Not profound, not Shakespeare... but kinetic fun

Rating: 6/10 (3 May 2020)

This movie would never win a screenplay Oscar, but that's almost not the point here. This is a B movie, with choreographed fight scenes galore - and if you take it on it's own terms, it's kind of fun.
It actually makes a nice change from Marvel and DC antics, where CGI seems to be always the king or queen. Here, there's old school beat em up, Hong Kong kung fu inspired cinema back on the screen again. It's almost a throw back to 80s and before fight flicks in this way.
A simple revenge theme drives the film, and it suits Keanu's brooding persona well. The movie gets some decent acting chops from Alfie Allen and the late Michael Nyqvist, and a sly Willem Defoe, in fleshing out otherwise simply drawn and thinly written characters. Watch out also for a key character from 'The Wire' in a quietly scene stealing turn, whenever they're on screen.
If you're looking for docu drama, and high realism, then take a pass. if you put the brain on 'get this' mode though for an old school pop corn fight flick, John Wick is definitely an entertaining few hours.