Brave New Franchise

Rating: 7/10 (25 October 2014)

In John Wick, writer Derek Kolstad and director Chad Stahelski have finally found a use for Keanu Reeves: Placeholder. This is a relatively watchable action/revenge picture with a title character that could have as easily been portrayed by a cereal box as an actor.
The good news is Reeves makes a great cereal box. He doesn't have to speak, and barely has to act.
The mood and style of the picture are well accomplished, and the plot is straight linear: widower, retired hit man John Wick is out for revenge on the Russian mob punk who stole his car and killed his dog. Since Reeves is at his best when he is not speaking, there is plenty of time for him to slaughter a boatload of Russian mobsters in pursuit of said revenge. And the actions scenes are well executed. (Pun intended.)
The film is enhanced by some well placed characters, well crafted by fine actors. Ian MchShane, Willem Dafoe, John Leguizamo, and Dean Winters all turn in well drawn, interesting and amusing characters whenever there is a break in the action. Bridget Moynihan plays Wick's flashback wife in a kind of gratuitous cameo. Not much to do for her, though what little she has to work with is done well.
There is already talk of John Wick becoming a "franchise."The producers might do well to take a cue from the Bond films and rotate the role of the title character. There are plenty of actors out there who can actually act.
In the meantime, this debut is damn good fun.