Director: David Leitch and Chad Stahelski (former Keanu stunt double on The Matrix)
Writer: Derek Kolstad
Starring:
One last shout out to the blistering cast. So many names and each one delivering a standout performance. No role was wasted. Glad to see Bridget Regan on the screen, too. Many of the best talents from television showing they can hold the big screen and all brought forth by a pristine debut film from Stahelski.
John Wick is a strong candidate for top film of 2014. Stiff competition from Lego Movie and Edge of Tomorrow still lingers so we just have to see if the adrenaline rush lasts.
10 out of 10
Keanu Reeves (Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey)
Michael Nyqvist (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol)
Lance Reddick (Fringe)
Adrianne Paleki (Supernatural)
Allie Allen (Game of Thrones)
Dean Winters (30 Rock)
John Leguizamo (Mario Brothers)
Bridget Regan (Legend of the Seeker)
Willem Defoe (Spider-Man)
Toby Moore (Legend of the Seeker)
Bridget Moynahan (The Recruit)
Randall Duk Kim (Aka "hey wait a second, is that the Key Maker from the Matrix? Yes it certainly is.")
Take Constantine's style, add in Jack Reacher's fight choreography and mythos, throw in a hint of Thomas Jane's Punisher, and mix in a bit of Gun-kata and you get John Wick.
Keanu proves his lasting power is just as strong as Tom Cruise. He may have very little diversity in his roles, but good golly does he play the part perfectly. In a rare non-sequel, non-adaptation, albeit to some degrees a conventional actioner, the plot of John Wick unexpectedly plunges you deep into a world of assassins and mobsters that spits out one brutal gun fight after another.
First time director Chad Stahelski squeezes every ounce of mayhem and beauty out of each individual shot involving a gun. The motivation of the character himself is handled swiftly and clearly so it doesn't take anything away from what's too come, which is precision violence. The opening is deliberately calm but once the bullets start flying, the real ride commences.
The music thumps throughout setting an appropriate mood. One that's on-edge but confident, like Wick himself. Such a combination of sound and style fuels an exhilaration that builds as the story progresses.
Another detail they got right was the humor. Characters know each other and they react in a way that tells us something deeper is at play, a history visible through expressions and reactions. Those reactions also catch us off guard to the point that the theatre was downright laughing because each of us got the joke.
The characters felt diverse and whole. Given that there were a healthy amount of characters, the movie's ability to make you care for each one is an achievement. While the main villain, which is only a circumstantial role for this story and whose real role in the world of the film is only hinted at, isn't ruthless, but in this situation he doesn't need to be. The bad guys are helpless and that's the playfulness of the plot. We know who to root for while simultaneously not hating the people who we know don't stand a chance. Then there's also the unresolved history of John Wick himself. For all we know, he may have been the most ruthless villain of all, we just don't see it in the frame of the story. The past that was constructed leaves all these possibilities open and keeps you thinking long after the credits role.
That depth may have been a hindrance for a single film were it not for one key element the movie got right. This is a purpose driven film and that purpose is vengeance. To truly be enjoyed, revenge needs a clear purpose and the vengeance must be satisfyingly delivered. The real triumph of this move, above all its layers, beyond the bloodshed, is the clarity with which we see everything for what it is, the camera work coupled with the tight scope which the story focuses on lets us soak it all in. Yeah there's this whole mythology to explore, but they are telling a specific story in that world.
Keanu proves his lasting power is just as strong as Tom Cruise. He may have very little diversity in his roles, but good golly does he play the part perfectly. In a rare non-sequel, non-adaptation, albeit to some degrees a conventional actioner, the plot of John Wick unexpectedly plunges you deep into a world of assassins and mobsters that spits out one brutal gun fight after another.
First time director Chad Stahelski squeezes every ounce of mayhem and beauty out of each individual shot involving a gun. The motivation of the character himself is handled swiftly and clearly so it doesn't take anything away from what's too come, which is precision violence. The opening is deliberately calm but once the bullets start flying, the real ride commences.
The music thumps throughout setting an appropriate mood. One that's on-edge but confident, like Wick himself. Such a combination of sound and style fuels an exhilaration that builds as the story progresses.
Another detail they got right was the humor. Characters know each other and they react in a way that tells us something deeper is at play, a history visible through expressions and reactions. Those reactions also catch us off guard to the point that the theatre was downright laughing because each of us got the joke.
The characters felt diverse and whole. Given that there were a healthy amount of characters, the movie's ability to make you care for each one is an achievement. While the main villain, which is only a circumstantial role for this story and whose real role in the world of the film is only hinted at, isn't ruthless, but in this situation he doesn't need to be. The bad guys are helpless and that's the playfulness of the plot. We know who to root for while simultaneously not hating the people who we know don't stand a chance. Then there's also the unresolved history of John Wick himself. For all we know, he may have been the most ruthless villain of all, we just don't see it in the frame of the story. The past that was constructed leaves all these possibilities open and keeps you thinking long after the credits role.
That depth may have been a hindrance for a single film were it not for one key element the movie got right. This is a purpose driven film and that purpose is vengeance. To truly be enjoyed, revenge needs a clear purpose and the vengeance must be satisfyingly delivered. The real triumph of this move, above all its layers, beyond the bloodshed, is the clarity with which we see everything for what it is, the camera work coupled with the tight scope which the story focuses on lets us soak it all in. Yeah there's this whole mythology to explore, but they are telling a specific story in that world.
One last shout out to the blistering cast. So many names and each one delivering a standout performance. No role was wasted. Glad to see Bridget Regan on the screen, too. Many of the best talents from television showing they can hold the big screen and all brought forth by a pristine debut film from Stahelski.
John Wick is a strong candidate for top film of 2014. Stiff competition from Lego Movie and Edge of Tomorrow still lingers so we just have to see if the adrenaline rush lasts.
10 out of 10
100% on Rotten Tomatoes!
ReplyDeleteUndeservingly down to the mid 80s. Those punks.
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