Uneven and long but plenty of good ingredients

Rating: 7/10 (31 January 2015)

John Wick might be the most uneven film I've seen in 2014. The premise is good and the film well-constructed but the pacing is poor. It takes far too long for the action to kick in. The first hour is all setup, with characters repeatedly telling each other (and the audience) that John Wick is really tough. However, it takes forever for us to actually see this, with only one good action sequence in the first hour. When the action finally kicks in, its pretty glorious, but it overstays its welcome in the final act. With one dramatic fight scene after another, towards the end John Wick feels too much like a video game, with the protagonist simply proceeding through enemies like levels.
Keanu Reeves reminds us in the overlong opening act why producers and directors don't hire him for his acting talents. Fortunately, once the first hour has dragged on, he reminds us why we do hire him - he's a complete badass who at 50 plus years old is absolutely still in his prime. Dean Winters and Alfie Allen are excellent casting additions, though not exactly for acting talent, but for the presence they bring to the film.
Overall, John Wick is a nice time-killer and most promisingly, constructs a world I would love to revisit (in a better paced sequel).