The best type of revenge
Easily one of my favorite action flicks. The concept and story is very straightforward, the action choreography is amazing, the violence is brutal and Keanu Reeves is born for this role. The beginning of the movie with his dog still gets to me, what an emotional moment. The cement breaking and the night-club sequence are my favorites. The supporting characters are intriguing and the villains are the ones who are afraid which is interesting. Some nice music choices and score. Pacing was perfect, it's always entertaining and never feels slow. Third act and final fight was the weakest part but still enjoyable. A must-watch for action lovers and animal lovers.
Let this be a warning to everyone, my cat is off limits!
John Wick was so badass. It was directed by a choreographer and stunt double (for Keanu Reeves) for the Matrix trilogy and it really shows. A brief introduction to the titular character, as is typical of revenge thrillers, quickly gives way to the action and damn is it good. Fantastic and stylish action sequences make up 90% of the movie and when it looks this incredible, I'm definitely okay with that.
This is how you do an action movie. Just the right amount of everything without being over the top. Spot on !
bs movie
[6.2/10] Great action does not a great action movie make. Sure, it’s a necessary condition, but not a sufficient one. John Wick can boast some impressively staged combat. It should with two people heavily involved in the stunt world behind the camera. The film locks in on longer, more creative fights with unbroken shots and a nice combination of shooting, punching, and car-based fireworks to keep the title character taking out his enemies in creative ways throughout.
If all you’re interested in when strolling on down to the theater is seeing some black-clad badass convincingly and creatively knockaround some thugs for ninety minutes, then this is the film for you.
But if you want more than that, trifling things like dialogue, character, story, and other rank indulgences that John Wick has little time or need for, then you’ll be sorely disappointed. The movie largely omits any such minor contrivances to add color to pugilism. (Which, hey, might be as useful literally as figuratively, since much of the film takes place amid either washed out blues or dimly-lit grayscale that can leave the experience feeling like you’re watching the movie through gravel).
The best it can offer is some generic tropes with a few sweeteners. The eponymous John Wick is some sort of mercenary or hitman for hire who got out of the game to enjoy a quiet life with the woman he loves. But then she dies, and some thugs steal his car and kill the puppy that was her dying gift to him, causing Wick to go on a roaring rampage of revenge against them, and the mob boss he used to work for who is, coincidentally, the father of the asshole who murdered his dog.
That’s pretty much it. At times, the movie vaguely grazes something beyond these ideas. The closest thing to an arc the title character has amounts to having been out of the game and then deciding that he is, firmly and finally, “back.” The characters loudly announce their motivations in one of Wick’s few genuinely emotive scenes. And there’s some commentary, mostly from the villain’s overblown monologues, about no one being able to escape the orbit of their world, and their misdeeds coming back to haunt them. At base though, all of that is window dressing on Keanu Reeves revisiting his Matrix skillset and punching, kicking, throwing, shooting, and crashing into anyone who gets in his way.
It’s good work though! With an industrial techno soundtrack, and the best dance club action set piece since Collateral, the movie convincingly portrays John Wick as an unstoppable badass. Longer takes, impossible shots, and a handful of genuine struggles between our hero and the hapless mooks unlucky enough to stand between him and his revenge, are enough to grab your attention and mark the proceedings as something beyond the usual undifferentiated big screen throwdown. Even that gets tiring after a while, though, given how little else the film has to offer.
The biggest liability in that regard in Keanu Reeves himself. The best you can say is maybe he’s trying to go for the “dark emotions bubbling under the surface” and robotic tones of grief. There are two scenes in the whole picture where he feels alive. The rest of them feature Reeves at his standard, stone-faced demeanor, ably moving through the action sequences he’s called on to perform, but never really conveying much character, or layers beneath the steely assassin, necessary to animate a film and a script that has little interest in developing story or character.
To compensate for this, John Wick surrounds Reeves with a who’s who of character actors from some of T.V.’s best prestige dramas. Most notably, Ian McShane of Deadwood fame semi-reprises his role as the proprietor of an establishment for cutthroats and hedonists alike with a unique but particular code for how he runs things. But familiar faces from The Wire, Game of Thrones, and Friday Night Lights pop up in roles big and small, and elevate the proceedings with their performances given how little character-focused writing there is in this movie.
They tie into the other major element that adds some spark to John Wick -- the little ecosystem (more gestured to than fully explored) of spooks and assassins that Wick himself is dipping back into. There’s an unspoken past between Wick and his old friend played by Willem Dafoe; rules of engagement that are observed and discarded by folks like a rival assassin played by Adrianne Palicki; and the no-questions-asked establishment owned by McShane’s character, but fronted by a genteel turn from Lance Reddick. The sense of their being small inputs and outputs, intertwined histories and a by-acclimation state of play that provides a backdrop to Wick’s adventures, gives texture and depth to the world the central figure inhabits. At times those glimpses, and the opportunity to spend more time in that world, are more intriguing than anything anchored by Wick himself.
