John Wick (2014)

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Back in 2014, I, along with a significant portion of the world, was introduced to a concept called "Gun Fu," a style of action that combines martial arts and gunfighting. With its origins in traditional Hong Kong cinema, it was popularized in John Woo films like 'Hard Boiled' in 1992 and even earlier, in 1986 with 'A Better Tomorrow.' All of this went over my head back then, however, and like so many others, it took 'John Wick' to show me what "Gun Fu" was all about - and holy sh*t, is it a solid step forward for the action genre.

I still remember seeing this in theatres at the time and being mind-blown by the action sequences, as well as rooting for Mr. Wick, along with Keanu himself, for making such a triumphant comeback to the screen, playing arguably his most memorable character since Neo. I strongly consider 'John Wick' to be a landmark film that raises the bar for what action movies can be and brings the kick-ass style of Gun Fu to the forefront, making it very much worth our while to go to the big screen to catch a thrilling flick without it having to be a superhero movie which, by this time, was a subgenre well within its prime.

John Wick (Keanu Reeves) has recently lost the love of his life, Helen (Bridget Moynahan), who had succumbed to a terminal illness. Sensing her time was short, she arranged for a beagle puppy to be sent to John to help him cope and keep him company in her absence. When we see this adorable beagle puppy, we fall instantly in love; a vital device this film uses for what is about to come, involving a group of Russian gangsters, led by Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen) whom John has a run-in with at a gas station; their eyes glued to his 1969 Boss 429 Mustang.

Failing to intimidate John at the gas station into selling them his car, the gangsters break into his home, assault him, and manage to steal the car, but in the process... we lose a puppy... this fuels not only John's rage, but the viewer's rage, and we end up champing at the bit to see what John is gonna do to these guys. We know they're going to get it bad, and they want it! Cruelty to animals, even when staged, does NOT fly with audiences. But fret not, viewers! There are still three more 'John Wick' titles to follow, and they ALL branch off this puppy's death - the puppy being the last lingering thing John had in his life from his wife.

The film then becomes one of the best revenge movies of all time as John starts hunting these Russian gangsters down, moving anything that gets in his way, even if this Iosef guy IS the son of Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nyqvist), the head of NYC's Russian Mob, who knows John on a personal level, and knows he's not to be messed with. The criminal underground has nicknamed him the "Baba Yaga," a name generally associated with the Boogeyman, but in one of the best badass lines ever, John's to be feared more than just a Boogeyman - he's "the one you send to kill the Boogeyman."

There's quite a bit more to it, such as a $2 million bounty on John's head, the introduction of the Continental Hotel (a constant presence throughout the films), and further characters who end up playing important roles as the story unfolds. However, the bottom line for this movie is that it marks the beginning of a massive revenge plot that unfolds across four films, each one raising the stakes a little more as if each film were a new, slightly more challenging level in a video game. 'John Wick' marks the beginning of a series of films that provide action junkies with a reason to head to the box office for a big-screen experience of balls-to-the-wall action.

Over the years, 'John Wick' has become one of my favourite action flicks, but moreover, the go-to title in my head when it comes to the "revenge film" subgenre. To me, this one is a bar-setter, and I can't help but admire and praise the fact that these movies tend to avoid the use of "shaky cam" action, which can drive me up the wall because it's harder to see what's going on. All the action here is smooth, stylish, and well-choreographed. In terms of an action movie, I'd put this title right up at the top with titles like 'Die Hard' or 'Terminator 2.' 'John Wick' was an instant classic and still a go-to for all my action-craving needs.

5/5

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