Although Keanu Reeves has a very loyal fan following, the Canadian actor has had an uneven career at best which hasn’t quite reached the dizzying heights promised by his role in the 1999 action/sci-fi The Matrix. Perhaps that is why it is such a pleasure to find him in what is by far the best action film of the year. John Wick is so good that it is most likely to earn itself a cult following.
It is as if the titular role in John Wick was tailor-made for Reeves. He plays an ex-hitman with a legendary reputation who earned the nickname Boogeyman while carrying out assassinations on the directions of Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nyqvist), an extremely powerful Russian criminal from New York.
Reeves is an ‘ex’ hitman because he abandoned his criminal ways after falling in love and marrying a woman named Helen (Bridget Moynahan). Sadly, when the film begins, we learn that Helen passed away after battling cancer, leaving Wick with a broken heart and only a puppy to mend it. Unfortunately, for Wick and his puppy, he crosses paths with a spoiled young thug who not only steals his car and beats him up, but cruelly destroys the last precious memory left behind by his wife. Soon Wick investigates the identity of his assailant and discovers that the attacker was his former boss’s son, Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen). Meanwhile, when Viggo learns that his son made enemies with John Wick, he realises that no matter what he does, Iosef is a dead man.
Although the narrative featured in John Wick is a tale of simple revenge, it is highly compelling due to a fantastic performance by Reeves. His quiet intensity and calmness make the nature of his character feel very believable. Reeves’ fascination with Buddhism is also well-documented and his spirituality seems to add a peaceful aura to his screen presence. At the same time, the natural vulnerability displayed by him helps us sympathise with Wick in a way that might not have been possible with any other action star.
The storytelling in John Wick is made all the more interesting with a smart script that allows its star to deliver some amusing one-liners. The film also shows a delightful self-awareness by featuring some tongue-in-cheek humor.
The biggest star of John Wick, however, is first-time director Chad Stahelski, who created the film with beautifully choreographed action sequences. The gun battles sequences are so stylish that it is almost like watching poetry in motion. The artful nature of the action is especially remarkable, considering the film is extremely brutal and features bone-crunching violence. The secret is in Stahelski’s skill at finding the right aesthetic balance by not overindulging in the production room.
Regrettably, the final act in John Wick is standard action movie fare and doesn’t match the rest of the film in terms of either creativity or intensity. But apart from that, the film is certainly worth the admission fee, especially in the age of Michael Bay where obnoxiously loud action films are the norm.
Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, November 30th, 2014.
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@Jason: No, I meant Bollywood. Most Bollywood movies are on the same one-man-army track as John Wick, and thats why I understand the positive review by the author.
Hollywood movies usually have much higher budgets. I'm sure if Bollywood movies had as much, they would be making something similar to John Wick in terms of camera work, special effects etc.
@Adam ... you meant to say Hollywood? Don't degrade hollywood movies with bollywood garbage ... few months later I am sure an exact rip-off of John Wick will be planned in India
Everyone has their tastes when it comes to movies. With all due respect to the author of the article, John Wick is nothing but a high budget, well shot, Sultan Rahi flick. I even caught some sleep in the movie theatre, and when I woke up, i hadn't missed much. But then movies like John Wick are the ones that earn the most in Bollywood, so I can understand why people will like it.