JOHN WICK (7 out of 10) Directed by David Leitch and Chad Stahelski; written by Derek Kolstad; starring Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, and Alfie Allen; rated R (strong and bloody violence throughout, language and brief drug use); in limited release; running time: 101 minutes.
Let me be clear way up front here, because it might impact how you take this review, I am a Keanu Reeves apologist. If I have the choice to see Keanu acting blandly or Brad Pitt acting blandly, I will always choose Keanu, because I believe that his role choices are always better considered than the ones that Pitt makes. Rather, I think Keanu’s choices are based on what he is passionate about and what he wants to do, while Pitt’s are based on what he thinks will move his career forward or garner him critical credibility. The fact that Reeves is actively pursuing a third “Bill & Ted” movie, I think, shows where his creative heart is more than anything Pitt has done. And I really, really want to see a third “Bill & Ted”.
Having said all of that, and in the interest of full disclosure, I am not a big fan of these kinds of brutal, cynical, conscienceless anti-hero, revenge-type fantasies. There was a long run of these in the late 80s to mid 90s that were just mind-numbingly bleak. Usually starring bland white American former models, who would spend the time they weren’t killing people indiscriminately by drowning out their sorrows with a bottle of Jack Daniels. “John Wick” pretty much follows this model exactly, even to the point where a good chunk of the plot feels like it was lifted whole from the funniest plot point in “Lone Wolf McQuade”. So, I was a bit apprehensive in going into this film, uncertain where my loyalties would fall on the other end of the screening.
I shouldn’t have been worried, Keanu still knows how to pick them.
“John Wick” follows our titular hero who has just lost his wife and still hasn’t quite come to terms with it. In the midst of his mourning, a package arrives at his home containing the cutest little puppy in the history of the world; a last gift from his dear departed wife to remind him that he has something to live for. He and the (so incredibly cute that there should be laws) puppy quickly warm up together and decide to go out and spend the day doing death defying tricks in his tricked out car (I don’t know anything about cars, so can’t tell you what it was, though, in the film they referred to it reverently like people would recognize it).
And this is where the story really gets started. John runs into some unsavory characters at a gas station that easily switch between Bro-style English, and Portent-filled Russian. They wanna buy the car, but it is not for sale. A meaningful look passes between them, and then they let John go about his day.
From there on out the film basically kicks into hyperdrive, as the tables are reset and Keanu demonstrates his Gun-fu chops by showing everyone how to go from zero to 100 in less than 101 minutes of screen time.
Like I said, I don’t like these kinds of films, but the filmmakers have somehow managed to deliver a tribute to those types of movies, while also giving it a kind of fun, goofy energy that all of the others didn’t even know existed. I don’t know if it is the unstoppable momentum of the film, or the brilliant decision to keep the mopey-ness to a minimum, but the movie works. Once the starter gun is fired, the action is go go go.
I would’ve liked to understand a bit more about the underlying world – there has been some real time invested in world building here, which you never see in these types of movies. Underlying social structure and character histories are usually either ignored or glossed over so superficially that they rarely bring anything new to the format, but here, it all lends to a really engaging and entertaining background that opens up interest in possible sequels, just to explore the rest of this world. One such instance was Ian McShane’s mysterious character who had probably less than 2 minutes of screen time, but impacted everything that happened in the film.
In addition to all of this, the action choreography was just really solid. Wide shots for the most part allowing the viewer to keep a decent perspective on the physical geography. A minimum of hyperactive shaky cam, and a reliance on practical effects (except, probably the exploding blood effects from the too many to count shots to the head). And the script was tight, and knew how to keep the action moving, but still lighten things up when the weight of the plot got too heavy.
This is the kinda movie I like to refer as a crossover movie – fun to see in the theater, equally fun to watch at home. Not pretentious, but smart enough to know how to rise above its limitations.
“John Wick” opens October 24, 2014. Catch it hopefully at your local multi-plex.