A Perfect Storm of a Movie

Rating: 10/10 (20 September 2015)

I've watched John Wick a number of times now, mainly because of the emotional kick I get out of wrongs being righted so satisfactorily. I suspect you will either love or hate this film, but if you like kick-ass, high-adrenalin films about vigilantes, then I suspect, like me, you'll love this film. It's beautifully shot, for a start. The action never lets up for a second and yet unlike many modern movies where you can't work out what's happening half the time, this is stylised and perfectly framed. It's a violent movie in the best possible way. It's all violence from almost the first frame to the last and yet it packs a huge emotional punch too. These aren't shallow caricatures and I was totally invested in the outcome of the epic battle. Keanu Reeves is one of my favourite actors and he's a revelation in this film. His emotionally contained acting style suits this character John Wick entirely. I would liken this performance to that of another great actor Mads Mikkelsen. Mads can convey more by a flick of an eye than most actors can with long speeches. I will watch John Wick again. It's a film to return to when the dross coming out of Hollywood gets you down.