Keanu Reeves isn’t going to enjoy his elderly years, is he? Watching him destructively amble around Italy, one can see the development of his increasingly awkward gait. For now, Mr. Cool Breeze’s stride can be mistaken for action heroism; it is only a matter of time, however, before that Harrison Ford-like pigeon-toed bow-legged waddle reminds one less of Jackie Chan and more of a Jack Russell Terrier with severe hip dysplasia.
The John Wick franchise is probably best epitomized by a low-key gun fight between Reeves and Common as the intermission of a furious larger fight/chase. The scene is a giant subway walk tunnel; it’s split level, like the public aisle of a two-level indoor mall. Common is above, Reeves below, both walking in the same direction in plain view of one-another. There are many people scurrying this way and that; none are paying attention to the two men casually shooting at one-another. Each is using a non-standard cross-body shooting angle (one ideal for nothing except to conceal your gun from those behind you); their collective body language is far from demonstrative or hostile. The soft suction reverb from their silencers is easily swallowed up by crowd bustle and tunnel echo. Just two guys, you know, walkin’ and casually shootin’ at one another, dig? I can’t tell if what I liked most about this scene is the utter disregard for public safety juxtaposed with a keen sense of public awareness or the fact that neither man seems terribly interested in killing the other man at this point in their fight – it’s less like a shootout and more like two guys flashing each other the finger. “Oh yeah, same to you *pwing* *pwing*” And, of course, neither man is a good guy nor a bad guy; nor are they enemies. These are two professional hit men, one forced by honor to attack, the other forced by self-preservation to defend.
It is easy to forget John Wick (Reeves) is not a good guy. Last episode, they killed his dog and swiped his ride. In John Wick: Chapter 2, he refuses a marker – a hit man IOU of sorts – so would-be voucher redeemer Santino D’Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio) has Wick’s house firebombed. Is Wick still alive? Doesn’t really matter from Santino’s perspective. A marker is a marker; you honor it on demand or pay the price. In this way, we’re allowed to see Wick as unwitting pawn or victim rather than predator. It’s important that we see his point of view because oh, boy, this guy can’t buy a Slurpee at 7-11 without a half-dozen body count.
Wick: “You did not honor the take-a-penny, leave-a-penny system.”
Villain: (ignores, scuffs Wick’s expensive, custom bullet-proof lined suit)
-seven minutes later, Wick emerges from 7-11 with full Slurpee, leaving in the Wickwake a correctly filled public penny dispenser and half a city block destroyed.
This is a good role for Reeves; he gets to show off a variety of badass skillz – driving, brawling, shooting. Running is clearly not listed within his compendium of badassery, but no matter. He gets to be dark, haunted, lonely – while he has replaced the dog, he’s still reeling from the loss of his wife. He also gets to be succinct and taciturn. John Wick is a 100% means-to-end man. Camaraderie, revelry, reflection are wasted motions. Let’s face it, this is a dream role for any actor who probably isn’t going to sell you 
with vocabulary. Ironic as this character speaks several languages, no?
Film historians get a small treat in Act III when John Wick is forced to align with the Bowery King, a pigeon master and fellow hitter played by Laurence Fishburne. I kept waiting for Fishburne to either offer Reeves a choice of pills or yell, “Quit trying to kill me and kill me!” The only fantastical improvement on the memory-lane reunion would have been if Angela Bassett showed up and she and the Bowery King started in on one another. (Or if the late George Carlin showed up in a phone booth.)
The movie versions of John Wick and Jack Reacher are very similar in my mind. Reacher is a bit more cerebral; Wick is better with weaponry, but both are no-nonsense masters of destruction. Their adventures have been fairly entertaining to date. Will something Wick-ed this way come again? Bet on it, dude.
♪You must understand through the punch of my hand
Makes full impact
That it’s only the grace of fist hitting face
When I attack
It’s physical
Don’t act quizzical
You must try to ignore your pain means more that that oooo
What’s blood got to do, got to do with it
What’s blood but a life supporting notion
What blood’s gonna spew, gonna spew from it
Who needs a spine when a spine can be broken?♫
Rated R, 122 Minutes
D: Chad Stahelski
W: Derek Kolstad
Genre: Understanding magazine capacity like few films before it
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: Whoa!
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: Bogus!
♪ Parody inspired by “What’s Love Got to Do with It”
