And they call it puppy love

Rating: 5/10 (30 December 2014)

Watching John Wick I was sure that this was a project offered first to Sylvester Stallone. Stallone was just the kind of guy to go to war with the Russian mob and win as Keanu Reeves does here.
John Wick is a retired hit-man and walked away from the life of crime because of the love of a good woman. The good woman dies, but has a dog sent to Reeves as a remembrance. Actually I can sort of understand that. I recently acquired a cat from someone who was close to me and died unexpectedly. If I had Keanu's killing skills I might do what he does.
But definitely this was a role that cried for Rambo as Keanu plows through the Russian mob. The son of the mob leader tries to rip off Keanu's car and beats him up in the process and kills the dog. That last remembrance of his wife puts him over the edge and then look out Russians.
I did find it hard to wrap my mind around the concept of an organized crime safe house where Reeves takes up residence while he does his thing.
An interesting part is played by Adrianne Palicki as a female hit woman who wants to show up the men in the profession by taking down the guy who was number one. Ditto for Willem Dafoe playing an old associate of Reeves in the murder business.
Keanu's fans will enjoy this, action fans who like lots of blood and gore in their cinema will like it. Still Stallone would have pulled this off better.