John Wick
If screenwriter Derek Kolstad said that they chose the name John Wick because the initials, JW, were an homage to the great action director John Woo, I would believe him. “John Wick” is very much an action thriller in the John Woo, late ’80s Hong Kong thriller mode, and it’s a delight for fans of that genre. As directed by Chad Stahelski, it’s got style and energy to go along with a no nonsense storytelling that doesn’t waste a second of the film’s 101-minute running time. In an era where mega-blockbusters from Marvel and a galaxy far, far away rule the box-office, something this stripped down is unquestionably refreshing.
It’s interesting that, in a matter of months, I have had cause to watch, or rewatch, three of Keanu Reeves’s four, big action titles- “John Wick,” “Speed,” “The Matrix” (the only one I haven’t is “Point Break”)- and doing so has given me a greater appreciation for him as a performer than I ever have before. Yes, I’ve seen some of his better performances like “Much Ado About Nothing,” “My Own Private Idaho” and “Parenthood” (and you know what, I’ll go to bat for “The Lake House”) but those action films (and I’ll add “Constantine” to that list) show him probably at his strongest, when he’s asked to be our protagonist in high-concept settings, and carry us through set pieces and stories not with emotional depth, but with depth of purpose. This is what Reeves projects best on-screen, and his best roles have given him the chance to do that is entertaining, and surprising, ways that I think are only now coming into focus.
“John Wick” begins with setting up the emotional stakes for John right away. The first image we see of him is bloodied, rewatching a video he made of his late wife (Bridget Moynahan) before she died of a terminal illness. We see him say goodbye to her, and attend her funeral, where condolences are paid to him by Marcus (Willem Dafoe), an acquaintance from his previous life before marriage. We then see him get a late night delivery of a puppy, Daisy, who is a gift for him from his late wife, giving him something to lean on as he tries to heal from losing her. One day, he is out getting gas with Daisy in his vintage Mustang and a trio of Russian gangsters (led by Alfie Allen from “Game of Thrones”) admire his ride, and later, break into his house to steal it, and proceed to kill Daisy, as well. Needless to say, John is pissed by this, and he returns to his violent past for retribution.
This is no-bull, no fat action storytelling by Kolstad and Stahelski (who was Keanu’s stunt double on the “Matrix” films), so, by the time we’re at the 30-minute mark, the story is in motion, and the playing field has been set. As much as I adore the worlds of superheroes and Jedis, there’s something about action films like this, which follow simple through lines, with little in the way of complications, that is refreshing to watch, and Wick vs. the Russian mob (led in this film by Michael Nyqvist, who plays Allen’s father here) is a very direct piece of plotting, with the filmmakers also laying out the world this film takes place in effortlessly. Most compelling is the introduction of The Continental, which is an extended-stay hotel, of sorts, for people like John and Marcus to come and unwind as they go about their business. Run by the “welcome anytime he shows up” Ian McShane, it has a very strict code for its guests, and seeing how the film builds the community of criminals and killers in this movie is almost as fun as the action itself. Reeves did most of his own stunts, and it makes the action, shot by Stahelski and cinematographer Jonathan Sela all the more brutal to watch. You can’t take your eyes off of this movie, which Reeves, Kolstad and Stahelski have shot through with a depth of purpose to go with the entertaining action they deliver on-screen. It’s easy to see why this film became a favorite for action fans.
