Review of John Wick (2014) by Kevin P — 24 May 2018

Strengths: At first, I was skeptical of this movie as I've not always seen Keanu Reeves (John Wick) as someone who is great for action movies, despite The Matrix. Luckily, Keanu was fantastic here. There was a silent, but deadly cool vibe about him. The film itself follows a very simple and straightforward plotline, which is beneficial for it. There's no fluff or bullshit. Badass dude gets wronged and goes out for vengeance. It's one of those things that works because of how simple it is. Despite the basic setup, nothing in the movie ever feels clichéd or redundant. The action scenes are slick and full of excitement, while the New York City setting gives the film a stylish feel. Adrianne Palicki (Ms. Perkins) is someone I don't usually like, but she's fun as a secondary foe of sorts in this. Alfie Allen (Iosef Tarasov) also does a great job as a smarmy villain. Using an adorable dog as the catalyst for Wick's revenge was a good idea, as it is easy to care for and rally behind. You want to see him get vengeance for his pet. The scenes establishing their relationship helped build character for John.

Weaknesses: I kind of wish Ms. Perkins was taken out in a different manner. I get that it helped solidify the Continental's rules, but I would've liked her as a mini-boss of sorts for Wick. They could've had a cool fight. The final fight between Wick and Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nyqvist) is kind of underwhelming. Considering a lot of the action that came before it, I was left wanting more. Some of the good actors involved, like John Leguizamo (Aurelio) and Willem Dafoe (Marcus) felt underutilized. I think things would've been better served if they, especially the latter, had more to do.

Overall: Keanu Reeves is the best he's been since the original Matrix, in a fresh feeling and stylish action flick. The action scenes deliver, Reeves' performance is great, and there's something wonderful about a simple story being told very well.