Yeah, I'm thinking he's back
I once saw him kill three men...with a pencil.
The Plot
John Wick (Keanu Reeves) just lost his wife to cancer (or some sort of non-specified disease) and was given puppy from her before she died to help him cope. But when four Russian wannabe gangsters break into his house to steal his car, they kill the puppy. What the four Russian wannabe gangsters didn't know is that John Wick used to be the Russian Mob's (and possibly the world's) most dangerous hitman. And he's coming for them. And nothing will get in his way.
Analysis
There really isn't one for this because...it is what it is. Pretty much all I'm going to say is that if you know what you are and embrace it, then there is a big chance that others will embrace you as well. That same mentality fits with movies. This movie knows what it is, and it is making damn sure that you know what it is. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. But in this instance, it does.
Review
This is probably the best action movie coming from the states this year. Of course it is nowhere near as good as The Raid 2 in terms of groundbreaking action, but this movie sure has some spectacular action. And that shouldn't be surprise given that the directors of this film were the stunt men from The Matrix. There was another film directed by a stunt man that came out this year called Left Behind starring Nic Cage. But where that stunt man failed, these stunt men succeed. And they bring along their old collaborator and star of The Matrix, Keanu Reeves, back into action.
It should be said right off the bat that if you think the premise sounds silly, don't worry, this movie doesn't take itself too seriously to dwell on it. Yes, it is the story about a man who takes down the Russian Mob because they killed his dog. But it was the dog represents to the titular John Wick that really sets him off. And for the most part, the first 30 minutes of the film handled it really well. Some might even say that the first 30 minutes might almost have crossed the line into "we're taking this seriously" territory. But luckily for the audience, the filmmakers know when to pull the plug before it got too serious. Otherwise everything else that happens, while predictable, would not have been as fun as it is.
Reeves is excellent as John Wick. In the first 30 minutes of the film, we really do buy him as a loner type who loses the one person who made him feel vulnerable. And with the loss of the dog, Reeves was able to convince the audience that John is a man who held back his dark side only to unleash it at this moment we're witnessing. This may probably be Reeves best performance in years. Which is saying a lot since he's not the greatest actor in the world. But with this type of role, he will definitely excel in spades. It also doesn't hurt that his fighting style in this movie is incredible. It is not the martial arts he proficiently displays in The Matrix, but it is a believable form of close quarter combat intertwined with firearms. He really sells that when John Wick goes into beast mode, this guy is efficient and will always try to go for the headshot. And if he doesn't, he would use his ammunition conservatively in order to buy more time for him to get the headshot. He is probably the best original action hero since Liam Neeson in Taken. And I'm glad he has this role to make his comeback.
The film is filled with people who have played villains or have been known for being in these types of movies. Willem Dafoe, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, John Leguizamo, Michael Nyqvist and Alfie Allen pop up as various players in the underworld. Dafoe plays a fellow assassin and appears to have been a mentor figure to Reeves' character. McShane plays the owner of The Continental Hotel, a safe haven for assassins who use their own form of currency and operate on a strict no kill policy while staying at the hotel. While I'm sure it is not original, it is definitely a fascinating concept that makes this film that much more enjoyable. It also helps to have Reddick as the manager of the hotel. Leguizamo has a cameo as a car shop dealer who brings the bad news to the Russian Kingpin played gleefully by Nyqvist. Theon Greyjoy, aka Allen, plays the wannabe Russian gangster and son of the Kingpin who causes the monster to be unleashed. That guy can't catch a break can he? And in a surprising turn of casting is Adrianne Palicki who plays the singular hit woman in the film who is willing break the rules of the Continental in order to get a massive pay.
All of these colorful characters fit nicely in this well constructed fictional underworld. While the mob is very real, these criminals and assassins operate in a highly fictional manner. Which works in favor of the film as it shot in a way to mirror a stylized comic book with a little mix of neo-noir. I mean, seriously, there's a Hotel specifically for assassins to stay in when they're on the job! That should not work, but it does! What also works is that even though the audience can predict what is going to happen along the way, you want to see how it goes down instead of dreading seeing it happen. Because the action is so much fun and the screenwriter should be applauded for making some very witty cliche lines that just add to the fun of this film. It is pretty much a near perfect action movie just because it accepts that fact that it is not trying to be a great action movie. One can even say that it is a satire on the action genre, but not so much that it becomes a bad joke. Good thing it doesn't.
I also gotta commend the filmmakers for not overblowing the violence to Paul Verhoeven levels. This is a pretty violent film, and the head shots are bloody. But at least it was just the right amount of violence that shows brutality without overdoing it.
Final Thoughts
This is definitely one of my favorites of the year. It is a film that came out of nowhere and is pretty much one of the biggest surprises. Will it be in my top 10? Only time will tell. But know this. You need to know what you're getting into with this movie. It is a fun movie that knows what it is and expects you to go along with the ride without expecting anything more. If you can accept that, then this movie will be an awesome experience. If not, then skip this because you're intellectually incapable of having fun.
SCORE: 8.5/10 - The most fun American action movie (not superhero) made in a long time
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