John Wick - Cinema Review

John Wick is unashamedly classic in so many ways. It's a cocktail of action movie tropes and cliches in its set up and characters. An exceptional retired hitman out for revenge against his former employer could describe hundreds if not thousands of films but John Wick never purports to be anything more than this and instead tries to prove itself in the details and overall skill of delivery.

The old phrase of "style over substance" comes to mind but it's also "style over spectacle" There's a stripped-back and restrained feel to the proceedings which is almost refreshing when most modern action films constantly strive to be louder and more absurd.

Wick as a protagonist strikes the perfect balance between being entertaining and impressive in the action scenes but not straying into absurd invulnerability. The scenes still have tension because as badass as John Wick is, he is still human and fallible. It's not really a question of can he kill his enemies? It's more, can he kill all of them in a row without stopping?

"I haven't killed this guy yet, i'm just using him as a meat-shield to breakdance around whilst i kill five other guys."

 A lot of the fun comes from seeing Wick's reputation precede him and how far respect for him carries him throughout the criminal underworld. The almost honourable professional code between him and most of his enemies gives the film more of its own personality and adds some welcome sprinklings of straight-faced humour when John and his enemies chat on first name terms about the impending bloodbath, with the kind of casual routine familiarity you'd have with your neighbours or local bartender.

Keanu Reeves imbues the trope of hardened killer out for revenge with his own sense of style and gravitas, and the protagonist's sparse dialogue helps build a atmosphere of calculating contemplation and restrained rage beneath the surface that Reeves portrays very effectively. As many of the old team from The Matrix films return in collaboration, the action scenes are as you'd expect, excellently and expertly choreographed, rapid paced, brutal and with some memorably inventive moments, that i would've loved to have seen more of. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt in saying that it feels like the film could have gone further in places because as i mentioned there's a sense of intentional restraint throughout and i'd like to believe this is an artistic choice rather than a padding out of ideas for what is already decided to be a trilogy.

Overall John Wick feels like a good, solid action film with all the filler cut out. The cliches are numerous but the film doesn't sit still long enough for you to really reflect on them. There's nothing mindblowing here but what exists is fast, slick, stylish, streamlined and polished to a very high quality. If the sequels can build upon this by fleshing out John's unique influence on the world and give us more of the blisteringly fast shootouts, grapples and chases John Wick could easily ascend into an action masterpiece.

Also more dogs...Assassins and puppies are like, my two favourite things...