Fun for the right reasons.

Rating: 7/10 (7 November 2014)

Leitch and Stahelski make a wonderful team directing and producing what is overall a passably fun action film. The two have done stunts in many, many films and their understanding of good action choreography really comes to light in John Wick. The numerous fights are fast, frenetic and creative.
Reeves is certainly at the best he's been in a while, but don't expect to be blown away. The catatonic nature that has held him since the mid '00s seems to be fading away. Just reference this and 47 Ronin (2013) and the fantastic Reeves directed Man of Tai Chi (2013).
The rest of the cast seems to be having fun, especially Dafoe who cameos as an aging hit-man. Nyqvist is the other standout in the bunch, delightfully adding dark comedy to his bits rambling about the dangerous John Wick. There is no doubt that this is Reeves' show, but everyone else doesn't seem to be just phoning it in.
The set design and the cinematography are absolutely fantastic. Action scenes are held in intricately detailed environments, most notably a neon-washed nightclub scene that will really dazzle your eyes. The color palates are suitably washed, with sudden bursts of color such as in the aforementioned night club.
Where everything production-wise comes together correctly, the writing seems to be what holds this down from being an action classic. It is at times witty and engaging, yes, but its mainly a mish-mash of tired clichés to string you along its gorgeous set pieces. The revenge story is one of the oldest in cinema. Hybridizing it with the "you killed my dog, now you'll pay" trope was clever, but ultimately not enough to stand out.
In the end, John Wick is a fun flick worth watching with a group of friends. Don't expect much cerebrally, but be sure to keep a sharp eye for the rich detail put into every frame of this well- crafted action film.