That doesn't stop the film from loading for bear with boastful but wistful villain monologues, the standard “haunted by dead wife” backstory with a slight embellishment, and sequence after sequence of deadly action that neatly walks the line between realism and fantasy. In some ways, John Wick feels more like a T.V. pilot: dutifully but able explaining the protagonist’s motivation, gesturing toward a broader world for future adventures to take place in, and providing a demonstration for curious viewers what the “show” is capable of providing in terms of entertainment.
Despite its sequels, however, John Wick, is not a television show. It is, nominally at least, meant to be one complete story. Taken as that, it comes off like a generic contract killer revenge tale, bolstered by some unquestionably stellar combat set pieces. The film provides no shortage of exciting scenes of people being kicked, punched, shot, and otherwise beaten down, but never rises above the generic and expected when explaining why we should care about who’s doing the beating and who’s receiving it.
John Wick’s creators hope that “Keanu Reeves = ultimate badass” will be enough on its own. Given the film’s success, they aren’t wrong. But some folks still ask for more from their favorite beat-em-ups than just the beatings.
One thing is clear from this movie. Do not mess with anybody's dog.
Wow! This movie really is awesome! Great fight scene sequences, great story. Love Keanu Reeves! Highly recommended!
God, the beginning (i.e. anything related to Daisy) fucks me up every time. She‘s so cute :(
Anyway, for a guy who‘s supposedly such a good hitman dude sure wastes a lot of ammo. And I don‘t even mean that he misses occasionally, which is fine, and double tap head/chest makes sense too, but shooting someone three times in the chest and then in the head? Or hell, double headshots? No wonder he has to reload constantly.
This movie was unoriginal and boring. I really don't see what's so fun in seeing a movie about a underdeveloped character that just uses guns for the entire movie with terrible fight choreography. The fight scenes were at best like those of a low budget indie movie. Yes, before I've seen plenty of times movies that were of the same genre (most movies were with Jason Statham) but those were at least 7/10 this deserves a 3/10, the only things I liked in this movie were the gold coin system, the rain sequences (which had good camera work) and the cool muscle cars. Most people who like this movie are probably kids or people who haven't seen many action movies in their lives, I've seen most of them already, so I tend to have a more critical mindset towards those kinds of movies. The only time a dull movie like this one could become good would be if there was comedy in it like 21 Jump Street or Mr. Right. These days, I find that the only good action movies are the superhero movies and that's not because I only like superhero movies (if you see my ratings). Another thing I found pretty terrible was how the actors that play the russian mob don't look russian at all, they didn't even try. At least in Arrow, the russian mob really looks like how the real russian mob would look like but not here.
Its a mindless action thriller, I didn't feel anything special when watching it but the fight scenes were cool and if you think you will like it than you should watch it. Apparently the second one is better, but I haven't seen it yet, hence me watching this now.
DISCLAIMER: I did not see this movie in its original language(English), but in a dubbed version(Italian). I may have missed some nuances.
John Wick is a great action movie. No bullshit, straight to the point.
There is no unnecessary exposition, just the bare minimum. No long dialogue telling us the story of this guy at the start of the movie. It's a great, simple setup.
The action scene are crazy good. The experience that the director and Keanu Reeves have in staged fights really shows. The choreography is always well done, no useless movements, everything has a purpose. Brilliant combination of guns and martial arts.I also really enjoyed the almost complete lack of shaky cam (and when there was, I felt it had a purpose).
The photography is pretty. Most of the movie is at night, with a certain techno/underground vibe.
The music didn't really grab me a lot. That may be a matter of personal preferences, but it sometimes didn't fit and distracted me from the movie.
In the end, I would recommend John Wick to everybody, even those that don't particularly like action movies. It has a tight runtime, a great and believable world building and some of the best choreographed fight scenes; all without useless stuff like a pointless romance. What's not to love?
8/10
Stylish, thrilling, and giddily kinetic.
Keanu Reeves plays the Liam Neeson role in this slick, sharp, vicious little bout of revenge fantasy. With support work from a whole mess of "I know that guys" and a blow-away effects budget, it's a real riot to watch, not to mention one hell of a tech demo for the masterminds behind the fight scenes.
Like those Neeson kill-em-alls, though, it's as straight as an arrow and shallower than the kiddie pool. In some ways, it's refreshing to just dispense with all the stereotypical origin trappings and get right into the firefights, but at the end of the show it just feels like one long, easy excuse to watch a whole mess of cool stuff without any extra justification. Lust-worthy cars, ferocious weaponry, powerful western-styled physicality, stereo-thumping tunes, magnificent cityscapes, the list just goes on and on.
Escapists delight, for John Wick has come to deliver a dream. Cinephiles, well... just sit back and try to let the sheer, celebratory brutality beat your conscience into submission. It won't be too difficult.
You fucked up Theon! AGAIN!
Cámara lenta para destacar los pocos momentos que deben dejar impresión en el espectador. Eso da idea clara de las capacidades del director. Por lo demás prescindible. Alguna escena de acción interesante.
Such a mediocre movie, don't know why are you guys obsessed with it
Wow what a bad movie. Even the action was bad. It was boring and unoriginal. We just watch Wick go and kill everybody, with no class at all. Ruthless. Very disappointed, I was expecting at least a good story to wrap around all the shootings.
For me, just a bunch of shooting and that ending - why?
