John wick has a very simple revenge story. It can be summarized as "Keanu gets angry and shoots bad guys" but what makes it special? Directed by Chad Stahelski who's a stunt specialist boy does it show because the main selling point in the film are some real virtuoso action sequences, well made choreographies. Unlike today's action movies, it doesn't use quick-cuts or shaky cameras actually see what's going on.
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Kitsfi28 September 2018
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The best way I can describe John Wick is to picture Taken but instead of Liam Neeson it's Keanu Reeves and instead of his daughter it's his dog. That's essentially the plot of the movie. John Wick (Reeves) is out to seek revenge on the people who took something he loved from him. It's a beautifully simple premise for an action movie - when action movies get convoluted, they get bad i.e. A Good Day to Die Hard. John Wick gives the viewers what they want: Awesome action, stylish stunts, kinetic chaos, and a relatable hero to tie it all together. John Wick succeeds in its simplicity.
As an action movie buff, all I wanted to see in this movie is some inventive action sequences, and I was not disappointed. Every single action sequence in this movie is fast-paced, beautifully shot, fluid, intense, and you never have trouble understanding what's going on. The direction of this film is fantastic, as is the writing. There's no melodramatic soapy story lines - everything is straight and to the point, and the point is to get to the action. Not one moment in this movie is boring. The short dialogue is effective from getting to action sequence A to sequence B without any confusion as to any character's motive. It's all laid out in front of you - all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the insanity happening on screen.
Remember when Live Free or Die Hard came out and people were upset that John McClane only fired pistols throughout the entire movie? I like a little versatility when it comes to action heroes, and evidently so do the writers. John Wick wrecks face with pistols, assault rifles, shotguns, knives, even mano-a-mano; the man can do anything. The difference between John Wick and other modern action movies (Die Hard 5 and Taken 3 for instance) is that you actually believe John Wick is killable. He's not some invincible superhero like Bruce Willis was in Die Hard 5, having his car crash and flip like a hundred times and the second it stops he gets out without a scratch and starts running. No, John Wick takes a beating in this film. Numerous times in fact. But most of the time he's kicking ass and taking names, and instead of acting as some unstoppable killing machine, he just seems like a guy who's an expert in his field. He used to be a hit-man after all.
John Wick is a blast to watch. Really, it's just a mindlessly fun action movie. It has large-scale shootouts, CQC sequences, and a classic hero-villain hand-to-hand confrontation at the end. The only negative I can say about the movie is that the villains aren't anything to write home about. They're Russian mobsters which we've seen a million times, and their leader isn't given enough to work with as far as character goes. Willam DaFoe has a brief but important role though as Wick's former colleague.
Regardless, John Wick is all about the action and it goes above and beyond in every respect. It's a breath of fresh air after all the poor sequels we've been getting, and thankfully John Wick has the potential to be the next great action franchise. An absolute must-watch for action fans. -
CountJonnie17 January 2015It looks as if the filmmakers realized that the public was sick of certain movies. Most movies nowadays are full of wire work, sci-fi, etc. often topped with icing made of needless or predictable background stories that add nothing. For example the beautiful girlfriend who gives the moral speeches or the troubled teenage daughter, who aren't present here.
Nothing of that is in John Wick. John Wick adds hardly a story, no character development, no needless character or background, no misplaced drama, no misplaced humor and not too much eye candy, nothing of that. What John Wick offers is action, action and more action. In fact, it is one long action scene, with some lines and close ups added. But that is not a problem. The directors promise action and deliver. While delivering they made it look good and convincing, without trying to be more, and they're smart enough to give the movie a satisfying beginning and ending.
And for those who claim that Keanu Reeves is a horrible actor..... you are right. But his blank expression is perfect for this movie. Leave the acting to the bad guys and the delicious guest part for Willem Dafoe.
If you're tired of movies with forced drama or loaded with CGI, John Wick will be a pleasant wake-up call. -
Special-K8830 July 2020Though he no longer has a taste for wet work, retired assassin and "Boogeyman" John Wick has suffered a personal tragedy that's left a huge void in his life. When he and his dog (really the last meaningful thing he has left) fall victim to a scummy group of Russian mobsters, he emerges from his shell with vengeance on his mind. Slow and ambiguous at first, but reveals more as it goes along, and once it kicks into gear it rarely lets up with plenty of stylized, visceral action scenes, an impressive arsenal of weaponry, plus sly direction and editing that give it the feel of a violent music video at times. Preposterously fun to watch, it just doesn't have much of a story at its disposal, not to mention all the over-the-top bloodletting and mayhem eventually becomes redundant. Savvy, indestructible Reeves looks right at home, and delivers many of his lines with a sardonic wit. **½
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Palidan40025 October 2014Keanu Reeve is John Wick. He's a deadly and unstoppable hit-man, and it shows. "John Wick" is short and to the point, but so much fun. At 1 hour and 36 minutes running time, there is never a dull moment in what may be one of the best action films of the year.
