John Wick (2014)

Genres

Action, Crime, Thriller

Directors

Chad Stahelski, David Leitch

Country

USA

Cast

Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, Willem Dafoe, Toby Leonard Moore, Bridget Regan

Storyline

After the dog his late wife left him is killed by the son (Alfie Allen) of his former Russian mobster boss (Michael Nyqvist), former hit man John Wick (Keanu Reeves) resumes his job, only this time the target is the Russian mob.

Opinion

Given the huge success of John Wick: Chapter 2, I decided to watch John Wick, the movie that started it all. I have to say that I didn't have a lot of expectations, I knew I was going to sit through a shallow action flick, and that's basically what happened, but it was a hell of an entertaining action thriller.

The plot is simple and straightforward and can be summed up with one word, a movie title actually, Taken. Just switch the daughter with a dog, and there you have it. It isn't original - there isn't any beautiful girlfriend around though -, and you'll have that terrible I've-seen-this-before feeling for most of its running time.

To that add some paper thin, one-dimensional characters which are a parallel universe to character development. There aren't needless characters with needless dramas - which is actually a good thing. Most important though, John Wick, the main character, hardly has a backstory and we are supposed to care for him. But you know what? I did care for him. And I guess I should thank Keanu Reeves for that. Don't get me wrong, he doesn't give a great performance or anything like that, he still isn't a good actor, but he brings so much (of his) charisma to the screen that you'll eventually care and root for his character. And this John Wick guy is such a badass. 

Other than Reeves's charms, John Wick benefits from a great direction. Once again, I'm not talking about award-quality direction, but Stahelski and Leitch managed to keep the film very well and fast paced from start to finish; it is incredibly fluid.

The film is also beautifully shot, but most important, it is filled with fun, engaging and stylish action sequences that are wonderfully choreographed, and, as far fetched as they are, they are delivered in such a manner that they are actually believable. And what could one possibly want from an action flick other than this? I sure don't know.