This review is spoiler free!
Where to Watch: DVD, Amazon
Runtime: 1 Hour, 41 Minutes
Language: English
Starring: Keanu Reeves
Director: Chad Stahelski, David Leitch (uncredited)
Writer: Derek Kolstad
Rating: R
Release Date: 2014
Style: Action, Crime, Thriller
More information can be found on the IMDB page.
Intro
Wick, a former assassin, has been living in “retirement” until a chance encounter with the son of Iosef Tarasov. Tarasov, a Russian mobster, robs him of his beloved car and his dog; a gift from his recently deceased wife. Vowing revenge, Wick dusts off his personal cache of weapons and visits great violence and death upon Tarasov’s gang.
Movie Review: 7.5/10
The Good
John Wick is a thoroughly enjoyable action film but, although there are certainly some martial arts incorporated into the fight scenes, I am hard pressed to define this as a martial arts film. Hand to hand combat is reserved for when the bad guy gets too close to Wick or in one of the very rare instances of Wick running out of bullets. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the movie and I’d watch it again (along with its sequels), but not when I am in the mood for a more defined “martial arts film.”
The story has been done over and over throughout the history of cinema. A protagonist is living a peaceful retirement from a violent profession, only to be drawn back in a miscalculated step by the antagonist. But generally speaking, the storyline in John Wick is well written and executed.
The Bad
Even though the storyline was well written, it’s still a common – too common – storyline. And, because of that, the sequence of the story is rather formulaic. Added to this tried and true theme, however, is a shadowy association of assassins to which Wick is a member. In this first film, the role of this group isn’t really fleshed out and it seems like an awkwardly attached storyline that doesn’t go anywhere.
Martial Arts Review: 6.5/10
The Good
Yes, this is a fun action film with plenty of close-up violent scenes to satisfy the most FX-appreciative among us. The action sequences are fast flowing and fun. What I really like in the action scenes is that the characters are moving through the set. There are only one or two scenes where the fighters are staying in one location for their fight.
The Bad
Not enough martial arts. Whoever trained Reeves for this role did an excellent job as his martial arts are choreographed decently (drawing from his experience and training in the Matrix series, of course). But, as I pointed out above, he only seemed to use them when the bad guy got too close or when he ran out of bullets (a rare occurrence).
What hasn’t improved, is Reeve’s acting. It’s flat as usual and he spends too much time in front of the camera trying to give a bad-ass stare into the camera.
Overall Rating: 7/10
I enjoyed this movie but, in the end, I can’t give it more than 7/10, given its lack of martial arts, flat acting, and the under-developed side stories like the assassins association. And what is with those gold coins? But if you’re looking for a fun movie to sit back and drink a couple of cold beers while cheering on an unlikely protagonist, you could do a lot worse than John Wick.
What do you think of John Wick? Do you think it is a martial arts movie or just an action movie? Great, just ok, or something else? Let me know in the comments section below.
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I would have given the martial arts a much higher rating. That may be because the “techniques” that are done are closer to the jujutsu side of things.