John Wick

Many people will tell you that Mad Max: Fury Road is the best action film of the 21st Century so far. It certainly has it’s moments, and Tom Hardy’s range of grunting is very impressive, but for me there is only one action film worthy of that prize. John Wick came out of nowhere and surprised everyone that took the time to watch it, re-affirming Keanu Reeves’s status as an action hero and becoming an instant classic. It’s safe to say I liked it quite a bit.

On paper, John Wick sounds uninspired at best. A former hitman is brought out of retirement after being wronged by the Russian mob, and your typical revenge tale ensues. Then you actually watch it, and all that scepticism falls away as you become enveloped in John’s world. That, right there, is John Wick’s secret weapon; the incredible, beautiful, wonderfully realised world. The shady goings-on at the Continental Hotel; Ian McShane’s suave patriarch, even the Russian mob has some nice moments. Standard, the story may be, but it’s this intensely detailed backdrop which holds your attention.

The movie is directed by Chad Stahelski, who famously coordinated stunts for The Matrix trilogy, often doubling for Keanu Reeves himself. He knew that stunts look better when they’re as authentic as possible, never relying on Paul Greengrass style shaky-cam for his action scenes, instead keeping to wide shots of Keanu kicking ass. The action scenes in John Wick are a beauty to behold, intricate and fast-paced. These prove that John is the badass that everyone thinks he is, and it’s almost comical how every character, except for Alfie “Theon Greyjoy” Allen’s Iosef,
realises that he is now condemned for what he has done. The sense of hopelessness that washes over Michael Nyqvist as he understands the full error of what his son has done tells us that Wick is not a man to mess with. At the same time, however, Wick is not immortal. His fighting prowess is proven over and over again, but he is still human. He doesn’t win every fight, and the fact that we don’t know this character means anything could happen, keeping fights
tense.

The supporting cast is strong too. Willem Dafoe plays a shifty sniper type who keeps you guessing as to which side he’s really on. Adrianne Palicki is the sinister Ms. Perkins, Wick’s rival assassin with some issues to work out with the man himself. The aforementioned Alfie Allen’s character is a strangely sympathetic one, as he isn’t really the film’s villain. We just watch him pay for a mistake that he makes about 10 minutes into the film. The villain role shifts to Michael Nyqvist as John dismantles his operation, one headshot at a time.

It’s not perfect, of course. Despite the beautiful world and lore surrounding John Wick, It would’ve been nice to see more of it. Maybe a few more minor characters from John’s past, just to flesh out the world of the Continental Hotel, rather than tease us with mere hints to John’s bloodstained past.

John Wick knows precisely what it is. It’s not trying to be intellectual, or to make a statement. It’s here to be stylish, gratifying, fun, and fresh. It accomplishes all that and more. Not to be missed.