Film Review - John Wick - Grade: A+ PDF

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Running head: REDEMEPTION OF JOHN WICK

Redemption of John Wick

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Redemption of John Wick John Wick (2015), written by Derek Kolstad and directed by Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, is about an ex-hitman played by Keanu Reeves. It also stars Michael Nyqvist as a Russian mob boss “Viggo” and Alfie Allen who plays the character of his son as Iosef. The movie revolves around John who comes back from retirement to avenge the merciless killing of his dog, left as a gift by his wife after her death. With everything lost, John goes on a killing spree to take revenge against Iosef who kills his dog and steals his car. Upon knowing that Iosef is the son of his former employer, he takes down his entire empire. Keanu Reeves perfectly justifies his character in this action packed revenge thriller which draws its audiences emotionally allowing the gunshots and the violence in the movie make a perfect sense. But this movie is definitely not for kids and women who are more into softer movies. This leaves the movie with primarily young adults above 15 and adults who like no nonsense melo drama movies. Although many critics believe that the movie has a predictable storyline without any overwhelming or remarkable twist, I enjoyed watching the originality of the action sequences and the straight-forwardness of the story.

The movie starts off with John Wick coming out of a car severely injured in front of an animal clinic and losing consciousness after watching a video of him and his wife. The main story begins to take shape as john who has retired from the killing game mourns the death of his wife who gave a meaning to his life. She leaves behind a surprise gift for him, a beagle puppy to console him. But the movie takes turn when Iosef, son of a Russian gangster, who is unaware of John’s identity, beats him to senselessness, kills his dog and steals his 1969 Mustang. With the loss of everything that he loved, john seeks revenge and finds out that Iosef is the son of former associate “Viggo”. Upon knowing that John will come after his son, Viggo puts a bounty on John’s head which leads to a killing spree. John ultimately kills iosef and takes revenge but the movie does not end there. He goes after Viggo (who kills his friend Marcus) and eliminates

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him. The movie ends with John regaining his consciousness and nursing his wounds inside the clinic and taking a pit-bull with him.

John Wick lived up to my expectations of being a full-on action packed movie with numerous headshots which I can only imagine in video games. The story is well written, has a constant flow and couple of minor twists and each character fits in perfectly. Stephanie Merry (2014) from The Washington Post, believes it “goes beyond a reasonable carnage threshold” but also says that John Wick has “a more interesting story” and “better fights than most” (para. 7). Joe Neumaier (2014) from the New York Daily News points out that the plot is not the movie’s “strong suit” and express his disappointment by saying the movie keeps becoming variations on the “same kill-or-be-killed moment” (para.5). In contrary, Jeannette Catsoulis (2014) from The New York Times specifies that the movie’s setup is “brilliant in its simplicity” (para.2) and also conjures a “natty netherworld of lethal temperaments and impeccable tailoring” (para.6). David Sims (2014) from The Atlantic tags the movie as “no ordinary Hollywood action claptrap” (para.3). I agree with Jeannette’s opinion that the best thing about this movie is its simplicity without any major twists and turns whatsoever. What strikes me the most is how the sequences in the movie have been so much stylish and ridiculously well-organized and evenly paced. The movie may prove to be disappointment for people who like intense twists and turns embedded with suspense but truth be told, it’s a “straight-ahead revenge drama” and “it’s not perfect” (Sims, para. 9). John Wick is all about the flawless performances of the actors and how it has compensated for the weak plot of the movie. John Wick is a comeback movie for Reeves since his last movie 47 Ronin did not create much stir in the box office. Many critics have applauded his portrayal as John Wick, often called as Baba Yaga (The Boogeyman). Scott Mendelson (2014) from Forbes believes that Reeves has “unmistakable and smolderingly charismatic screen presence” (para. 8). Gilbert (2014) also acclaims that Reeves played the role of John Wick with “quiet, slow-burning grace” (para. 2). Lemire (2014) has a