If someone did that to my dog I’d probably be the same. (Possibly with less skill though).
This is a perfect example of believing too much of the hype. I sat there watching this and expected to see something special. It really wasn't even that different. "John Wick" is good, it looks nice and there's lots of action. Keanu is lean and mean, but I just never bought into him being a real bad ass. The bad guys were flat and uninteresting.
Watch a Daniel Craig Bond flick or "Die Hard" again, instead.
Noteworthy cast, but unfortunately horrible character development, trash plot and really just boring after some time because there are no interesting turns.
Ok...violence towards children and animals is something I highly despise, and when it's used as a tool to make tension or sympathy in a movie, I usually stay clear of the movie altogether. It has to be done in a certain way for me to even contemplate to watch it, and even then I hate the images and feelings it leaves. I don't need that in my entertainment...
The opening of John Wick is one of those scenes...done right I suppose, but still...it leaves a sour taste and I believe this movie could have been just as good without that particular scene.
Anyway...the rest of the movie is quite good. The fighting scenes are superbly choreographed, and the lighting and mood make it almost "noirish". Most of the movies go by in a flash, as the action and storytelling are fast-paced, with few to no breaks.
The John Wick character works well for Keanu Reeves as it has few lines and is perfect for a "stone-faced" actor with little diversity when it comes to facial expressions...
Anyway...as an action movie John Wick works rather well. It's entertaining if you look past the beginning, and works as an evening's entertainment.
Theme- 10/10
Rewatchibility- 9.5/10
Acting- 8/10
Kinematography- 10/10
Time- 9.5/10
Total - 47/5 = 9.4
For a serviceable action with badass Keanu going on a rampage and killing everyone, it’s directed, choreographed, and packaged in an unexpectedly stylish manner. However, it gets boring surprisingly fast. Despite the abnormous high kill count, it’s pretty much the same exact same routine with little variation. There are also a couple of unneeded plot points slowing things down in the second half.
I can see why it buzzed, but I definitely prefer the more self-aware and playful approach of its semi-companion piece "Nobody".
John Wick is awesome! An assassin that just lost his wife, gets his car stolen and dog killed. Game on! Such a simple premise, that all of the side characters continually sell scene after scene. John Wick isn't the boogeyman, he is the man you send to kill the boogeyman. Every character in this film knows it and it creates an incredible watching experience!
Rating: 4.5/5 - 9/10 - Highly Recommend
Don't Set Him Off:
7/10
Not the best badass kicks ass movies I have seen I have absolutely phenomenal ones in my
"MMA" (My Multiverse Archives), but with that being said I found this very interesting for the most part and I liked it very much and it did entertain.
I enjoyed the Gun-Fu and liked how john wasn't that overpowered and although they kept saying he was this Legendary Assassin
That Legendary they even call him The Bada Yaga
(The Boggie Man even though The Bada Yaga was actually a Witch that stole naughty children are just children), I found John Struggling through most of the fights even to the point of surviving them with Luck and a bit of help and never mind he's retired for 5yrs and had to get back into the swing of things.
If you are that good with that much of a Legendary reputation you're just that good regardless of how long you have off from all of that kinda going-on's.
But like i said i didn't mind that to much even though the bad guys had a bigger opinion of him than i was seeing...(3 guys and a pencil for god sakes............wait....what?)
But John got what he needed to do and i enjoyed watching him do it.
X FINAL THOUGHT:
I was invested especially with what they did and I'm not talking about the car.
I found John to be very real
because every fight was a mission to get through also he took heavy damage himself. A little less talking maybe in the next one and I am definitely ready to see what's next for the boogie man to overcome lol.
X verdict a fun and interesting n entertaining watch......
Now for number 2.
Great cinematography and action, wonderful neo noiresque scenes, humour, engaging fight scenes... I enjoyed it.
Too much stupidity and too many absurdly bad decisions to be considered a good movie. Action is good, choreographies are great but the character is just too stupid.
Three things you shouldn't do to a bad-ass:
When I first heard the news that this movie was getting made and the face that two directors that never directed anything before I thought it was going to be a load of crap, but it turns out I was wrong and this movie is awesome.
Keanu Reeves is simple at his best here, even if he's not the greatest actor on the planet, he does try every role and in this movie he does. The directors of the film David Leitch and Chad Stahelski both do a excellent and fantastic job of directing this movie and I found out that these two are actually stunt men. The villain was good and the action scenes were shot perfectly.
Towards the end of the movie, it felt a bit cliche for me. You know in every action movie that the main hero is facing off the main bad guy and their shouting out one liners at each other, you know what I mean and that to me felt like the writer's got lazy half way through.
Overall rating: John Wick has to be the biggest surprise for me with it's intelligent writing and nail biting action scenes.
Very very good, how John Wick was geting back on action from retire (it was retire from be a asasisn) and geting back is very good, the action very good, is one of the best movie i ever seen.
I was SOOOOOO BORED. I couldn't even make it through the whole movie. I'm pissed that I wasted my money on this piece of garbage.
*Crew or equipment visible*
(at around 1h 18 mins)
After the hotel manager gives John a new car as a parting gift, when John leaves the premises the camera crane is reflected by the Charger's hood.
