John Wick

Dir: Chad Stahelski

2014

***

While there is something quite refreshing about Chad Stahelski's John Wick, it's also rather unremarkable. It's much like an early Luc Besson produced action thriller, in fact I'm surprised it isn't. However, once I learned that it was written, directed and conceived by Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, Stahelski being Keanu Reeves' stunt double in The Matrix, it suddenly made sense. Stahelski and Leitch site MANGA and John Woo films as influence, which I can see hints of, but there are several graphic novels I could make better comparisons with. While the Ex-Hitman looses Wife, gets car stolen and Dog murdered and goes out looking for revenge story is unique, it's written and filmed in a very familiar style. It's predictable but entertaining all the same. The most interesting element of the film is the secret world created around the story. John Wick is part of a secret society of hit-men who live by a code and work together, like some sort of glamorous crime union. They have their own hotel, staff and cleaning service and all payments are made with Gold coins. This idea is woefully underused as it is by far the most original and entertaining aspect of the character and story. Keanu Reeves is Keanu Reeves. He still remembers how to Kung-fu and Kung-fu he does. Michael Nyqvist is a suitably nasty bad-guy, Alfie Allen plays his annoying character rather too well and support is strong, although far too brief from both Ian McShane and John Leguizamo. Willem Dafoe has a larger part to play but again his was far too brief. While the development of most of the characters leaves a lot to be desired, I thought that Adrianne Palicki was very good, again, I would have liked to have seen a lot more of her in the film. The film is directed nicely, it's very stylish and sleek and the action sequences are fantastic (unsurprising seeing as it is written by two of Hollywood's leading stunt coordinators). It's a good introduction to a character I'd like to see more of, if a few action sequences had been swapped for a few more witty dialogue lead scenes it would have been an improvement but I was entertained throughout.