The story of John Wick is Keanu Reeve’s best brand of movie – it follows the ordeal of a widowed ex-hitman who has his beloved car stolen and his dog killed by Russian gangsters, you can probably anticipate the revenge-driven gun fights and action sequences that follow…
I’ve always found Reeves to be something of an enigma; not an actor who wins awards or acclaim for his performances but is still quite the box office draw. His stoic manner doesn’t exactly take us to the depths of a character’s true core but in the case of most action films this is rarely necessary.
The film does well in its first half hour to convey a cold and sombre feel, which is mirrored by the grim and beautifully shot grey surroundings of John Wick’s house. In fact the first ten minutes deliver a surprising degree of realism from Reeves as his character comes to terms with his wife’s death and her tender final act in having a puppy delivered to him after her funeral. Despite his reputation for blandness he paints a picture of loss as he replays her death and the burglary in his head.
Keanu Reeves stars as the retired hitman John Wick
The story sets itself up nicely with the gangsters (led by the mob boss’ son) returning from their heist only to be greeted with disdain as it’s revealed that the “nobody” they stole from is in fact a lethal hitman that used to work for the Russian mob boss. The reaction of the Boss to his son’s actions builds the anticipation of what’s to come for the next hour as John Wick is described as some kind of invincible amalgamation of The Punisher, The Transporter and Chuck Norris.
However despite this scene cranking up the tension, the film never truly delivers the crescendo I had expected. Instead, it slips into an inevitable predictability that falls short by comparison to the promise it showed in the first half hour.
The rage that you expect to manifest in John Wick never really materialises except for a brief moment towards the film’s final act. It’s this missing intensity that makes it feel slightly tame in comparison to similar shoot ‘em ups like Taken and Leon but this is likely down in part to the film’s more universally commercial 15 rating.
John Wick isn’t without its positive aspects though. Ian McShane (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) and Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man) both play brief but effect cameos, and Michael Nyqvist (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones) are a good crime family pairing.
At an hour and a half it’s not overly long and there was perhaps room for a little more character development than you otherwise get, John Wick 2 has already been announced so perhaps the film makers will build on this first instalment by adding more substance to his character. Sure it’s not without its faults but it’s still a worthwhile way to spend ninety minutes!
Author: Steve, Bristol store
