Review of John Wick (2014) by Provconreviews — 25 May 2019

John Wick PvC Review (5/25/19).

Pros Coming from an honest, emotional approach; John Wick lays down the groundwork for an enthralling world of assassins in a way that is completely unique from other movies like it. Witnessing a grieving manJohn Wick PvC Review (5/25/19).

Pros.

Coming from an honest, emotional approach; John Wick lays down the groundwork for an enthralling world of assassins in a way that is completely unique from other movies like it. Witnessing a grieving man try to move on in his life only to witness him being dragged back into his past that he fought to escape, to find out that he is in fact a trained killer and the best of them all. You explore his dark past with him, you see this world that seems to be grounded in reality but is so surreal in its own right and you naturally learn its rules as well as its figures. I think that’s what I love best about this film, it’s not all the high octane action but the cleverly written world it is presenting before me. But needless to say the action does shine a lot; it is quite beautifully done thanks to Keanu Reeves’ knowledge of the stunts performed, the shots done with the camera, and the way the music compliments it to its fullest extent without missing a beat. But it is also the action that can hold it back for me. + Enthralling world.

+ Intriguing characters and narrative.

+ Fantastic soundtrack.

+ Good Action.

+ Naturally paced story and progression.

+ Beautifully shot.

Cons.

In this story you follow John Wick as he seeks revenge against the people who took away the rest of his normal life, hence making it an intriguing vengeance story, but the payoff of actually him getting his man for both occasions just doesn’t feel gratifying or it feels too quick to make it satisfying. Also in terms of the action scenes, while really fast paced and entertaining to watch, I found myself growing less interested in the typical cover shooting gun fights along with the settings they took place in. It felt too typical of a movie of its genre at times when it could’ve done so much more in the world that they had beautifully created. Maybe it was the praise the movie had received that made me feel a bit let down with some of the action segments or the fact that the fights got a bit samey towards the end. Regardless of this, it doesn’t hold the movie back from being great. It was just a bit disappointing in some of its aspects.

- Payoff isn’t all there.

- Action can be a bit disappointing at times.

Overall.

John Wick is a fantastic action flick with a genuinely intriguing world and with genuinely wonderful characters that feel natural to it. While some things are a bit disappointing it doesn’t take away the fact that this is a wonderfully entertaining film.