John Wick Review

Rated R (Strong and Bloody Violence Throughout, Language and Brief Drug Use)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 41 Minutes

Cast-

Keanu Reeves-John Wick

Michael Nyqvist-Viggo Tarasov

Alfie Allen-Iosef Tarasov

Dean Winters-Avi

Willem Dafoe-Marcus

Adrianne Palicki-Ms. Perkins

Ian McShane-Winston

Lance Reddick-Hotel Manager/Charon

John Leguizamo-Aureilo

Bridget Moynahan-Helen Wick

David Patrick Kelly-Charlie

Randall Duk Kim-Continental Doctor

Omer Barnea-Gregori

Toby Leonard Moore-Victor

Daniel Bernhardt-Kirill

Clarke Peters-Harry

Thomas Sadoski-Jimmy

Directed by David Leitch and Chad Stahelski

Keanu Reeves is back in action mode in "John Wick."

Note: Screened on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 at AMC Loews Village 7.

'People keep asking if I'm back. Yeah, I'm thinking I'm back!' Keanu Reeves makes that declaration loud and clear in the surprisingly entertaining action thriller "John Wick" directed by David Leitch and Chad Stahelski, who are both making their feature debuts here. In a recent interview with Eric Kohn from Indiewire, Reeves admitted that he hasn't 'been getting many offers from the studios.' His last big-budget studio film was the production-troubled "47 Ronin," released last December. Although it grossed over $150 million worldwide, the Universal picture still failed to break even, making it the second most expensive box office bomb ever when adjusted for inflation. The terrible reviews (14% on Rotten Tomatoes) didn't exactly help either. Prior to "47 Ronin," there was the 2008 remake of "The Day the Earth Stood Still," which also received negative reviews but was at least a box office success. In between those five years, Reeves kept himself busy by starring in a number of independent films while working on his directorial debut "Man of Tai Chi," which was released last year through video-on-demand, along with a limited theatrical release. It received a largely positive reception (70% on Rotten Tomatoes). Regarding the lack of offers from studios, the fifty-year-old actor candidly spoke with Kohn that 'it sucks, but it's just the way it is.' Fortunately, he's maintaining a positive outlook and is genuinely excited to promote "John Wick." The guy even did an 'Ask Me Anything' on Reddit! Stylishly directed, and featuring wall-to-wall action and a wicked sense of humor, "John Wick" proves that Keanu Reeves is back and he's going to kill everyone that messes with him…and his dog.

A highly-skilled assassin for the Russian mafia, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) walked away from the killing game when he married the love of his life, Helen (Bridget Moynahan). Over five years of wedded bliss comes to an end when she tragically passes away from an unspecified fatal illness. Not wanting her husband to spend the rest of his life alone, Helen gives John a parting gift: a dog so that he would have something to love and care for. Although his grief is still fresh, the arrival of this dog—an adorable Beagle named Daisy—gives John a sense of renewed hope and purpose. Unfortunately, a run-in with Iosef (Alfie Allen) at a local gas station one morning shatters John's already-fragile world when his classic 1969 Boss Mustang catches the sadistic thug's eye. Unaware of his target's legendary reputation amongst the criminal underworld, Iosef and his goons break into John's home to steal the car, beating the former assassin unconscious and leaving Daisy for dead. Upon learning that his idiot son has awakened a nigh-unstoppable killing machine, ruthless Russian kingpin Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nyqvist) puts a $2 million hit on John's head. Assassins like Marcus (Willem Dafoe) and Perkins (Adrianne Palicki) attempt to collect on the bounty. However, when John Wick is set off, he will not be stopped. 

Adrianne Palicki stars as Perkins, one of the assassins sent to claim the bounty on John Wick's head.

Eighty-four—that's the number of anonymous thugs that John Wick kills with a brain-splattering headshot over the course of the film's one hour and forty-one minute running time, according to co-directors David Leitch and Chad Stahelski. That's strange because I could've swore that number was much higher, but I'm not about to argue with their tally considering they're the ones who directed said film. "John Wick" is something of an anomaly nowadays. It's an R-rated, old-school, no-holds-barred action thriller, released during a time when such action thrillers usually star actors hitting or in their sixties (e.g. Liam Neeson) and are rendered toothless with shaky, indecipherable camerawork and a teen-friendly PG-13 rating. Frankly, it's a breath of fresh air, especially for action aficionados who have been forced to get their fix overseas with films like Gareth Evans' "The Raid: Redemption" and its bigger, bolder, and better sequel. Written by Derek Kolstad, the story in "John Wick" is patently silly as the titular character essentially goes on a murderous rampage after a spoiled brat, who happens to be the son of a Russian mobster, steals his vintage car and worse, kills his dog. Fortunately, the first act efficiently sets up why this dog is so important to John, as it was a parting gift from his late wife. Leitch and Stahelski make sure to clearly establish the main character's still-fresh grief during an emotional scene where John openly weeps after reading the note that came with the dog, discovering that his wife was still thinking of him even when she knew her time was near. It also helps that the dog is immediately endearing to the audience, with the directors making full use of the canine's limited screen-time by frequently focusing their camera on its adorable face. This also makes the villains appear even more monstrous. You want John Wick to end their lives because they cruelly took away the one thing his wife left him.

