Movie Review – John Wick

by Donald Hanson • November 6, 2014 • Movie Reviews • Comments (0) • 1862

Some movies have really well developed characters and good stories. For other films its all about the execution. John Wick falls into the latter category. Sharing a similar tone and themes with Danzel Washington’s ‘The Equalizer’, ‘John Wick’ spends less time on character but more time and effort on the entertainment value of the execution.

John Wick is the kind of movie that only works because the lead actor is a known quantity. Without Keanu Reeves in the lead role, the audience would be more averse to the lack of background given to the main character. When someone watches a movie like this one they see Keanu and apply what they know of him to the character. Its kind of a cheat but also a shortcut that a film can use when an established movie star is cast as the lead.

John Wick is a character that is having some really bad luck lately. His wife has died and then he runs into some russians that just make things worse. While the setup is not very elaborate, it is solid enough to get the audience on board for a revenge movie. The acting is pretty decent from Keanu as well as Michael Nyqvist and Alfie Allen as father and son russian mobsters. Nyqvist understands the subtleties of being menacing and that over the top is not necessary. There are a few nice touches in the film such as a very unique and special hotel and some interesting associates that Wick has.

Well crafted and beautifully filmed, this movie is great to look at and is appropriately playing in IMAX even though none of it was filmed in real IMAX. The action scenes and visuals are the highlights of this starightforward action/revenge movie. If that’s what you are looking for this film delivers.

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