John Wick – Movie Review by Conor Macnamara
Director: Chad Stahelski, David Leitch
Writer: Derek Kolstad
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Willem Dafoe

It is an established fact that only bad guys kill puppies. It is also mandated that all Russians in movies be vodka swilling criminals. So when Keanu Reeves has his dog brutally murdered by Russian mobsters in an act of moustache twirling villainy, the only appropriate response is to kill hundreds of people and dismantle the entire New York Russian mob in a blaze of gunfire and monotone one-liners. Such is the level of subtly present in David Leitch’s newest film John Wick, a movie that prides itself in its dastardly antagonists and warbling protagonist, and amazingly makes it work.

Sardonic pretexts aside, Leitch knows how to handle action, a skill many Hollywood directors sorely lack. Unflinching in its brutality but never overtly gory or gaudy, John Wick is a film that sits firmly in the action genre and revels in it. Reeves is on familiar ground, all black suits and martial arts, set against a stylized Electronic Dance Music soundtrack that is genuinely refreshing in a world of drab desert and alleyway shooters. Michael Nyqvist and Willem Dafoe are also on hand to help disguise some of the films glaring faults with stellar performances, and Reeves himself even attempts to break free of his myopic acting on occasion.

Overall, John Wick is a film that may go surprisingly underrated by general audiences. It is a slow burning mess of clichés and unlikeable characters that slowly gathers momentum and substance until you find yourself cheering for them in all their violent absurdity. Stylistically placed somewhere between Blade Runner and Wanted, this has all the makings of a cult classic among action film addicts, a feat not easily accomplished in a genre saturated by big budget shooters and tired repetition. Warble on John Wick!

John Wick 2 has already been announced.