Just a fun film

Rating: 9/10 (16 March 2015)

I had an opportunity to see this movie at an early release showing, and I passed it up. Once I saw the film, I could've kicked myself for missing it. This is a relatively straight forward action film, that spends just the right amount of time setting up the main character. Then, the movie kicks into high gear, and it doesn't let up until the end. Believe the hype on this one, it is a gem of an action film. The fight sequences are well-choreographed, and this can't be emphasized enough, filmed cleanly with no shaky cam.
Keanu gets a lot of flack for being a somewhat wooden actor. Maybe this is true, but it suits him well in this film. He's supposed to be some truly fearful man, so when he decides to tell you why he is on this quest for vengeance, you better listen. The nightclub scene is iconic, and he owns it. The rest of the action is solid, but not much can hold a candle to that scene. The film loses a beat in the last act, but not enough to take away from the enjoyment of the film.
On a somewhat personal level, the opening scenes establishing John's relationship with his wife, when he receives her final gift, and when he finally tells Viggo why he is on this mission of vengeance, along with the absolutely excellent action combine to make a movie that is well above the average. One of my favorite movies of 2014.