At around 13 min 10s, when John is drifting in his car on the airfield, the shadow of the camera crane is seen in the bottom left as it glides closer to his car.
*Errors in geography*
In New Jersey, when John Wick first encounters Iosef, they are both pumping their own gas. However, self-serve gas stations are banned in that state. In filming locations, it says that this gas station is in Upper Nyack in New York.
*Factual errors*
Russian Orthodox Churches do not have benches inside. When John is walking into Little Russia Church, he is actually walking into a Catholic church.
In Slavic folklore, Baba Yaga is not the Bogeyman or male at all. Baba Yaga is portrayed as a female, usually an old woman. Depending on the story, she either helps or hinders the protagonist. She's a trickster, sometimes good, sometimes malevolent.
In the beginning, when John calls Charlie after being attacked by Viggo's crew, he asks for a "dinner reservation" for 12. He actually killed 13 people.
*Incorrectly regarded as goofs*
The tattoo across John Wick's shoulders reads "Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat," which literally means "(the) strong (ones), Fortune helps", or "fortune favors the bold". This is a quote from a play by Terence, written in 161 BCE. It is often misquoted in English texts as "fortes Fortuna adiuvat", which uses the accusative plural ending -es instead of the "Republican" accusative ending -is, making some believe that the quote is misspelled. Apparently John knows a thing or two about antique playwrights.
It has been claimed that the phone call between Wick and Winston was a goof due to the smartphone screens being on. Many cellphone screens, even when in call mode, stay on for 10-15 seconds. Wick and Winston's call was only several seconds long. Also, you can clearly see on both phones the red "End Call" button which only appears in call mode.
*Revealing mistakes*
In part of the final fight, the white haired Viggo is replaced by a black haired stuntman.
When John starts breaking through the floor of his house, you can see the entire floor jump with the first swing of the sledgehammer, revealing that it is not a real concrete floor.
When John Wick is lying on the floor next to his dog, he places his hand on the dog and it is visually clear that the dog is either CGI or added in post production.
Anachronisms
When John Wick awakens to his alarm clock at 6:00am on the day of his wife's funeral, the sun is shown to not have not yet risen over the horizon. When he is awoken the following day (or possibly two days later) by his dog, also at 6:00am, there is full sunshine streaming through his bedroom window.
*My commentary*
The best way I can describe John Wick is to picture Taken but instead of Liam Neeson it's Keanu Reeves and instead of his daughter it's his dog. That's essentially the plot of the movie. John Wick (Reeves) is out to seek revenge on the people who took something he loved from him. It's a beautifully simple premise for an action movie - when action movies get convoluted, they get bad i.e. A Good Day to Die Hard. John Wick gives the viewers what they want: Awesome action, stylish stunts, kinetic chaos, and a relatable hero to tie it all together. John Wick succeeds in its simplicity.
As an action movie buff, all I wanted to see in this movie is some inventive action sequences, and I was not disappointed. Every single action sequence in this movie is fast-paced, beautifully shot, fluid, intense, and you never have trouble understanding what's going on. The direction of this film is fantastic, as is the writing. There's no melodramatic soapy story lines - everything is straight and to the point, and the point is to get to the action. Not one moment in this movie is boring. The short dialogue is effective from getting to action sequence A to sequence B without any confusion as to any character's motive. It's all laid out in front of you - all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the insanity happening on screen.
Remember when Live Free or Die Hard came out and people were upset that John McClane only fired pistols throughout the entire movie? I like a little versatility when it comes to action heroes, and evidently so do the writers. John Wick wrecks face with pistols, assault rifles, shotguns, knives, even mano-a-mano; the man can do anything. The difference between John Wick and other modern action movies (Die Hard 5 and Taken 3 for instance) is that you actually believe John Wick is killable. He's not some invincible superhero like Bruce Willis was in Die Hard 5, having his car crash and flip like a hundred times and the second it stops he gets out without a scratch and starts running. No, John Wick takes a beating in this film. Numerous times in fact. But most of the time he's kicking ass and taking names, and instead of acting as some unstoppable killing machine, he just seems like a guy who's an expert in his field. He used to be a hit-man after all.
John Wick is a blast to watch. Really, it's just a mindlessly fun action movie. It has large-scale shootouts, CQC sequences, and a classic hero-villain hand-to-hand confrontation at the end. The only negative I can say about the movie is that the villains aren't anything to write home about. They're Russian mobsters which we've seen a million times, and their leader isn't given enough to work with as far as character goes. Willam DaFoe has a brief but important role though as Wick's former colleague.
Regardless, John Wick is all about the action and it goes above and beyond in every respect. It's a breath of fresh air after all the poor sequels we've been getting, and thankfully John Wick has the potential to be the next great action franchise. An absolute must-watch for action fans.
My Score: 8/10.
John Wick is a bad ass. That is true. In a completely predictable mediocre action.
A film seemingly tailor made for Reeves' particular monotony, this is a straight action film, but makes no pretence to be anything else and is highly entertaining. Once the film is done with garnering as much sympathy for its lead as it is possible to get, this is pretty much one action sequence after another, but the film is very well paced, doesn't outstay its welcome (well maybe just a little) and pulls off some great action sequences, particularly in the first half of the film. Some great black humour and a raft of interesting cameos are interspersed throughout to help sell an intriguing background to the central character and the world he inhabits and Reeves is a good fit for the character.