The film starts off quickly and never stops. It doesn't spend too much time on the backstory or development of Wick's life, yet it still succeeds so well in building up his character. Within the first 20 minutes, John Wick is called out of retirement when three robbers break into his home, steal his car, and kill his dog. Even before the action begins though, the film builds up so much suspense and gravity into who this "John Wick" is, resulting in a satisfying and exhilarating moment when his enemies realize he's back in the game.
While the plot may be simple and straightforward, it works sufficiently in setting up a situation where the rest of the greatness can happen - stylized and awesome fight sequences where John Wick goes through dozens and dozens of kills. Seeing this in digital IMAX really helped boost the mood of the film; the intense sound design and visuals, the slick fighting and choreography on screen. There's this one scene in the film where John Wick assaults his way through a club, and all those elements combined make it an absolutely incredible sequence to witness.
Besides John Wick and his fighting, the film does set up a very interesting world, thanks to all the other little details and characters it brings in. There is an organized system of those on the other side of the law, operating and exchanging "gold coins" while staying at bases such as "The Continental" hotel; this definitely allows room for sequels and spin-offs.
Still, Keanu Reeves is the star of the show, and this is the best I have seen him in quite awhile. Again, the story is straightforward and audiences know what emotional journey to expect, but Keanu displays a good amount of range in his portrayal of Wick that is still nice to see. Just like his character states, I'm thinking he's back. "John Wick" is an awesome and enjoyable action flick that I would recommend. RATING: [8/10] -
ivo-cobra819 November 2015John Wick (2014) is the best revenge flick from Keanu Reeves of 2014 from The Matrix (1999) to John Wick (2014) another action fast paced, Entertaining slick action packed film, which kind I have never seen before. It is a very fun, straightforward action movie with an 80's sensibility. It's nice to see Keanu doing these types of roles again. It is one of my personal favorite Keanu Reeves movies. Keanu Reeves is a bad ass what a great action packed blood packed film. Movies should really learn from this on how to make a decent action film, especially with the crap we are getting today like escape plan bullet to the head and such. This film to me is the greatest action film to come out in this century. Keanu was phenomenal the action was so fast paced and exciting my jaw literally dropped as Keanu took out all the bad guys! I personally think this film is better then all Taken films combined. It was simply brilliant, it was made for 20 million dollars and I am glad it made 40 million in the US. I think this film deserved to make 100 million!
Old school action with no shaky cam. Definitely the best stunt-man-turned-director-debut I've ever seen. The story is set about John Wick (Keanu Reeves) a retired assassin, who gets dragged back into his field when the Russian Mob put a hit out on him, but instead of killing John, they steal his classic Mustang and kill his newly acquired puppy. This sets John out to exact revenge on the whole mob in a no nonsense kind of way...multiple shots to the chest and one to the head for good measure type of justice. I've never seen a film where the gun play is this to the point and precise as this. I don't know what the body count is, but it's gotta be up there...way up there. Oh...and another thing...they actually reload the guns. Don't see that that often in films. It's got an all star cast of cameo/small roll characters, from Ian McShane, William Dafoe, and John Leguizamo, and I swear one of the bad guy henchman is that "Mayhem" Insurance guy. One of the Best Movie, that Keanu Reeves ever made. From start to finish. Non stop action, all scenes look very realistic. ( The best action movie of the year. )
I Love this movie so much I think the people behind this movie made a great astonish action movie. There are other things in the movie that I love so much. I even think John Wick is so much better than 47 Ronin (2013) that Keanu Reeves made. The most that I love in this movie is Adrianne Palicki as Ms. Perkins I think she did one of the best job portraying and playing the most memorable female assassin I have ever seen. Ms. Perkins made me realized and inspired me that there are a lot of women who choose occupation as a female assassin hired by the mob. There were a lot of female actresses who played an assassin but I have never see any women portrayed like that. Adrianne Palicki is a bad ass! She even played Lady Jaye in the G.I. Joe Team's covert operations a specialist in the movie G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) one of my favorite movies. The fight sequence between John Wick and Viggo Tarasov is real and very realistic I did not see any CGI in it. This wouldn't be an action movie without some action. There's plenty of it, and it's perfectly done. The The stunts are completely insane in scale. There is a lot of gun play and powder even the guys reload guns. There are even Daniel Bernhardt from Bloodsport II and The Matrix Reloaded in it. And he was perfect in here and the fight scenes with Keanu Reeves were well done by him. This is the first time In the movie I see Willem Dafoe been the good guy. I haven't seen him in decades playing the good guy since Platoon (1986) my favorite Vietnam war movie!
