Wick Lights the Fuse

Every once in a while, an action movie comes out of nowhere and blows people away. John Wick is one of those movies.

Both directors, Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, started in the business as stunt-men and it shows – as the action sequences are some of the best I’ve seen in years. It does not feel like this movie, their first directorial effort, is lacking in any way, as the pacing, editing and every visual set piece, be it action or not, is more than stunning.

The story follows retired hit-man John Wick (Keanu Reeves), who receives an adorable puppy in the mail from his recently deceased wife. Wick finds solace in sharing his grief with the loveable dog. While driving with his puppy, he happens to run into a group of shady looking Russians at a gas station and one of them, Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen), wants to buy his `69 Mustang. Wick tells the guy it is not for sale so the gangsters decide to follow him, break into his home, beat the man up, steal his car and kill his dog (not a good idea!).

It is this action that wakens the legendary hit-man. He tracks down former chop-shop acquaintance Aurelio (John Leguizamo), who gives him a lead on the men. Word soon gets back to Iosef’s father, Viggo (Michael Nyqvist), who was Wick’s former employer, that his son has crossed the infamous killer. He warns his son that Wick is the man you send to kill the boogeyman . . . and knows that he will come for his son.

There is something extremely entertaining in seeing people react to Wick and his name. He has this larger than life legendary persona and each story that is told about him and his past is mesmerizing.

Viggo’s only defence is to go on the offensive, placing a bounty on Wick’s head while also reaching out to another wet worker, Marcus (Willem Dafoe), to take out the formerly retired man.

Wick makes his way to The Continental – a safe-hotel of sorts where each assassin is protected from attacks. He meets a number of familiar faces, from hotel manager Charon (Lance Reddick) and owner Winston (Ian McShane) to hit-woman Ms. Perkins (Adrianne Palicki). Using his connections, he tracks down the Russian gang while also having to dodge attempted hits along the way.

There are countless impressive action scenes, each showcasing Wick in his signature all-black suit and tie. The first major action sequence sets the tone, as baddies try to kill Wick in his own home. The still rusty man shows why his name brings fear to those who hear it. Then, there is the nicely lit nightclub shoot-out, which starts in the grotto down below and makes its way into the dance club up above. In each instance, Wick never wastes the chance to get his patented head shot. There are several other impressive moments along the way, each building towards the final showdown – which starts with a car chase and ends with hand to hand combat between Viggo and Wick in a major rainstorm. Each montage is easy to watch and perfectly choreographed. There are no shaky cam effects – just smooth shots and to-the-point editing which allows us to truly enjoy the perfectly timed action. There is also something pleasing in knowing it is Reeves who has learned to perform all of his own stunts (perhaps this should be coined Tom Cruising, as he is the master of this).

There are also subtle moments of humour – from the cop coming to Wick’s door after the first shootout to when Wick gives the bodyguard (former wrestler Kevin Nash) at the nightclub the chance to walk away without getting hurt. Then there is the clever editing that has the hotel manager calling Wick’s room (due to noise complaints) at the same time he is fighting Ms. Perkins. The dichotomy of frantic and calm adds another nice touch of comedy.

John Wick is one of the best action flicks to come out over the past several years. Hopefully, the sequel, which is coming out in 2016, does not suffer from the same woes the Taken franchise has had since its sequels were released. Despite those worries, it is still hard to argue with the quality of the first Taken movie as a stand-out action film and John Wick falls within the same favourable category. So, take a moment to enjoy this action packed flick. You might discover that not only is ‘dog man’s best friend’, but the reverse can also be true.