I went to this movie thinking this was a SciFi movie. I was really disappointed when I realized it was an action sequence. but at the end it wasn't that bad. the movin shootin scenes were awesome.
Ok... The thing is this: Just forget the stupid story with the dog. No... Forget ANY story - it simply has none. BUT this movie is a piece of art in the category of action movies. Think of Kill Bill without any story and add even more coolness. ;)
I cannot wait to see the sequel to this. John Wick is a beautiful symphony of art and entertainment; the other worldly use of colour and cinematography combined with sheer balls to the wall action make it one in a million.
The plot is ostensibly very simple but it’s so much more than just a revenge flick. There’s a delicate balance between a father’s love for his son while accepting that his son is a shit and must be murdered by Wick. That’s followed by the need to catch and kill said murderer to avenge the death, while still having respect for the protagonist.
I love the weird yet logical moral code at play, and the surreal world Stahelski builds of people operating on a different plane to us mere mortals.
A dazzling borderline-masterpiece that shows cinema at its very best.
http://benoliver999.com/film/2017/03/21/johnwick/
Nice action but the plot is terrible.
I totally and utterly disliked the movie for more than one reason..
First of all, the utterly used and abused plot that was battered to death time and time again in many movies in which that one did not add anything new.
Second of all, the average performance of both Keanu Reeves and William Dafoe which made me wonder why such good actors would take on a weak movie like this one..
To Justify the three points that I gave the movie, I would have to say that it was due to two main reasons which IMHO are the only good things in this flaky hit..
1- The impressive Fight Choreography through out the movie brought to us by
Jonathan Eusebio, the fight choreographer for Avengers, the Expendables Trilogy, 300, the Bourne Ultimatum. So it being impressive was not really a surprise..
2- The Soundtrack of the movie, which mainly included tracks from TYLER BATES & JOEL J. RICHARD and other artists.
As far as the Critical Response goes.. Once again The critics and I strongly DISAGREE..
John Wick received positive reviews from critics and audiences.
Rotten Tomatoes reports that the film holds an 83% approval rating, based on 152 reviews, with an average score of 6.8/10.
On Metacritic, another review aggregator, assigned the film a weighted average score of 67 (out of 100) based on 36 reviews from mainstream critics, considered to be "generally favorable".
Awesome action scenes. Loved it. He's such a badass!
Really love how he pull that Chow Yun-Fat face.
Feels like a upgrade of the HK classic bullets fly flicks.
They killed his dog and stole his car... John Wick is legendary.
Great choreography and production quality meets terrible story.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘John Wick’:
Feels like an old school action movie yet very modern in its directing and choreography. If you watch it for what it is, you'll love it and enjoy it immensely.
the action was alright i guess, but the cheese is strong with this one, especially for a russian person. man the russian parts were fucking ridiculous... and i like how that whole shebang happened not even because of the dead dog, but because a guy refused to whimsically sell his car on a patrol station.
baba yaga haha. so he's basically an old witch that lives in a wooden house on chicken legs? hilarious.
John Wick, a grieving husband gets a dog as a gift from his late wife. The dog makes him happy for awhile until some idiot thugs come along that is. They don't realize that they messed with an ex assassin. Now John is taking out anyone who was involved.
A film about vengeance for a...dog is refreshing and the action is pretty bad ass. I can't wait to check out part 2.
Decent Entertainer. Could have been better. Good to see Keanu Reeves in yet another action role as a brutal assassin. A bit draggy here and there in parts. Appreciate that the director's decision of doing away with the "customary female lead role". Waiting for John Wick: Chapter 2. Good time pass. Go for it!
a really really good old action movie.
Keanu Reeves is more mad than ever...but looks absolutely the same as always. His career can be summed up by his facials expression throughout the movie. In all seriousness...great film. Decent, but overplayed storyline. But, revenge for the dog though? That kept me watching to the end. Thumbs up Keanu, you're not as much of a goner than I thought.
I went to this movie thinking this was a SciFi movie. I was really disappointed when I realized it was an action sequence. but at the end it wasn't that bad. the movin shootin scenes were awesome.
Everything an action movie could and should have, despite many clichéd elements, the way everything is done is incredible. The character's charisma is captivating and the whole development is very good.
Didn’t expect much for plot and got exactly that. Summary: “Revenge”. That’s about it. Turned of my brain and enjoyed the hell out of the great action scenes and had a good time.
As cliche as allot of things may be, they execute it well to where youre along for the ride rather than rolling your eyes. Fun to watch even on multiple watches.
Keanu knows how to play these killers, regardless of whether he is Neo, John Constantine or John Wick at this moment. And even as a futuristic Johnny Mnemonic too. ;)
ps. Anyone noticed how often he plays as John? ;)
It was a great action flick. Period.
This is how you do an action movie, hats off. Keanu Reeves' acting is impeccable
:heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart: - The John Wick movie was an absolute masterpiece.