The last thing about the movie I want to say that John Wick was a dog lover and I love dogs. I love how he avenge the puppy's death by mobsters who killed him and than he saved another puppy from the animal shelter when he was wounded. He wasn't a superhero without any bruises on him he was wounded. Keanu Reeves did a wonderful job better than he did in Knock Knock (2015) I only hope they want screwed up the sequel and making much better action movie than the first was.
When sadistic young thugs senselessly attack John Wick (Keanu Reeves)-a brilliantly lethal ex-assassin-they have no idea they've messed with the wrong guy. With New York City as his bullet-riddled playground, Wick embarks on a merciless rampage, hunting down his adversaries with the skill and ruthlessness that made him an underworld legend That is the main plot the rating I am giving this movie is a 10/10 because It deserves it. -
xiaoli737714 April 2023I really don't understand the love that "John Wick" receives. It's just kind of a generic action thriller to me. No different than a "Bourne" or "Taken" movie. It gets a slight bump for me in a rating of 6 instead of 5 because I did think that the cinematography was really good and also the fight choreography was top notch. I can definitely see the influence of martial arts films on this.
As for the story, it's basically not there. What's worse is the fact that the movie goes out of its way to constantly remind you that John Wick (Keanu Reeves) as a character is someone who is incredibly lethal and dangerous and feared by criminals. In my opinion, this completely kills whatever dramatic weight the cheesy storyline that "they killed my dog and stole my car" plot has to begin with.
I guess people liked it well enough because it's got three sequels and more to come. Personally I don't think it's any better than the average Netflix Original action movie. Huge skip in my opinion. -
ThomasDrufke24 February 2015John Wick is one of those few movies a year that seemed like it would be absolutely terrible, but when you finally sit down and watch it, turns out to be incredible. Not only is it one of the most fun films of the year, but it's so much different than the action films we have today. It doesn't try to be inventive or over-the-top, it just plays to it's strengths.
I have never been a huge fan of Keanu Reeves. Even in The Matrix, which is a great film, his acting falls pretty flat to me. He hasn't showed me anything that can make him a true thespian on screen. But as John Wick, he's perfect. The role doesn't call for anything more than just being a likable bada**. Wick is a man dealing with the death of his wife and retirement of his past associations with assassins of sort. He finally feels like he get's closure with his wife and then it's all ripped away from him by the very gangsters he was once affiliated with. He goes on an absolute killing rampage. To say the body count adds up is an understatement. Wick goes to great lengths to find the people who took everything from him, but it's not exactly easy for him. Being someone who just came out of retirement means you may be a little rusty, well Wick is definitely that. That's one of the many things I appreciated about this film. It never seemed like he was blowing through these guys without danger. Sure he effortlessly kills plenty, but he also struggles with a few as well.
Killing a cute little dog would tick off anyone, so I don't blame the character for being mad, but I'm not sure there needed to be this many deaths. There are plenty of innocent security guards who die at the hands of Wick. At times, it just felt like a little too much for a revenge film. But I really loved all of John's interactions with people from his past. They all seem to be as surprised that Wick is killing again, as we are that this film turned out to be good. I thought it was a nice touch that the police officer simply let the fact that there were a bunch of dead people in Wick's apartment, go. Alfie Allen plays the main villain, and it seemed as though his storyline is very similar to that of Game of Thrones. He's constantly under-appreciated and so he wants to prove himself, but ends up doing something terribly stupid. It was also nice to see Bridget Regan from Agent Carter briefly pop up.
But besides the fact that the script was pretty weak and the body count was pretty high, the film is just awesome. The 'Drive' sounding music and score to go along with the breathtaking action sequences made for one helluva ride. Keanu Reeves should stick to these less demanding and fun action roles. Just don't try and do too much.
+Stunts & action
+Score/soundtrack
+Reeves makes it believable
+Villains aren't stupid
-Body count
-Weak script
8.4/10 -
Voeim11 November 2014Lesson learned: don't get on retired legendary hit-man John Wick's bad side. In the film of the same name, he goes back into action shooting up bad guys in a city where it seems that the cops have all simultaneously taken a vacation. Played by surprisingly youthful quinquagenarian Keanu Reeves, John Wick's style of shooting baddies is reminiscent of my days playing Whac-A-Mole, Duck Hunt, or any of those arcade games with the plastic guns. Wick is a vengeant superman, and this is the basis of the entire movie. Although he doesn't have a clear weakness that can be exploited like most heroes, Wick does get into enough trouble for the audience to be sincerely worried about him.
If you're planning on seeing John Wick because you like movies with clever or meaningful story lines, then you're going to be disappointed. If you are looking for raw well- choreographed action and machismo, then look no further. House Greyjoy's Alfie Allen stands out as villainous Russian mafia brat Iosef Tarasov, and Michael Nyqvist (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) plays Viggo, his mob boss father. Adrianne Palicki, Willem Dafoe, Ian McShane and Dean Winters round out a strong supporting cast.
