, it becomes lackluster and fairly dull. I look forward to seeing Wolf Warrior III (which a scene right after the credits begin assures us there will be) if only to see Wu get his story juices flowing. He's nailed the action, now let's see him nail the script.
(2 and 1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is Not Rated)
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