Noticeable green screen work occur here and there, as well as some obvious bad CGI during explosions. Like every other Chinese films of late, flashbacks and dramatic scenes are rendered like bad 90's soap dramas – cut to slow-motion with colored filter, bad sound FX and obvious sad music cues so laughably bad its beyond parody. It's all rather impressive until you realize he also directed the movie. Yet he sells it with the kind of world-class commitment that is simply awe-inspiring, like Jackie Chan or Tom Cruise who repeatedly endanger themselves simply to entertain their audience. Most importantly, Jing plays the kind of action hero that's just all too rare these days, the one that takes just as much punishment as he dishes it. As a trained martial artist he has the physicality of Donnie Yen and the on screen charisma of Jet Li. He has the pretty-boy looks to draw the female crowd but also a natural, convincing tough-guy persona. As a leading man, Wu Jing is kind of a perfect package. The film's biggest draw, of course, is Chinese action-superstar Wu Jing. Other positives include Celina Jade as the female lead and Frank Grillo as the villain, a racially diverse cast respectful of its premise set in Africa as well as moments of levity and broad comedy that should appeal to a wide audience. The Russo Brothers (directors of Captain America sequels) apparently consulted on the action, hence its high production values. From the opening Captain Phillips-inspired pirate underwater takedown, a convenience store fight, a jeep-chase through a shanty town to a factory gunfight at night and another at daytime, there's enough action here to fuel three Michael Bay films. Eschewing overwrought nationalistic propaganda in favor of non-stop, balls-to-the-wall action, Wolf Warrior 2 is a superior sequel that hits the ground running from the start and never lets up.
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