My rating system works:
10:heart:- Masterpiece :100:
9:heart:- Excellent
8:heart: - Amazing :ok_hand:
7:heart:- Great :sun_with_face:
6:heart: - Good :thumbsup:
5:heart: - Average :head_bandage:
4:heart: - Bad but watchable :octagonal_sign:
3:heart: - Bad :sob:
2:heart:- Awful :face_vomiting:
1:heart: - Bull Shit
I am a big fan of thrilling action movies but I did not enjoy watching this one. The movie did not feel engaging and I actually felt like I was being forced to watch the movie. I am really surprised that I was left unimpressed by this movie. I really did want to enjoy this movie but nope. Also, Keanu Reeves has a pretty straight facial expression through the entire movie and there aren't really any dialogues.
Here are some things I liked about the movie:
The action sequences, the fighting, cars are all awesome. The electro music really gives the movie a different feel. I love the 'Shots fired' soundtrack, it elevated the badass moment of John Wick in the awesome night club scene.
good movie full of action 92/100
A fairly simple story about an old agent coming out of retirement to best people up. The actions is pretty good, and the story is interesting enough.
I'd somehow managed to get by my whole adult life without watching a single entry to this series, but the time has come to put that period to an end. I can see what all the fuss is about - it's a fun time with some brilliantly choreographed action sequences. Some of the effects used are a little dated or distractingly annoying, but otherwise, it's an all-around solid revenge thriller. I'm unsure how they could stretch this out into another 3+ films, but I'm curious to find out.
Dear John Wick,
You swept me off my feet from the first action scene. Your story, like a passionate symphony, stirred my emotions. The fight choreographies danced with perfection, leaving me breathless. Keanu Reeves' performance was an embodiment of intensity and vulnerability. My heart beats for you, John Wick. Forever yours.
Love,
Patuleia
Rated a Connor 10, normal 9.5
I was peer pressured into watching this. I liked the beginning and the 2 minutes at the end, didn't enjoy the middle so much.
I love the part where he shot people.
Listen I just love these movies. The action, the lore, the cast. It all works for me. What sets the first one apart is it’s simplicity and humility. There’s an appeal to its straightforward plot of two men driven forward by vengeance to an end neither really relish.
Like homemade pizza crust: pretty plain but a good foundation for what comes next.
John Wick is an excellent movie with a unique and engaging plot that keeps you hooked from the start. The action scenes are intense, well-choreographed, and a true highlight of the film. In my opinion, it's one of the best action movie series out there, but it still comes second to the Bourne series. That being said, Keanu Reeves gives an outstanding performance and makes the role his own. Overall, John Wick is a must-watch for action movie fans and a great addition to the genre.
Good action Scenes, plot is decent.
The first "John Wick" film was truly groundbreaking. The kind of action fireworks that are set off here are unfortunately nowhere to be found in comparable films today. Keanu Reeves may not be the most versatile actor, but he is perfectly cast in the title role as John Wick. He mows down a lot of baddies without saying much and with a lot of physical effort. The action is consistently comprehensible and perfectly staged.
The story is only secondary, especially in the first installment of the series, and here it is also kept very simple. Only in the background is some worldbuilding that will dominate the sequels. Here, however, the whole thing remains pleasantly subdued. For the innovative action alone, "John Wick" will always have a very special meaning for me.
Pure entertainment, this.
Happy to have finally got around to watching this franchise! I expected sheer enjoyment and that's what I got. 'John Wick' is good fun! It is more hammy than I thought it would be, not that that's a criticism. Some characters duck out surprisingly abruptly too (justice for Clarke Peters!), even when the one who should get taken out immediately somehow manages to stick around for a while.
Keanu Reeves is always a pleasure to watch act. His character is a badass, that's for sure. If I'm being truthful, none of the others stood out to me too much - not in a negative way, just moreso they are all on the same level as each other behind Reeves. Willem Dafoe is the best of the rest, though.
I look forward to checking out the sequels, which I'm expecting positive things from - especially with, presumably, bigger budgets.
Fye
Movie very very good
Weak adolescent fair with dumb one-dimensional characters and a totally ordinary clichéd storyline. Boring af. Full disappointment how Theon Greyjoy was killed vs GoT - was expecting at least a bit of castration again. Good memories from GoT ... that scene was really awesome
Action well maded with good energy!
You know what's deadlier than John Wick? The cars in this movie. Literally not a single airbag went off, surprising that they even reached locations where they die.
Story: 9/10...the underworld of assassins, thoroughly thought out as it would have to be for such a world to exist. Codes. Safe havens. Secret alliances. So fucking cool.
Dialogue: 6/10...they could've done so much more with the theme and metaphor of this movie if they'd spent money on the script. It's fine. But a wasted opportunity to really flesh out the psychology of the film's message.
Performances: 8/10...just about everyone hit the mark with what they were intended to portray. But c'mon. "Mayhem" from whatever insurance company he reps? That was horrible. He looked like he'd accidentally stumbled into a movie scene and they just kept rolling. Brings the whole cast down.
Misc.: 9/10... amazing camera work and editing. Great pacing. Cool as shit fight sequences. And the guy who cannot be killed!
Overall: 8/10...Such a fun ride!
