Review of John Wick (2014) by Dana F — 24 Oct 2015
This is one of the most straight-up action flicks you will ever see, and it's all the more awesome for it. Simple premise, fun action, dynamic direction - that's all you need to make an action movie worth seeing, and this has all three.
Plus you get all the required action flick elements: car chases, hand-to-hand combat, and a shit-ton of head shots. This movie is directed by a former stuntman, and you can really tell, the stunts are fantastic.
But what surprised me is how great the film looks, as well as how well it's composed. The highs and lows are well balanced and the action sequences are directed with kinetic energetic. It definitely does not feel like it was helmed by a novice filmmaker.
The plot does fall victim to the typical action clichés, but it's an unapologetically self-aware action film, so I can't give it too much heat for that. Predictably, Keanu Reeves is just as flat as he always is, and I think a different actor could have brought out more in the character.
Luckily, it does not really harm the film because the action itself is the real star of the movie. Though it gets pretty dark, the film stays high energy and is always entertaining. And the overall message is one for the ages: Do NOT fuck with a man's dog.
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This review of John Wick (2014) was written by Dana F on 24 Oct 2015.
John Wick has generally received very positive reviews.
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