Don't they ever learn? Do not kill the dog!

Rating: 7/10 (13 January 2015)

You have to watch this film knowing that its makers wanted to pay homage to manga, old style samurai movies and directors like John Woo. Everything is... ordered, like something in a Japanese film. There is a code for everything, a way to do things that has to be followed. That is why when the action starts and there are some obvious shortcuts to everything, people don't take them. I am pretty sure somewhere there is a Japanese samurai script or manga that they adapted and the original characters did everything with swords.
The choreography is decent, with Keanu doing a combination of Matrix and Equilibrium moves that (finally!) are not all in slow motion. The basic plot is that his character gets angry and starts killing people and then the film ends. If you don't appreciate the style, then the film will be wasted on you.
That being said, I have to say that I think the film was not that good. It was not bad, but there were opportunities missed to make it truly unique and memorable. As such, one enjoys the actions scenes then forgets the movie.
One of these opportunities was to use the amazing cast they had. Forget that Bridget Moynahan had only a few scenes in some flashbacks and that sexy Adrianne Palicki was completely underexposed, but actors the like of Willem Dafoe and John Leguizamo should have been the bread and butter of the film. Instead, they were relegated to minimal supporting roles.
Unexpectedly for the film, but totally expected of the actor, the best action scenes where those involving Daniel Bernhardt, who moved with the same grace and precision that he had when he did all those martial arts films in his youth. He was so good that it just showed he could have kicked Keanu's behind any time he wanted to.
Another opportunity was a detailing of Wick's glory days. Instead we are treated with a monologue vaguely explaining how awesome and efficient Wick was when he was a contract killer. Really? He wasn't that way in the film! Keanu played his usual silent brooding self, but at least in one scene, the one where he shouts at Viggo to give him the son, he shows the potential that was lost in writing his character.
Bottom line: a rather average action flick, feeling more like a video game than a samurai movie. Instead of minutes and minutes of nameless minions being killed, a strong contouring of the characters, at least of the main ones, would have been a lot more effective. Like many others, I am sure, I was attracted to see the movie by the cast which was, unfortunately, underutilized.