The kind of action movie that's become all too rare

Rating: 8/10 (12 June 2017)

All too often nowadays, action movie means a convoluted, unrealistic mess, full of spectacular stunts and *unbelievable* CGI that are exactly that: very hard to believe. More often than not, I pass. This revenge, he-against- everybody film is an exception, and what a wonderful, welcome one it is.
John Wick is the kind of action movie I love, one in which you find yourself nodding in agreement, enjoying fantastic cinematic violence, rooting for the hero, knowing he should prevail but not sure whether he will survive or not, appreciating the journey and thoroughly enjoying the ride until the climax.
The plot is not ground-breaking stuff. It can be summed up in but a few words, and yet simple works well in this case. There are no stupid plot twists, no maddening plot holes, no illogical actions. The characters are believable, their motivations clear enough, it's all quite easy to understand and enjoy.
That is not to take way from the work the writers and directors did in this movie. They built a rich, realistic universe, one in which the viewers can easily get immersed. The action is tight, the filming, very well-done, capturing every hit, stabbing, bullet in precise fashion. It's gritty and stylish without going overboard. Performances are mostly pretty good, too.
In the end, this is a pretty good action movie. It may lack a bit of emotional depth when compared to genre classics, but in this day and age, a throwback film like this is a true blessing. While you won't be left thinking for days about this one, John Wick is a very fun film to watch.
(+) Great action scenes, sound performances, a well-crafted, believable, straight-forward movie that gives action fans exactly what they hope for.
(-) Nothing too ground-breaking. An effective, enjoyable action movie, but one lacking a couple of elements to be a truly great one.