Such touches give the production a gorgeous flavour, provoking a few welcome moments of dark comedy to lighten up the violent affair. Fellow killers and even police officers are wary to engage Wick, respectfully leaving him alone as he conducts his business.
Furthermore, John meets an array of friends throughout the movie who are wholly aware of his abilities and reputation. Above all, it’s executed in a believable fashion. John does receive a few injuries here and there, but for the most part he’s supremely confident - and I found this quality both refreshing and satisfying.
Some may decry that John is too unstoppable, but I’m personally sick of seeing “badass” heroes being captured or beaten within an inch of their life. With his wife dead, the titular assassin doesn’t get involved with any other women, and he’s so skilled that he only rarely finds himself out of his depth. But John Wick has no need for this brand of malarkey, which is another reason why it’s such a breath of fresh air. Too many action movies are bogged down by humdrum love stories or other attempts to humanise the central hero, slowing the pace to a drag and denying us the pure testosterone boost we seek. But once Wick is wronged and the beast is unleashed, the flick roars to life, and the result is something to behold. On the contrary, the action-free opening act is a masterpiece of economy, establishing Wick’s character and situation mostly through images rather than words. John Wick is one of the purest action flicks of recent years, but its taut disposition doesn’t mean that plot is neglected. However, John is focused on retribution, prompting Viggo to call in as many heavily armed men as he can to take down the killing machine as quickly as possible. Learning of his idiot son’s actions, Viggo immediately realises that his entire operation is now under threat of being obliterated by the most dangerous man alive, and tries to come to a peaceful arrangement with John. As John struggles to work through the grieving process, his life is thrown into turmoil again when his classic car is stolen and his pup is killed by Iosef ( Alfie Allen), the son of powerful Russian kingpin Viggo ( Michael Nyqvist). It’s pure ecstasy that action fans will go gaga over.Ī retired underworld assassin for the Russian mafia, John Wick ( Reeves) tragically loses his wife to cancer, but she leaves him one last gift: a puppy for companionship. Add to this a spot-on performance from Keanu Reeves, an R-rating and a well-judged screenplay, and this is one badass movie. John Wick is a B-movie at heart, and on the surface may look like an unremarkable straight-to-video endeavour, but the execution is flawless, with miraculously choreographed action scenes and exceptional stunt-work elevating this brutal revenge flick into the stratosphere. Here is a lean, adrenaline-charged 100-minute thrill ride which understands economical storytelling, disposing of superfluous narrative tangents to focus on what matters. Confidently belying its modest budget, the movie easily surpasses that year’s CGI-infested blockbusters and superhero offerings, and even tops more old-school actioners like The Equalizer and Fury. Let’s not mince words here: John Wick is the best action movie of 2014. Bound by a blood oath to help him, John travels to Rome where he squares off against some of the world’s deadliest killers.If you create a user account, you can add your own review of this DVDįeaturette-Behind The Scenes- Don't F*#% With John Wickįeaturette-Behind The Scenes- Calling in the Cavalryįeaturette-Behind The Scenes- Destiny of a Collectiveįeaturette-Behind The Scenes- The Assassin's Codeįeaturette-Behind The Scenes- The Red Circleįeaturette-Behind The Scenes- N.Y.C.
In this next chapter following the 2015 hit, legendary hitman John Wick is forced back out of retirement by a former associate plotting to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. John’s search for his stolen vehicle takes him to a side of New York City that tourists never see, a hyper-real, super-secret criminal community, where John Wick was once the baddest guy of all. Unwittingly, they have just reawakened one of the most brutal assassins the underworld has ever seen. But John’s mourning is interrupted when his 1969 Boss Mustang catches the eye of sadistic thug Iosef Tarasov who breaks into his house and steals it, beating John unconscious and leaving Daisy dead.
When a retired hit man is forced back into action by a brutal Russian mobster, he hunts down his adversaries with the ruthlessness that made him a crime underworld legend in John Wick, a stylish tale of revenge and redemption.Īfter the sudden death of his beloved wife, John Wick receives one last gift from her, a beagle puppy named Daisy, and a note imploring him not to forget how to love.