Keanu Reeves is back in an action flick done right.

Rating: 8/10 (26 October 2014)

Personally, I am not really a big fan of the clichéd revenge plot, especially when its applied to big Hollywood action movies. However, as soon as the positive buzz about John Wick started to come around, I started to become more curious about checking it out in theaters. It felt weird seeing great reviews out of a revenge story at first, but in the end, it turned out to be a pretty good action thrill ride.
John Wick takes the plot of a hit-man coming out of retirement to duke out justice on those who dare to mess with the things he loved and turns it into a fairly unique story. Sure, there are certain clichés and a delivery of cheesy lines at times, but the movie manages to not take itself seriously and makes those aspects work. Although it may a paper thin plot to begin with, its serviceable enough to introduce our characters and jumps straight into the action.
The acting throughout is also serviceable enough for the type of action-driven story the movie was going for. Keanu Reeves may not be the greatest actor in the world and I can probably name 10 other actors that are worse than him, he somehow manages to put on a good performance. Its his best work of acting since The Matrix and I believe Reeves was meant to be an action star along the lines of Schwarzenegger and Statham. As for the rest of the cast including Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, William Dafoe, and Dean Winters, lets just say that they do a solid job portraying their given characters. They aren't really bad by any means, its just the main focus is on John Wick since he is the title of the film.
In terms of technical aspects, its pretty much the strongest part about the movie. The lighting gives the film a very dark and gritty feel throughout its run-time and its certain shading of blue colors also adds to the film's bleak environment. Every camera shot is smooth and steady and they keep a tight focus on showcasing the fast paced action on screen. Speaking of action scenes, they are also executed brilliantly through excellent choreography and great editing, all without having to resort to unnecessary shaky cam.
John Wick is one of the best American action flicks to come out in quite some time. It may not be on the same level as The Raid 2, it still come in pretty close in terms of high octane action. Its simple story and characters give you something to work off of and its adrenaline fueled action sequences will have you on the edge of you seat and wanting more when its all over. If you are the type of person who craves this crazy level of vengeance and violence, then you owe to yourself to go and check out John Wick. Definitely worth a recommendation.