Overall, I enjoyed John Wick as a pure action film. It doesn't have a storyline like The Matrix or Speed, but it was visually entertaining and the simplicity of the story allowed for appreciation of the action. This movie is manly and primitive, and proves that at the age of 50, Keanu Reeves can still mix it up as an action star. -
trublu21520 October 2014At first glance, John Wick sounds like a terrible film on paper but with the slickness of Keanu Reeves' performance as the titular character and the sheer brilliance in its action sequences, this marks the best action film of the year and one of the absolute best in the past decade. Following a brutal home invasion that leaves his beloved dog murdered by thugs from his past, John Wick vows revenge on the ones who have taken what he loves most. Like I said, on paper, this seems like a direct-to-DVD slopfest starring John Cena but as a film with Keanu Reeves as the lead, it marks the very welcomed return for Reeves to the genre. John Wick is insanely fun, violently brutal and an overall romp especially for those disappointed by The Expendables 3. John Wick is propelled by Tarantino-esque dialog mixed with the swagger of action stars from the 70s. Reeves literally emulates cool in this film and does it with such confidence, that we don't even doubt the character...even when he kills countless bad guys with extreme force in some utterly ridiculous and implausible situations. We don't doubt it for a minute. This is EXACTLY what you want out of an action film. It is briskly paced, brilliantly shot and meticulously choreographed and keeps you wanting more and more. The supporting cast filled with the likes of John Legiuzamo, Ian McShane, and Willen Dafoe also keeps this film very interesting. These guys don't play good guys, hell, John Wick by traditional standards would be a bad guy in any other film. Every character is more ruthless than the next and pushes John Wick to be more ruthless than they are, creating a very cool dynamic between the character and the plot regarding the idea of how far is too far? However, don't expect some revelation from John Wick regarding the morality of bad and evil. This film wants you entertained and does so with brute force, it never lets up, not even for a second. One scene in particular that will have your blood pumping is a showdown between thugs and Wick in a nightclub. This action sequence remains the best in the film and will have you grasping your theater seat because of the sheer intensity of it. Overall, John Wick is slick, violent fun that turns into a remarkable, surprising film that will catch you off guard. It is THAT good. I highly recommend this film to action buffs especially but I'm sure those who just like a good movie will love it as well.
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ma-cortes23 March 2023Ultra-violent first entry with lots of killings, thrills , noisy action , suspense , and crossfire . In this original John Wick (2014) , an ex-hit-man comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that killed his dog and took everything from him . With the untimely death of his beloved wife still bitter in his mouth he seeks for vengeance . But when an arrogant Russian mob prince and hoodlums steal his car and kill his dog , they are fully aware of his lethal capacity. The Bogeyman will find himself dragged into an impossible task as every killer in the business dreams of cornering the legendary Wick who now has an enormous price on his head . In this first installment John Wick , blind with revenge, and for his salvation John will immediately unleash a carefully orchestrated maelstrom of destruction against those attempt to chase him and with a price tag on his head, as he is the target of hit men : an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail and a murderer woman everywhere . The legendary hitman will be forced to unearth his meticulously concealed identity and to carry out a relentless vendetta . Now, only blood can quench the boogeyman's thirst for retribution . Don't Set Him Off! . John Wick isn't the Boogeyman... He's the guy you send to kill the doomed Boogeyman. Revenge is all he has left. You want peace, prepare for war . Don't Hunt What You Can't Kill. Tick Tock, Mr. Wick. Everyone Is Waiting. For John Wick . Every Action Has Consequences. This Friday, Wick is Back . Its the World Vs. Wick. Every Action Has Consequences.
Thrilling and nail-biting first outing with violent combats , kinetic energy , very high body-count and struggles in a comic-book style . It's an action-packed film with an interesting mingle of suspense , martial arts , gun-play , killing rituals with weird codes and bloody combats . The plot is simple and plain , as John Wick being forced into action to exact a relentless vendetta and steadily butchering his merciless enemies , while inching ever closer to the long-awaited bloody reunion with the boss killer . This is a bone-chilling thriller with non-stop action , including impressive fighting with a lot of blood and gore . It's a mindless but enjoyable for thrillers and martial arts aficionados of the old style , but adding some new technical being made by means of digital computer generator as well as expert stunts . Abundant fist-fights and lethal struggles in which arms and body parts are slice off here and there and limbs are slit open everywhere or blasted apart . Of course , highlights of the film are the impressive and groundbreaking Keanu Reeves' fights with lots of blood dropping here and there . Keanu Reeves is nice as John Wick , the expert former assassin , in which drenched in blood and mercilessly hunted down, he can surely forget a peaceful retirement as no one can make it out in one piece . He's well accompanied by a familiar cast -some of them to appear in the subsequent sequels- including as follows : Alfie Allen, Willem Dafoe, Dean Winters, Adrianne Palicki , Toby Leonard, Daniel Bernhardt , Bridget Moynahan , John Leguizamo, Ian McShane and the two fine actors recently deceased : Michael Nyqvist and Lance Reddick .
