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| Courtesy of Summit |
In
today’s blockbuster-heavy market, one genre has become an endangered species:
the fun, insane action flick. While big-budget versions can be downright great
(think Tom Cruise’s Edge
of Tomorrow), I miss the B-movie with no pretentions about its genre or what
it’s trying to accomplish.
The
ultra-violent John Wick fits that description, setting up emotional stakes
for 15 minutes so it can focus on nonstop, revenge-fueled action for the next
90. It’s an absolute blast, and it also boasts Keanu Reeves’ best performance
since The Lake House (stop laughing – that was a decent movie and he was good
in it).
Wick
(Reeves) is a legendary hit man who quit the business to get married and live a
normal life. Sadly, his wife (Bridget Moynahan, in a brief flashback) dies a
few years later, leaving him heartbroken and alone. But she arranged one final
gift so her husband wouldn’t lose the capacity to love – the cutest beagle
puppy you’ve ever seen.
That’s
when Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen), a spoiled brat who thinks having a Russian
gangster father makes him invincible, does something profoundly stupid. Not
realizing who he’s dealing with, Tarasov asks to buy Wick’s gorgeous ’69
Mustang. Wick politely declines, so Tarasov and his buddies break into his
house, beat him up, kill his puppy and steal his car. Oops.
When
word gets back to Tarasov’s father (Michael Nyqvist), he does the only thing he
can: attempt to shield his idiot son from the all-out war he doesn’t realize he
started. The gangster sends scores of henchmen Wick’s way, but he knows it’s a
pointless endeavor. As he explains to his son, their new enemy isn’t the boogeyman.
He’s who you send to kill the boogeyman.
If
cheesy dialogue like that makes you laugh, you’re going to love every minute of John Wick. It’s also the perfect flick for moviegoers who ask why the hero
never shoots the bad guy in the head to make sure he’s really dead.
Reeves’
unstoppable protagonist doesn’t make you wonder that. He easily kills more than
100 people, dispatching everyone – aside from two prominent villains – with a
headshot. Or two. Or three. Honestly, I lost count after a while; I just immersed
myself in the gloriously violent ballet.
Wick
isn’t much of a talker – he speaks maybe 20 sentences – so Reeves conveys the character’s
emotions through facial expressions, body language and complex fight
choreography. It’s a great fit for the 50-year-old(!) actor, who seems to have
accepted his limited range and knows it can be a strength under the right
circumstances.
Co-directors
David Leitch and Chad Stahelski (Reeves’ former stuntman), along with
screenwriter Derek Kolstad, surround him with plenty of compelling character
actors. Familiar faces like Willem Dafoe, Dean Winters, Adrianne Palicki, John
Leguizamo, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick and Clarke Peters appear only briefly,
but they make memorable impressions and exit before their characters wear out
their welcomes.
John
Wick might be the most entertaining action flick in recent memory, thanks to a
cast and crew who understand the expression “always leave them wanting more.”
Paradoxically, that means audiences might get to see the titular character
again. It’s the kind of movie made for a sequel that’s even more bonkers.
John Wick is rated R for strong and bloody violence throughout, language and brief drug use.
Grade:
B+
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