Well, John wasn't exactly the Boogeyman. He was the one you sent to kill the fucking Boogeyman.
I once saw him kill three men in a bar... with a pencil, with a fucking pencil.
At least in these recent years, I believe this was the film that presented to the public the idea that former stuntmen and stunt coordinators could make one hell of a movie, especially an action one. This sounds kind of obvious right now, right? Who would be the best person to direct an action movie full of cool fights other than the guys that actually do that. Here enters Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, they’re really great at it!
The duo do an awesome job directing this film, their first work as directors if I’m not mistaken — although I don’t really know why only Stahelski is credited as the director. There’s nothing super innovative or any special techniques in the storytelling but the action scenes — what matters the most in my opinion in these movies — are really well done. The shots don’t get cut too much nor the camera shakes incessantly. The choreography of the fights is realistic, sometimes even simple, John Wick goes only for headshots, we don’t have those fights with a lot of crazy jumps and stalling, the movie is cut to the chase. John Wick is an overpowered motherfucking hitman, giving the nickaname “Baba Yaga” — which is pretty cool —, he wants revenge and he’ll do it quickly as possible, no rodeos.
Speaking of John Wick, I gotta say: Keanu Reeves is the man, so badass! He is so charismatic. Yeah, sure, he doesn’t have the widest acting reach, but for this, he fits perfectly. His dedication to the role is really effective. The less use of stuntmen makes a huge different, also, Keanu is great pilot as well, so we have awesome scenes with cars too. Mixing this with the directors’ ability to create some quality action results in a powerful entertaining movie.
I found it very interesting the some story concepts in the movie, my favorite being the hotel for assassins - where it is kind of a neutral zone. Pretty cool. The supporting cast is great too! Willem Dafoe, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen and everyone else are gold!
The story is simple, but that’s not a con for me. I really like its simplicity. It is so cool and effective, after all: a stupid and arrogant Theon Greyjoy steals you precious car AND kills your dog, the only thing that was keeping you “alive”. That sounds a pretty good motive for the movie to happen for me. By the way, there’s a lot of great lines. Awesome movie!
This movie is so stupid, yet hypnotic...
Awesome choreography. Insane stunts. Over the top action. And all of that without making it too unbelievable.
But.
I thought this movie would have more story. It's action and only action. The story behind his motives and why Wick is escalating that hard are as important as it is to know how many atoms make up an average dust particle.
So, we're following this badass character at his way of total destruction. And I can't complain on how good it looks.
But if you want some story, or a movie you can easily learn some lessons from, then this one isn't for you. (Well. Let's say the lesson is to never get in a fight with someone op as f.)
The second movie follows directly after the first ends and is also just to satisfy everybody who really enjoys high quality fights. The third movie is directly after the second one and there it starts to get interesting for me, as we learn more about the rules of this world and how Wick came to be.
Classic Action movie
I appreciate Keanu Reeves
It's cheesy, formulaic, and hammily acted. It's also stylish, high energy, and generally just a fun popcorn movie.
"John Wick" is a retired hitman who gets brought back into the life by a personal attack (no spoilers here, but if you're squeamish about animal cruelty, be warned). Okay, we've heard this story dozens of times.
What's different is the world in which this takes place. There's a secret criminal underground that seems to have their hands in everything, and there's a specific code and honor among thieves. Actually, come to think of it, we never really meet anyone who isn't involved or in the know somehow, so it's implied that this society is very widespread and possibly runs everything. This film actually seems to have more in common with the "Wanted" comic book than the "Wanted" movie did.
Part of the style and identification with the near superhuman Keanu Reeves as Wick is that he isn't a perfect action hero. He gets hurt. A lot. Unlike Neo, he's not invincible. He's simply very well trained and determined, which makes the combat sequences more interesting because, even though you know the outcome, there's always this little part in the back of your mind that wonders if he'll come out in one piece, making them gritty and...semi-realistic. Let's be honest, a lot of the action moves are very theatrical and wouldn't have much practical value in the real world.
Given the implications for how big this criminal underworld probably is, it seems to have been set up to be a franchise from the start. From background characters like Ian McShane's Winston (who keeps referring to Wick as "Jonathan" even though the name is John; different spelling means it isn't a shortened version of his name) to Lance Reddick's hotel manager (who I would swear there is more going on with this character and hopefully gets explored later), there's a lot of ground to explore. It's not a smart or challenging film, but it is fun and not a bad way to spend a couple hours if you like action movies.
Keanu Reeves stars as John Wick in this action-packed revenge thriller. Former hitman John Wick comes out of retirement to kill the son of a Russian mafia boss after being brutally assaulted by him. Co-starring Willem Dafoe, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, and John Leguizamo, the film has a solid cast; Palicki in particular does a good job at handling the physicality of the fight scenes. And the directing is also well-done, creating an interesting visual style and an atmospheric tone. Though the plot is pretty formulaic, John Wick proves to be a rather impressive and entertaining film.
excellent good flick to watch
The action scenes are just pure adrenaline. So many head shots. Keanu Reeves is a badass. The simple story works and lays the foundation for an interesting world. This makes me want to immediately watch the second one.