It packs colorful , though dark cinematography by cameraman Jonathan Sela, mainly shot at night . As well as pulsing throbbing musical score by Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard. The motion picture was professionally directed by Chad Stahelski and David Leitch . These craftsmen have made this adrenaline-fueled action franchise, ¨John Wick trilogy¨ formed by the following ones : ¨John Wick I¨ 2014 by Chad Stahelski, David Leitch with Michael Nyqvist , Alfie Allen , Willem Dafoe , Dean Winters , Adrianne Palicki . ¨John Wick: Chapter 2¨, 2017 , in this second installment , after returning to the criminal underworld to repay a debt, John Wick discovers that a large bounty has been put on his life , played by Riccardo Scamarcio , Ian McShane , Common , Claudia Gerini , Lance Reddick , Laurence Fishburne , Tobias Segal , John Leguizamo , Bridget Moynahan. ¨John Wick III Parabellum¨ in which he returns with a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail, after killing a member of the shadowy international assassin's guild, the High Table, John Wick is excommunicado , starred by Halle Berry , Ian McShane , Laurence Fishburne , Mark Dacascos , Asia Kate Dillon , Lance Reddick , Tobias Segal , Anjelica Huston , Saïd Taghmaoui , Jerome Flynn . And in production : ¨John Wick: Chapter 4¨ with Keanu Reeves , Donnie Yen , Bill Skarsgård , Laurence Fishburne , Hiroyuki Sanada. -
John Wick had been out awhile and at first I had little interest in seeing it as, for me, Keanu Reeves is generally whatever the opposite of a selling point is. However I kept hearing about how this was a bit of a throw back of an action movie and upon reading the connection between the director and Keanu, I thought I would have to put aside my preconceived notions and give this movie a shot.
The movie had two ex-stunt men (one of which was Keanu Reeves' former stunt double) helming this film. This resulted in a lot of practical effects instead of heavy reliance on green screen. Also familiarity with Reeves likely left the directors with a base knowledge with how far they could push the star. This left the film's action scenes clean, realistic, to the point, and a hell of a lot of fun to watch.
If I was going to break down the film's format, well it is of the "semi-generic Punisher type, ex bad ass comes out of retirement to take on other bad asses" type variety. It was 75% Japanese yakuza film, 20% Film Noir, and 5% video game. One stylistic element that jumped out at me right away was the choice to go with a narrow scope of field for focus. At first I thought maybe this was the projector in the theater but then I realized it was a choice made for the film. Normally this would annoy me slightly, and I suppose still did, as I am a big fan of depth of field, mise–en–scènes set ups (Citizen Kane is one of my favorite films). I came to terms with the stylistic choice made for this film as it reminded me so much of Eastern influences, in this case it was reminiscent of Zen ink and brush compositions, where the sharpness lies in where the brush first touches down and the edges disappear into an almost mist like effect.
While Keanu sold the action pieces well, he wasn't asked to do too much to stretch his stoic emotional range, which is just what the film required. He was pretty much perfect for this part if I had been for some reason been asked to recast this film, I would be hard pressed to find a better fit. This would have been right up Jason Statham's alley, however there is nothing more he could have added to it. There was something quietly instance about Reeves that made you feel that he was one not to be trifled with. Statham will always remind me of the character he played in Snatch, which was not at all overly menacing or intimidating. Rather, if I had my choice of an alternative, I would delve further into the Japanese gangster genre and extract Chow Yun-fat. Reeves was 49 in this film and still convincing as an ass kicker. Chow Yun-fat would have been ten years older, but that would have further added to the realism of a retired hit man that is unwillingly dragged back into the 'business'.
Speaking of performances, this film was full of great character actors from the action genre and otherwise. One of these performances that I was not overly fond of was that of Alfie Allen. You probably know him as the dickless Theon Greyjoy. He worked in the part in that he was highly unlikable, however I was not sure which accent he was trying to commit to. This brings me to another flaw of the film. Many of the baddies simply did not measure up to be worthy of the John Wick challenge. A spoiled brat son of a crime boss nor the crime boss himself, an old man that the film gave no hint as to any physical prowess until the anticlimactic final battle gave any feeling that the fight would go any other direction except to a single minded John Wick killing stroke.
I highly recommend this film if you are a fan of good action. This easily ranks as one of the pure action movies of 2014. Judged as just a movie, it is simple in story structure, but what it does it does very well.
