Review of Keanu (2016) by Collin C — 23 Aug 2016

Comedy duo Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele (from Comedy Central's Key & Peele) bring their off-beat sensibilities to the big screen with 2016s Keanu-an action-comedy that hits the thrills and laughs with aplomb like a cat landing on its feat.

Written by Key & Peele and directed by Peter Atencio (who also collaborates on their show), the story is patiently told and the laughs properly set up. This is very rewarding, as the comedy feels earned and not rushed, with patient joke-building that would make Simon Pegg or Edgar Wright blush with the foreshadowing (which the Englishman excel at, particularly 2007s Hot Fuzz, which this seems like a distant cousin to).

Although the plot is ludicrous-about Peele's character doing whatever it takes to retrieve his cat-the direction from Atencio treats the material as if this is life or death, allowing the comedy to be easily acceptable and funny or the action over the top.

This is even more impressive due to the fact that there is a lot of heart at the core of everything, making Keanu a satisfying, surprising yarn of a comedy.