Still such a great action film, such a simple story with a rich lore behind it. Having seen it for the third time now, I'm still as entertained as I was the first time which is a good thing! Because I don't mind watching this one again down the road! This time I watched it because of John Wick 3 lurking around the corner.
If you haven't seen this one yet, what are you waiting for. It is a gem with great life advice, never kill a dog of a man like John Wick. Steal his car, wreck his house, insult him, but never, never EVER kill his dog.
If you like Keanu Reeves you will like this movie.
A revenge thriller like no other. Keanu is at his finest on this one and the underground assasins' world introduced on this film continues to evolve and amaze. Prepare for thrilling and also very stylish action sequences choreographed to perfect display. You even have funny dialogue and quotes that made this sleeper-hit into a cult action film trilogy.
They killed his dog, stole his car, killed his friend, and paid the price. I find it interesting how John would've been killed/died in one or two instances if it wasn't for Marcus, and Viggo crossed the line by killing him. All John wanted to do was kill Iosef for killing the dog that his wife left him. John would've spared Viggo in the end if he hadn't killed Marcus. Fantastic movie.
This is an action movie that has nothing more to offer than a series of mindless killing scenes. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the movie and the people I watched it with did too. But the reason we had fun wasn't because of how good the movie was but because of the characters "badassery" and how afraid everyone was of him , so we basically were making fun of the movie most of the time. To be honest this movie works better as an action comedy since it had some funny scenes, that I still don't know if they were meant to be funny or just turned out that way. Now as for the plot of the movie [spoilers] even though I understand the reason as for why john wick wants revenge from the people that killed his dog I still believe that at the end of the film the Russian mafia (or whatever they are ) were in the right . John wicks dog might have been the last gift from his dead wife, but a dogs life compared to all these random thugs , these other assassins and the son of the boss isn't even that important . And I am just defending them because john wick isn't some good guy either. Just from these two evils John Wick was the one who went too far while the main "villain" of our story wanted to just protect his stupid son. Maybe I am just thinking too much into it though since this movie isn't based on plot but action and the whole dog killing was just the way for the writers to explain his motivations ( that still seem ridiculous to me to some extend ). All this aside if you just want to watch a movie to relax at some evening after a hard day that doesn't need much attention then I definitely recommend this one.
This is basically a good action film, not perfect, but totally serviceable. What irked me though, is near the end when he steals some random dog. Might have been the dog of a child with cancer for all we know. I find myself hoping that JW2's plot begins with that dog's real owner seeking vengeance, otherwise I'm simply never going to process how he could steal an innocent dog.
I never thought that I would both like a Keanu Reeves film and think that he was good in a role. Go figure.
Keanu Reeves is the top of my A list. Totally crush since I was 12yo lol
very nice movie to watch yo
one of my favorite action films ....
less talk and more fight.....
the realistic fights in this movie is nice and the choreography is just awesome ....
The action is pretty good if you like the one guy goes through the whole building killing 20 guys in a row without stopping style. It's fun and well done. If you don't like Keanu's acting, don't worry: he barely has 20 sentences in the whole thing. And most are repeating what the previous character said.
I loved the whole casual badass killer thing. Everybody knows it, respects it and accept it as if it was a normal day to day thing, which give somme funny interactions. The hotel thing too, in the same vibe. That's about the only original feature. Otherwise it's really basic revenge scenario.
It also makes lot of things less credible. I mean we're usually in the Taken style scenario: "lol good luck getting to me" and the bad guys lose everything because it's unbelievable that one single guy could take them down. Here, litteraly everybody knows that the guy is insanely good and would definitely be able to do it. The bad guy already knows he will lose tons of money and scores of men if he goes against John. So why doesn't he just offered his son in the beginning instead of losing everything before doing it anyway. He knew from the start, you can see it. That would have been the smart business decision. Also they never send anybody with a simple body armour ? That would have been a little help. And when it's done, he still has to call John to taunt him with his friend ? Come on ! Also the final fist fight with Viggo ? Seriously ? After all he's done he has to spend 5 minutes fighting that old guy and be stabbed in the process ? Please! So all that kinda works with the normal scenario, but totally not with the one thing that made it original.
It's that simple. You like Neo...eeh. i mean Constantine... ah, Jesus....Keanu Reeves, or you don't.
I like him and his action style. So the movie gets me right there.
But the Best Thing is the Action and it's brutal way of showing it.
Not the best movie of all time, but it is really entertaining.
The John Wick franchise has the feel of a 50s graphic novel - it is gritty and dark, and set in the midst of all nature of underground vices, and it is intensely violent. Once you've seen Keanu Reeves character you can't imagine anyone else playing this character, he fully embodies the anti-hero. Glimpses of Bridget Moynahan are convincing of a great love, tragically lost. The puppy, as the last remnant of hope of love remembered, given and received, is a brilliant plot device. I give this a 7 (good) out of 10. Cudos to the directorial and production team for making something new feel like a legend and creating a world with its own rules and ethos. Special mention is also appropriate for a great supporting cast. Spectacular fight choreography!
Shout by Davide PipicelliBlockedParent2021-09-13T15:24:42Z
I watched it today for the first time. I thought it was a fun movie, with a badass protagonist. Had a good time watching overall.