“Here’s how my awareness of this movie went down. I’d heard the title and mention of Keanu Reeves. Didn’t hear much else. Saw the release date was coming up. Deprioritized it since it was coming up soon, and I still hadn’t seen a trailer. Started looking at the weekend’s schedule and saw a possible opening, but I wasn’t quite sold. Then a few days ago, I found out that it was directed by Reeves’ former student double. Intriguing. Schedule was light, so I kept it on there, with the option of bailing if I just wasn’t feeling it. Then I started to hear it was actually pretty good. Okay fine.
You know what, it was kinda good. Not Matrix revolutionary or anything, but solid one guy against the world action flick. Wick was at one time the baddest of the bad, the deadliest of the deadly, the last guy in the world you wanna catch on the wrong side of a gun. He retired to be with his ill wife. After she passes, some men from his past life pick the wrong day and the wrong way to cross him. So he goes after them. And lots of other people who get in the way.
I think part of what sold this movie was that his motivation and intention was clear. It wasn’t just a pure shoot ’em up. There was intent behind everything, and Reeves was committed. Also, director Chad Stahelski’s experience in stunts gives him a very good eye for action. Sequences were crisp and fast and just spot on awesome. Hopefully he’s given the chance to run with this sort of movie more in the future.
John Wick – \m/ \m/ \m/