John Wick (2/3/2015)

Rated R for strong and bloody violence throughout, language and brief drug use.

Starring Keanu Reeves, Adrianne Palicki, Alfie Allen, Willem Dafoe and Ian McShane

Directed by David Leitch and Chad Stahelski

This is Keanu Reeves’ best film since The Matrix.

After the sudden death of his beloved wife, John Wick (Reeves) receives one last gift from her, a beagle puppy named Daisy, and a note imploring him not to forget how to love. But John’s mourning is interrupted when his 1969 Boss Mustang catches the eye of sadistic thug Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen). When John refuses to sell the car, Iosef and his henchmen break into his house and steal it, beating John unconscious and leaving Daisy dead. Unwittingly, they have just reawakened one of the most brutal assassins the underworld has ever seen.

John’s search for his stolen vehicle takes him to a side of New York City that tourists never see, a hyper-real, super-secret criminal community, where John Wick was once the baddest guy of all. After learning that his attacker is the only son of a former associate, vicious Russian crime boss Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nyqvist), John turns his attention to vengeance. As word spreads that the legendary hit man is after his son, Viggo offers a generous bounty to anyone who can bring John down.

With a veritable army on his trail, John once again becomes the remorseless killing machine the underworld once feared, launching a pitched battle against Viggo and his soldiers that could mean the end of them both.

Do you remember when the final Matrix film released back in 2003? I do and I’m sure Keanu Reeves does…because that was the last time he was in a bona fide hit. After the massive success of The Matrix, he starred in films like Constantine, 47 Ronin, and a remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still, not terrible movies, but not blockbusters either. We all wondered if his best days were behind him.

Not so fast! Enter John Wick and one of the best action films I have seen in awhile. It is smart, edgy and flat-out entertaining. The story is remarkably simple. A former hitman is taking vengeance on mobsters who killed his dog and stole his car. Told you, remarkably simple…simple but with plenty of substance. Unlike many action films, it actually takes the time to fill us in on the main character, giving us enough to where we sympathize with the loss of his wife, how it’s affected him, and allowing us to see how the loss of her last gift to him could be his final breaking point.

Because the character is so well-formed and developed, it is far from just a shoot-em-up mindless action flick. Instead we are treated to a film that tells a full story and actually brings closure when all is said and done.

Let’s talk about the action scenes real quick. Most of them consist of Reeves fighting and shooting a lot of people. They are violent, exciting and entertaining. Much of it is so over the top and intended to evoke a chuckle.

At one point during the film, Reeves says, “People keep asking if I’m back and I haven’t really had an answer, but yeah, I’m thinking I’m back”. And I agree; Keanu Reeves is back… in a very big way.

With a well-developed main character, outstanding action sequences, and a good dose of laughs along the way, John Wick is easily “Theater Worthy.”

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
No. Although there is no sex or nudity in this film, there were 25 F-words, 10 S-words and plenty of violence.

CONVERSATION STARTER:

1. Why did John leave the dark world of being a hitman?


2. What leads him back to that world?


3. Who are the people in your life who have helped shape your choices?

READ Hebrews 10:24

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.


4. How are you motivating to do good things?