Blarv Score out of 10: 8.8 -
utgard1422 November 2014Wow what a great surprise this was. I was told by a friend this was good but it's been awhile since I liked a Keanu movie so I was hesitant to try it. Retired hit-man John Wick (Keanu Reeves) loses his wife to cancer. After her funeral he receives a puppy she left him. A few days later some thugs, led by the son of a Russian gangster John used to work for, break into John's house. They beat him up, take the keys to his beloved car, and kill the puppy. They did this not knowing who he was; they just wanted the car. Now John Wick is out for revenge and the Russian gangster is trying to save his son's life by sending killers after John.
Keanu's great here. Glad to see him doing something watchable again. Willem Dafoe, Alfie Allen, Ian McShane, and Lance Reddick lead a good supporting cast. Michael Nyqvist was made to play villains. Even Adrianne Palicki was good. Oh and hey the beat-up guy from the Allstate commercials is in this. The stuff with the hotel for assassins and the way they all know each other was pretty funny. About the only problem I had with it was the unrealistic scene where the bad guy finally gets the upper hand on the 'hero' and doesn't kill him. This sort of thing is common in movies but it's always unbelievable and reminds me of the old James Bond villains. This is easily the best action movie this year. Possibly the best straight action movie since the first Taken. English-speaking action movies, that is. It doesn't reinvent the genre or anything but it's entertaining. -
With the fourth installment scoring immensely at the cinemas as I'm submitting this review, and after three previous films that are apparently loved by everyone else in the world, I thought perhaps it would be time for me check out "John Wick".
But, even though I'm late to the party as usual, I don't feel like I've missed out on a lot. "John Wick" is a fast-paced and adrenaline-rushing action flick, but not the traditional type of action movie, like "Die Hard" or "Lethal Weapon". Since a good fifteen years or so, there seemingly exists an additional new sub-genre within the world of action/thriller cinema, which is best described as "Shoot 'em Up" films, and "John Wick" neatly fits into this category. Other examples include "Shoot 'em Up", - duh - , "Crank", "Hardcore Henry", "Free Fire", "Taken" and "Everly". You guessed it; - these are films with very thin plots and without any proper character development, but they primarily focus on non-stop violent action, excessively over-the-top gunfire action and a practically immeasurable body count. They are entertaining if you're in a completely undemanding mood, I reckon, but they are quite unmemorable as well. Moreover, despite all the action and bloodshed, these films are sort of boring, because they constantly repeat the same old "bang-bang-you're-all-dead" routine.
The most interesting aspects about "John Wick" are definitely the structural framework and background stories the script constantly hints at. The rudimentary plot of an invincible and stoic hitman coming out of retirement to extract vengeance of a personal nature is really old and has been told hundreds of times before. The organization in which our protagonist operates, however, is intriguing to say the least. He knows everyone, both the ones supporting him and the ones he's shooting up, there's a sort of code of conduct that includes the use of specific coins and the respect of neutral zones, the cleaning up bloody shootout aftermaths is referred to as diner reservations, and even the local law enforcer doesn't seem surprised when John answers the door with a bloodied face. None of these particularities ever get explained, but then again, there are at least three more films.
The sole thing to bear in mind when watching a film like "John Wick" remains: don't ask yourself any questions. Where does the never-ending supply of redundant henchmen keeps coming from? Why can't anyone hit a target expect for the hero? Why engage into a fistfight when there's a possibility for a clean shot? Why capture your target instead of killing him straight away, for that matter? You know he'll just escape again and kill you instead. Most importantly, why didn't anyone at least try to apologize to Wick for murdering his puppy?
If you seek logic and answers to these questions, "John Wick" is a terrible film. In case you accept what it is, there's entertainment aplenty thanks to the impressive stunt work, the solid performances by Keanu Reeves and the supportive cast, inventive little gimmicks, and a whole lot of mean people that get punished for making the wrong career choices in their lives. -
0U23 February 2020It's hard to find anything bad to say about John Wick. The action is beautifully choreographed, the setup is surprisingly emotional for an action flick, and Keanu.... What more is there to say? If you love action or even just like it you will be in for the ride of your life.
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Giacomo_De_Bello23 January 2015The only word that keeps coming back to mind when reviewing this movie is: exhilarating. The fun factor this amazing action film has is probably the highest of any movie this year. I could not stop myself from having a blast!
