John Wick (2014)

Director: Chad Stahelski, David Leitch
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyquvist, Alfie Allen

Synopsis:
A retired hitman seeks revenge after he is attacked by the son of a Russian mob boss.

Impressions:
I'd heard good things about this movie but was never able to get around to seeing it in the theaters. Now that it's on the cable circuit, I got my change and I have to say, its reputation is entirely warranted. This is probably the best action movie I've seen since the first Taken. I've said before that Keanu Reeves can be quite good in a role that takes advantages of his strengths as an actor and that's certainly the case here. The rest of the cast is solid as well, with plenty of familiar faces that help add color. I want to give particular note to Daniel Bernhardt for having the one character who can stand toe-to-toe with Wick. Though most of it's left unsaid, there's some very intriguing worldbuilding which paints a very stylish portrait of the underworld. The action scenes are first rate with truly remarkable choreography. It's not overly stylized or balletic, but it's not herky-jerky either. What The Raid does for melee combat, John Wick does for gun fu (though there's plenty of hand-to-hand here as well). If you're a fan of the action genre, then by all means give this one a watch. Adding it to your collection wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Rating:
Own It