Since he was teenager, Derek Kolstad had been working on screenplays hoping to one day make it in the industry. While he was struggling in Hollywood, a script he had written called Scorn caught the attention of Keanu Reeves. He was so impressed he brought it to Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, the stunt coordinators on The Matrix series. The two were interested in becoming directors after doing stunt work on films like The Crow, Blade, and Fight Club. After being impressed with the quality of the script and seeing Reeves’ enthusiasm, the two agreed to direct the film. While this was going on, Kolstad continued refining the script with additional input from Stahelski, Leitch, and Reeves. The directors offered their own story changes, while Reeves suggested changing the title to the main character’s name. So with that, 2014 saw the release of the neo-noir action film, John Wick.
%
Rating
John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is a former hitman who retired after the death of his wife Helen (Bridget Moynahan). Following her death, John receives a package his wife sent him prior to her death: a puppy named Daisy. Though reluctant at first, he starts to grow quite fond of the dog and accepts it as his companion. One day, his super sweet ride catches the attention of Iosef (Alfie Allen), who tries and fails to buy it. Upset by this, Iosef and his friends break into John’s house, kill his dog, and steal his car. Word gets back to Iosef’s father Viggo (Michael Nyqvist), who scorns his soon for pissing off the wrong person. Fueled by anger and rage, John suits up and sets out to exact revenge on Iosef. That won’t be easy as Viggo sends his own men and several hitmen to stop John from killing his son.
In an era where the action genre is dominated by quick-cuts and weakened violence, this is what the genre needed. The story, which is a simple revenge tale, works well thanks to its simplicity and moves at a good pace. Keanu Reeves is awesome as John Wick, adding a layer of intensity to the part, while adding some emotional moments. Alfie Allen works as a villain you love to hate, and Michael Nyqvist is intimidating as the ruthless crime boss. Willem Dafoe is also memorable as an old friend of Wick’s who saves him despite being hired by Viggo. Adrianne Palicki is fun as a hitwoman who tries to kill Wick and easily goes toe-to-toe with John Wick. Noteworthy character actors like Dean Winters, Ian McShane, David Patrick Kelly, and John Leguizamo also have their moments to shine. Honestly, there isn’t a single bad performance here, each one just as memorable.
Given their background as stuntmen, Stahelski and Leitch film the action with a style and fluidity that makes it dynamic. You really feel every punch, every gunshot, and every other hit the characters take because it all feels so real. The movie takes time out to flesh out the story and characters, but knows when to return to the action. There’s some interesting world-building here that offers more opportunities for future installments, but doesn’t distract from the main story. Honestly, there isn’t much that’s wrong with this movie, as it’s easily one of the best action films in years. Probably the only complaint one could have is that, as memorable as they are, there’s not much to the villains. Even still, this is a fantastic modern action film that’ll satisfy anyone who’s been disappointed at other recent entries. Overall, John Wick proves that modern-day action films can still work.