First and foremost, being also the first thing you notice, "John Wick" is self-conscious of what it is and doesn't, for not even one second, take itself more seriously than it should. Fortunately this doesn't shut out the place for character connection and empathy. People often think the two of these things exclude themselves, but that is not what I think and this movie is proof of it. It has such a genuine sense of fun and humor, so much so that you are often laughing WITH (not AT) the movie at the preposterousness of everything and at the same time feeling genuine tension for the characters you're rooting for. I know it sounds ridiculous, but every single f***ing kill by John Wick feels exciting and liberating, it was incredible how much I was rooting for him. To this contributes some stunning, fast-and-furious level action scenes that benefit amazingly by the practicality involved. Hats off to the director and the special effects guys for staging such a flawless string of adrenaline-pumping scenes, in particular to the director for the highly energetically stylish direction that never feels as a gimmick or out of place, yet instead makes everything all the more enjoyable. Furthermore this is one of the few movies in which sound actually stood out and contributed in making the film a great success. Keanu Reeves is perfect for the role and brings to the screen so much charisma I could not help but root for the guy. He is surrounded by a great cast too that has very fun moments on their own. If all of this wasn't enough, "John Wick" has some great original ideas and plays with them in the best way possible.
Despite having a blast in the theater and wanting to maybe see this movie again in a year or so, it isn't original, stylish or innovative enough to say: "we've seen this plot before, but not quite done this way". Yes it has its brilliance, but it is kind of cheesy, even if in a good way, and predictable. It doesn't rank up to a higher standard of action movie because of its straight-forwardness. It does have some stakes, but all in all there isn't really an overwhelming set piece or twist that makes it highly remarkable.
Obviously, that is not what it's aiming for and because of that I could recommend this movie to anybody, just go and have the best action entertainment fun in the theater! -
John Wick is something special. It takes as much time setting up elaborate action sequences as it does the world with which it all takes place in. And what a world it is. It reminds me of Millers Crossing and it is cooler than any other recent attempt at noir. We are shown a criminal underworld where, if you are connected, many powerful people know who you are and show you respect. John Wick was connected but he got out. He is the rare killer who has found peace, and he is grateful for that peace. Some young kids steal that from him and he does what he does best, he wages a one man war against the Russian Mafia. It might sound like the film takes quite a leap but it all makes sense. The motives of John and the people who get in the way of his bullets are all very clear, even if it does come across as rather simple. That's the plot at it's most basic. Then there's the action. The film is directed by Reeve's stuntman from The Matrix, so this guy knows action. There are sequences that flow so smoothly it puts other action films and their quick cuts to shame. Keaunu moves so fluidly throughout the film and comes across as such a natural that the only disappointment is that we have not seen him like this before. Along the way are plenty of character actors, fans of The Matrix and The Wire will recognize a few people then there are more obvious ones like Ian McShane and Willem Dafoe. Everyone seems to be having a good time. That is another plus for this movie. It get's dark at times but overall it is quite fun, not very chipper, but fun. I cannot recommend this movie enough. I believe it is a must see for action fans and for anyone looking for something a bit different from the usual fare.
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wmd-7736118 July 2022If you want to watch a movie with no plot, no character development, and nothing interesting, this is for you. Absolutely nothing of interest here. Just lots o& people shooting each other. Just really stupid.
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Leofwine_draca25 September 2015JOHN WICK is a rare example of Hollywood getting things spot-on when it comes to creating the near-perfect action film. JOHN WICK is a relentless, pulse-pounding thriller that has plenty of similarity to the Liam Neeson classic TAKEN, albeit with a more simplistic (and also more emotionally intense) plot line. This is the kind of lean, pared-down film-making that's all about intensity and momentum. It sits well with classic international fare like POINT BLANK, SLEEPLESS NIGHT, MEA CULPA, THE MAN FROM NOWHERE, and THE RAID films.
JOHN WICK isn't a perfect film; some of the dialogue is sloppily, some of the writing is too broad, and occasionally the music is intrusive. However, when it gets things right, as it frequently does, you can forgive all of these minor niggles and sit back and enjoy the ride. The clever decision was made to employ a martial arts expert as director, so the emphasis is on realistic, superbly choreographed action sequences, and they're hard-hitting and plentiful. The nightclub set-piece is the obvious highlight, but nearly all of the action here is spectacular.
Keanu Reeves has been in lots of average or overrated films over the years but this stands as one of his very best, alongside SPEED. His dry, laconic turn is light years ahead of his other recent action flick, MAN OF TAI CHI. The supporting cast is basically unnecessary, but Michael Nyqvist, Willem Dafoe, and Alfie Allen all put in decent turns. In the end, though, JOHN WICK is all about the action, and quite simply it rocks. Bring on the sequel! -
planktonrules10 September 2019When the story begins, John (Keanu Reeves) has just lost his wife. After her death, he's a bit lost but tries to rebuild his life. One day, he's getting gas and a young Russian-American punk notices Wick's classic car...and tries to buy it off him. But Wick isn't interested and declines. Soon, the punk arrives at Wick's home with some goons where they surprise him--beating him senseless, destroying his stuff, killing his dog and stealing his car! This is when you then learn that Wick is a super-assassin....and the punk chose the wrong guy to attack. The jerk's father is a big-time Russian mobster....and it's a contest to see who will win...the mobster and his gang or Wick on his own. Considering there are (so far) two MORE John Wick films, it pretty much seems certain who will win this battle.