And end their lives he will because once the action in "John Wick" kicks off, it never lets up. Leitch and Stahelski's extensive background in stunt work comes in handy here as they create one fantastic set-piece after another. Eschewing the shaky camerawork that plague many action films today, the directors utilize plenty of wide shots in conjunction with Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir's precise editing. The long and fluid takes, combined with the graceful fight choreography, almost makes it look like you're watching a ballet. One particular shootout is set in a nightclub gleaming with saturating neon lights and pulsating trance music. It's a visually impressive sequence that highlights Keanu Reeves' strengths as an action performer. The actor's movements are so exact that his character's weapons become physical extensions of himself, creating a spectacular, eye-popping whirlwind of death and destruction. However, it's not just the action that's good; it's also the subtle world-building. After dispatching a dozen of Viggo's armed thugs, John disposes of the bodies by making a 'dinner reservation,' which is actually code for an appointment with a clandestine clean-up crew led by a man named Charlie (David Patrick Kelly). John later takes up residence at a swanky hotel called 'The Continental,' where various assassins—both male and female—rest and relax. There's even an on-call doctor, played by the Keymaker himself, Randall Duk Kim. These elements give the film a more tangible quality, a sense of richness in what would've been a generic action thriller. Despite the copious amounts of violence, "John Wick" never takes itself too seriously, with the humor often arriving from the most unexpected places. When a cop shows up at the former assassin's house to investigate a noise complaint, he can't help but notice the dead bodies strewn across Wick's living room floor. 'Are you, uh, working again?' the cop mildly asks. 'No,' John nonchalantly replies, 'I'm just sorting some stuff out.' The cop, Jimmy, then smiles and wishes John a good night.

This is what happens when you set John Wick off!

Much of the success of "John Wick" lies with Keanu Reeves. The man isn't the most emotive of actors but his charismatic screen presence remains undeniably strong, which greatly helps his performance considering the titular character is depicted as a vengeful force of nature. As I mentioned before, the material he's working with here is inherently silly but Reeves commits to it wholeheartedly. When his character says he's going to kill you, you know he's serious! The actor is surrounded by an eclectic supporting cast. Michael Nyqvist (Mikael Blomkvist from Niels Arden Oplev's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo") is appropriately menacing and oddly quirky as Russian kingpin Viggo Tarasov. There's a scene where he asks car shop owner Aureilo, played by John Leguizamo, why he struck his son Iosef. Upon hearing the answer, Viggo simply replies with 'Oh,' which drew laughs from the audience. Iosef similarly responds with an 'Oh' when he learns of John Wick's reputation as a killer from his father. Speaking of Iosef, Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy from HBO's "Game of Thrones") seems to be carving out a niche for himself by playing overly arrogant and smug characters. Willem Dafoe, Adrianne Palicki, Ian McShane, and Lance Reddick are given only minor roles but they make the most of their limited screen-time, their performances lending the world of "John Wick" a rich and lived-in feeling. Palicki in particular has an excellent fight sequence with Reeves at one point. The only cast member to get short shrift is Bridget Moynahan, who's reduced to playing 'the dead wife' and is shown only in flashbacks.

Released on October 24, 2014, "John Wick" has received surprisingly positive reviews with 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. Praising it for being 'stylish, thrilling, and giddily kinetic,' critics concluded that the film 'serves as a satisfying return to action for Keanu Reeves—and what looks like it could be the first of a franchise.' Unfortunately, strong reviews don't always equal a strong opening weekend as "John Wick" is currently set to debut with around $14 to $15 million. While that's not a terrible result, part of the problem is due to the fact that Lionsgate has failed to really market the picture toward women. Still, it's not all doom and gloom since this is the type of film that audiences will likely discover on home video. Keanu Reeves may not be as big of a star as he was ten years ago but the man can still kick copious amounts of ass. As an old-school action film, "John Wick" delivers the goods…and more.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5

"People keep asking if I'm back. Yeah, I'm thinking I'm back!"

For those of you who own "Payday 2" on Steam, Starbreeze Studios has released free DLC allowing you to play as John Wick.