...wherein Keanu Reeves shoots absolutely everybody in the head.

An absolute delight for any action junkie. Reeves' physical work is incredible, the tone is a perfect balance of light and dark, and the action is kinetic, original, and violent as hell.

The plot won't surprise anyone who has seen an action movie before, but it's well paced and uncomplicated. In fact, the simplicity seems kind of gutsy in today's environment. The whole film rests on Keanu Reeves being awesome, and everything else being serviceable. It works.

Everyone involved seems to be giving this film their all, and it pays off. What could have been derivative and dull instead feels familiar but exciting. It's great to see a straightforward, violent action movie with a reasonable budget, and it's great to see Keanu kicking ass again. Two thumbs up.

When I saw the trailer for John Wick, I thought this film was gonna was a parody of itself. All that dead wife, dead dog stuff seemed so silly and stupid. I just couldn't take it seriously.

Watching it... it was Okay. The movie didn't take itself seriously at all, it knew what it was... a brain dead action movie... and a good one at that. Like Heretic says, it's really a very simple movie. Maybe even too simple, but it works.

Unlike that horrible Equalizer movie, this knew what it was, it had a silly tone and kept it going. Wasn't too long, although I kind of felt it started to lose steam in the last third. They really shouldn't make too many of these films, because they'll kind of lose their luster. It's a bit refreshing to catch a movie like this now and again, that's very simple, very straightforward, silly and fun.

All in all, it was Okay. I found it to be cute and enjoyable.

I emjoyed the film much more than Equalizer, and I really liked the wall-to wall Tae Kwon Do, Sambo (Russian kickboxing) and BJJ (Brazillian Ju-Jistu) I liked the fact that at one point our anti-hero protag gets overpowered and gets beat up a bit- he's not invincible. I liked the fact that he had unexpected help - although I think part of that had to do with a "code" being broken - and how 'bout that "neutral ground hotel" for hitmen/women?

Derek Kolstad is the credited writer of the script. and I mention it because the script is clever and seems a cut above other pictures. At first, it's possible to dismiss the film as an average popcorn action flick, but that fleshing out of the Marcus character, the dialog regarding the Cleaners ("Take out for 12") and the assassin hotel put this film on a higher plane than an average revenge action film. Then came that scene where Wick is subdued and his former boss is going to tourture and kill Wick for not only stopping his revenge sree, but also due to Wicks attack on the church/safehouse. Wick's response suggests something a bit more about the character than I was led to believe. The stealing of the car and killing of the puppy his late wife left him was actually an excuse to go after his former employers at least that's what I took from it (he and Marcus were unsatisfied with some of the work given to them and/or felt unappriciated as implied in the cemetary) and a lot in the film is about respecting a code of conduct.

This is the best Keanu Reeves led film in a long time, and I hope to see a sequel.
Or at least more of the Contiental.

Very impressed with this one...although it starts out very weak and cliche filled.

Once things get going, they don't let up.  The action and hand to hand fight scenes are beyond impressive, and kudos needs to go to Director(s) Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, who are both stunt men and fight experts.  Let's throw some kudos Keanu Reeves' way also, as he really delivers in his gunplay and fighting techniques.

The plot is as simple as you can get and I highly doubt there's really much of a script here from writer Derek Kolstad, but what is here works on every level it was intended to, and that's what counts.

John Wick 2 is already filming and the intent was for this to be a trilogy, so seems like things are on track, as this was a BO success.

Obviously, a movie like this won't appeal to everyone or even the masses, but if you're a fan of action and don't mind alot of violence, you can't really go wrong here.

Grade - A-

I'm gonna check this out. I went to H.S. with a John Wick, he was Asian, couldn't fight very well -- can't be based on him.

Quoted from TonyDionisio I'm gonna check this out. I went to H.S. with a John Wick, he was Asian, couldn't fight very well -- can't be based on him.

"John Wick" is based on the screenwriter's Grand Father.

Shit, it's not on netflix. Gotta look someplace else.

A couple weeks ago, Direct TV had free HBO and Cinemax for the weekend and I DVR'd a shitload of flicks I hadn't seen....like 15 or so!!!

Checked this out when it first came out, and I was pleasantly surprised. Before I gave the slight edge to "John Wick" over "The Equalizer," but recently watched both back to back and "John Wick" didn't hold up as well as "The Equalizer." My conclusion why, rather obvious one, Denzel is a waaaaay better actor than Reeves, haha.

Side note: why they keep picking on the Russians, damn, aha.

BLB

I saw this. As mentioned, really great fight scenes... everything else: empty as the space inside a politician's suit.

I liked the first half. At first, when I saw Keanu, I thought, man, this is going to be shit... but after watching it for a while I noted that his acting has improved a little bit since Speed. Not much, mind... just a bit.

The action in this was good but got very, very repetitive to the point it got boring and I turned it off. I already know what's going to happen in the end, I don't need to actually see it.

I just can't bring myself to appreciate anything about Keanu's acting.

The movie was no better. Same old shit Hollywood bangs out every week.

Keanu. I've been at festivals and watched his band, in which he really did play the bass. I would love to comment on his skills on the tool of ignorance, but sadly I can only recall the maelstrom of teenage girls around his, and only his, side of the stage.

Acting wise I can agree he is erm, limited. That said, The Matrix still looks good. John Wick I think is a glorious mess, but not because of Keanu, I think he does well in this. The story is the stretch there. Reeves does as well in it as anyone could.

My last point is himself in Knock Knock. I thought this was gonna be awful. This was one of those my better half foisted upon me. Oh yes, a self contained horror movie by Eli Roth starring Keanu Reaves. That sounds wonderful darling. What better way to spend the evening?

I was pleasantly surprised. The movie is not without fault. The point is I don't think Keanu is guilty of any. He doesn't have range. But when he keeps within it he's fine. Hey, there's many stars out there who made careers with a lot less. I like him, hell love him. Even if it's just for Neo, I can't imagine anyone at all playing him better. Let's just skip over Dracula and all those other ones. In my book the ones he gets right make up for the erm, other ones.

I don't know what to think about John Wick 2, I'll decide later. Probably best for everyone. Can't see how it'll work myself. But then again I though the first would be wank. It was far better than that. I really quite enjoyed it.

R