To say "John WIck" is a violent film is a gross undestatement. Once the dog dies, it's pretty much a bloodbath from then on...with Wick dispatching countless goons VERY realistically on his way to ultimate revenge. And, he doesn't just kill a few...he makes sure to kill them by double and triple-tapping his prey. Blood and mayhem make this a lousy film to show your kids, mother or Father O'Reilly when he comes over for a visit!
So, aside from being a bloodbath, is it any good? Yes, it's an excellent all-action film...but....it IS hard to watch and is essentially a giant gore-fest. In many ways, it's like the Sonny Chiba 'Street Fighter' films....that violent and that dedicated to making sure all the victims are indeed dead! Mindless violence....albeit well choreographed violence. Not really my sort of film...perhaps it will be yours. -
frankandlaura185217 October 2014What a great movie, This movie is a non-stop fun roller-coaster ride. I love Keanu Reeves. He is perfect in this film. This is the type of movie people will see over and over again. Waited in a long line to see it but it was well worth it. Amazing special effects, great acting, great everything. Best movie I have seen all year. Keanu Reeves is back after a long break and he is better than ever. This is like a combination of Speed and the Matrix combined. Directors Leitch and Stahelski have created a beautiful looking action picture, one that is large enough to deserve the IMAX experience.John Wick is the real deal. It is a amazing action picture, filled with strong performances by a cast, along with superb action set-pieces and a genuinely interesting world to boot. Reeves commands the screen and reminds us why he is still a genuine movie star.
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aunggebi30 January 2015It is B level action movie. You can easily remind of other movies like this. Equillibrium, District 13, The transpoter and many other action movies with handsome, heroic guy.
Keanu fights usually with guns in this movie. But it brings more body action into the shooting scenes, so it becomes more stylish. Great to watch it at home, not boring at all, if you don't expect something like 007 series with Daniel Craig or Born series. Keanu kept his face and body almost perfect, so he is still handsome and fit, good enough for the film like this. But the enemies have less impression. They are fine but not new, bit similar to villains from 90's action movies. I recommend this movie if you are looking for something easy and fun, and you've already watched every other great action movies like Born Ultimatium or 007 Casino Royal. -
m-barnicle27 May 2019It's pretty much a comic book. The John Wick Universe. Step up from the Matrix. Minimal CG which was cool. It's over the top because that's what it was going for.
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Wow! Does anyone remember ROLLING THUNDER? Late 70's movie starring William Devane.... Back then you had to brutally rape and kill the lead's wife and murder his kids, to boot, to justify arousing blood-lust sympathy from the audience! AhhhhhBut the Times, They are a Changin'! It's 2015! You steal a guy's Classic Mustang and kill his 300,000+ LIKES on Facebook cute dog and watch out!....Hell hath no fury.! REVENGE 101!
Shame on me, I guess, for being such a sucker for dog flicks that, based on the rash of promo interviews Mr. Reeves did for WICK, I, too, thirsted to see the little pooch avenged!
HmmmmI think I got more than I bargained for. Now it's crystal clear to me (AGAIN!) why I almost always refrain from revenge movies, or, for that matter, from the "ACTION" (Read: Violent) Genre in general! In one of these promo interviews, Keanu bragged that he killed 87 people in the course of this 93 minute (Till Credits) movieYou can do the Math Nearly 1 Body Bag per Minute! Gee, Keanu.... You had me at Number 4! O. K., So why the 6* Rating? Fair enough question! The Original Music, by Tyler Bates is nothing short of phenomenal! Look at his IMDb BIO! It is very impressive! From a technically crafted standpoint, WICK is truly excellent.
I couldn't help but notice Eva Longoria receiving Number One Producer Credit here. My hat is off to her! She really knows what elements (Although they're not really MY elements!) are needed to forge both a real crowd-pleaser (75% of viewers rated this 7 Stars or more on IMDb!) and a solid box office success! WICK grossed over 43 Million, more than double its production cost! The cinematography was inspired, at times even artistic. The sound and sound mixing were at least a cut above your average Hollywood movie, which, to be honest, is really saying a lot! And other visual elements, such as sets, costumes and locations were all impressive.
Absolutely must get one other thing off my chest. Despite the numerous fight scenes being extremely well choreographed and the endless gun- play having been blocked out meticulously... AND having sat down to watch with rather low expectations, WICK stretched Suspension of Belief well beyond the breaking point! Perhaps we should add Fantasy to Action, Thriller in the introductory genre description! Still, for those of you who are ACTION junkies, and I know there are a lot of you out there...It is a sure bet you will end up in that 75% I referred to a bit earlier!
ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA! -
ndarger14 February 2022Let me just save you all some time instead of watching the whole violent movie. Here it is in 1 sentence: "Guy has bad day. Kills everyone. Feels better."