John Wick (2014)

[JohnnyGossamer]

Good stuff. B+

[baumer]

I love the world they created for this movie.  The coins, the laundry service, the "Switzerland" hotel, where you cannot break the rules.  The script was brilliant for a film that was predominantly action-centric.  And the humour was top notch as well.

 

"Care to explain why you slapped my son around tonight."

"He stole John wick's car and killed his dog."

(Grave look on his face, like he just saw his own death) "Oh."  Hangs up the phone.

 

I loved it.

 

9/10 

[kitik]

Really well done action movie. Some slight room for improvement, and some of the scenes/twists felt way too generic/telegraphed, but perhaps for this movie that's a good thing.

 

I loved the style. Nightclub scene was beyond brilliant. It felt like it could have been made in the 80s or 90s, with the indestructable action hero.

[Deep Wang]

I love the world they created for this movie.  The coins, the laundry service, the "Switzerland" hotel, where you cannot break the rules.  The script was brilliant for a film that was predominantly action-centric.  And the humour was top notch as well.

 

"Care to explain why you slapped my son around tonight."

"He stole John wick's car and killed his dog."

(Grave look on his face, like he just saw his own death) "Oh."  Hangs up the phone.

 

I loved it.

 

9/10 

 

The world building they did was really impressive.  I want to see more from it!

 

One thing is for sure, after John Wick, those directors are on my radar now.  I can't wait to see what they do next.  

[baumer]

Really well done action movie. Some slight room for improvement, and some of the scenes/twists felt way too generic/telegraphed, but perhaps for this movie that's a good thing.

 

I loved the style. Nightclub scene was beyond brilliant. It felt like it could have been made in the 80s or 90s, with the indestructable action hero.

 

But he was far from indestructible.  He got his ass kicked in the club by the dude who threw him over the railing.  He got beat up and watched his dog die at the beginning.  He got taken by Viggo and if Defoe was really going to kill him, he would of done so easily.  While his fighting skills and gun play were obviously top notch, he was far from indestructible.

[baumer]

The best compliment I can give John Wick is that it's an 80's style film if it was written by Tarantino and directed by Tony Scott.

[Jay Beezy]

You see Baumer? John Wick deserved priority over Ouija.   

[baumer]

Not really.  

[Jay Beezy]

Another amusing detail. A lot of action movies feature a hero getting wounded in an action sequence midway through the movie and somehow manages to function normally during the climax. They've given us the answer in the form of a special pill: "Your stitches will tear, and you'll bleed, but you'll have full function."

 

Also they mostly avoid featuring too many aimless shooters exchanging a barrage of missing bullets despite being in the wide open. This movie demonstrates how we want to see our hero dispatch bad guys: a quick single aimed shot to the head.

Edited October 29, 2014 by Jay Beezy

[mattmav45]

Stylish as fuck.

 

Revenge films are typically of a different breed in the cinema world.  For one, story is clearly not the aspect that will make or break a film such as this.  Revenge flicks typically fail when there is an absence of style to complement the inherent weakness of the story.  Inject some style and energy, however, and you may just be setting yourself up for a damn good time.  Thankfully, the latter is the case here.

 

The style is very much the driver of the film here.  Electro-fueled mayhem basked in dark neon waves of color makes for a pretty entertaining watch if I don't say so myself.  I specifically enjoyed how the music on display tended to drive the action scenes, and give them a little extra energy to boot.  The action tended to be enhanced beautifully  by aesthetic devices along with some killer tunes.  Simply some damn cool cinematic aspects on display here.

 

One also has to commend the way in which the action was shot.  Hard-hitting to be sure, but most importantly very crisp and clear.  There is no shaky cam to speak of.  As a result the action appears downright refined and elegant at times.  Most definitely a throwback to the old school hard hitting action flicks of a couple decades ago.

 

In the end one cannot discuss a film such as this without a mention of Mr. Reeves.  I have noticed he has somewhat of a cult following across the world of cinema, and I've come to think of the guy as simply being a man's man.  My wife is not fond of him nor his films, and yet I've always found the guy to be likeable as fuck.  This is no different here as one is reminded just how at ease he is in the cinematic action realm.  He speaks rarely, grunts often, and belts out the occasional one-liner.  To be blunt here he is a badass, plain and simple.

 

Any seasoned cinema fan should know what they're getting into with a viewing here.  We're not looking for a story-driven affair, but rather just enough story to allow the action and style to take center stage.  Simply put.......sit back and bask in some damn good action vengeance.

[Blankments]

Had a lot of fun with it. The dog was adorable. Keanu and to a lesser extent, DeFoe were both badasses. Action was awesome. Good time; the only thing that would've made it better is if Marton Csoskas was the main bad guy. A

[Jack Nevada]

Bad.

[Deep Wang]

Bad.

Why do you hate action movies so much?!

Edited October 31, 2014 by Boner Omega

[Jack Nevada]

Why do you hate action movies much?!

That's a silly accusation.

[Deep Wang]

That's a silly accusation.

Am I wrong? You think two of the most "pure" action films the last couple of years, The Raid and now John Wick are bad movies.

[Jack Nevada]

Am I wrong? You think two of the most "pure" action films the last couple of years, The Raid and now John Wick are bad movies.

That doesn't mean anything.

[baumer]

So what was bad about it?

[Jay Beezy]

So what was bad about it?

 

He pre-decided.

[baumer]

Im really curious. I loved it so id like to hear what someone didnt like.

[Jay Beezy]

Im really curious. I loved it so id like to hear what someone didnt like.

 

I do recall him stating he disliked the dog motivation.