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similar opinion about Reeves having “a vintage anti-hero performance” in the movie. The best act that I thought was towards the end when Reeves gets tied up by the mobs where he emotionally explodes and says that he is back and he will take down everyone who comes in his way. Merry (2014) talks about Nyqvist’s being “positively putinesque – tiny, virile and maniacal” and “less subtle” (para.6). His Russian accent and crazy eyes perfectly matches the character of a dignified mob boss. Robey (2014) finds the character of Viggo’s son “nicely played by a bristling and impetuous” Alfie Allen (para. 4). The casting of the movie is one of the strongest points. Although other characters have small role in the movie, each of them has a very precise and meaningful part. When this is complemented with crisp camera works and well crafted action sequences, the cinematic experience goes to another level. Chad Stahelski makes his directorial debut with this movie and I must say he has smartly cashed in his experiences of working as stunt man which is quite evident in all the action sequences. Leitch, who is a veteran stuntman himself, has teamed up with Stahelski in directing this movie and both of them have truly done a marvelous job of flawlessly executing this movie beyond what the script written by Kolstad deserves. Lemire (2014) calls them “smart enough to let the intricate choreography speak for itself” (para. 9) and describes the early scenes as “crisply desaturated” (Wick’s Wife’s funeral) and other scenes that “pop in their vibrancy”. The flashback of John remembering his wife with a soft focus, capturing action sequences with wider shots and specially a fight scene in a club which starts slow first and then fast motion are visual treat. Catsoulis (2014) has a similar opinion with regard to the way this movie has been directed by Stahelski, “an elegant and inventive choreographer of movement” and describes the fight scenes as “fluidly coherent” (para. 4). But Merry (2014) has a different opinion about some of the hand to hand combat being “sped up during the editing process” which makes it ‘distractingly fake”. Overall, the movie has been brilliantly directed with evenly paced and constantly flowing story, after all action movies are all about the movement.

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The art direction also draws a good amount of attention in this movie. The filming is done in New York City and Rockland County and has mostly night scenes depicting the darker world of organized crime business and the violence in bigger cities. The extended aerial views of the top of the skyscrapers makes the audiences feel like they were looking out for the gangsters in the city. Then there is a Continental Hotel where Wick stays which is a hub of other assassins all of them suited up and having cold faces. The sets have been created very carefully and cleverly which corresponds to the life of Wick who himself returned back to being an assassin to get his redemption. So Catsoulis (2014) says Reeves is “costumed in an indestructible three-piece suit, he’s the perfect locus for the film’s hyper-real savagery” (para.5).. Nyqvist’s character which is an old-fashioned mob boss, is always in impeccably tailored suit, drinking whisky and smoking marijuana surrounded by his bodyguards all the time. There is a single daylight gun fight scene which I thought was odd but the scene was too short to be complaining much. Gilbert (2014) says the quieter scenes are “more sophisticated, incorporating a sense of fantasy and visual splendor that almost makes the wafer-thin plot feels fresh” (para. 11). Reeves is graceful and athletic in the movie and the grey slate 1969 Mustang and Black Dodge Charger at the end of the movie has made his character look more classier and real as well. Despite having a predictable story, I really liked John wick as it has nearly perfected in every dimensions of film making with flawless performances by the actors and well crafted action sequences. Although this movie is not suited for audiences of all age group, I strongly believe people who are not into melodrama or comedy or horror genres will definitely enjoy John Wick. All the killing sequences and violence shown in the movie has a precise reason which is shown in a sleek style and the sincerity and the passion with which this movie has been made is clearly visible. One might be drawn to say that the main villain should have been given a grander malevolence and that Wick easily gets past the villain, I would say that this movie is not perfect and that a movie should not be judged upon a single aspect. Catsoulis (2014)

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states that “John’s quest may be one-note, but that note could not be more perfectly pitched” (para. 6). It’s a sharply tailored revenge thriller coupled with engaging characters and the fate of each character shown in an interesting world which makes it one of the good movies I have seen in a long time and I plan to watch the sequel which will be out soon.

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References Catsoulis, J. (2014, October 23). Pet’s slaughter uncorks a latent inner assassin . [Review of the film John Wick]. The New York Times. Retrieved January 29, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com Gilbert, S. (2014, October 24). An idiot killed his puppy and now everyone must die [Review of the film John Wick]. The Atlantic. Retrieved January 29, 2017, from http://www.theatlantic.com Leitch, D. and Stahelski, C. (Directors). (2014). John Wick [DVD]. New York: LionsGate. Lemire, C. (2014, October 24). [Review of the film John Wick]. www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved January 29, 2017, from http://www.rogerebert.com Mendoelson, S. (2014, October 15). ‘John Wick,’ with Keanu Reeves, is a terrific action blast. [Review of the film John Wick]. www.Forbes.com. Retrieved January 29, 2017, from http://www.washingtonpost.com Merry, S. (2014, October 23). Keanu Reeves takes his licks. [Review of the film John Wick]. The Washington Post. Retrieved January 29, 2017, from http://www.washingtonpost.com Robey, T. (2015, April 09). Keanu is dynamite. [Review of the film John Wick]. The Washington Post. Retrieved January 29, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk Sims, D. (2014, October 31). A week after its release, John Wick already seems like a cult classic. [Review of the film John Wick]. The Atlantic. Retrieved January 29, 2017, from http://www.theatlantic .com

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