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In the United Kingdom, The
Colonial is Sisu, thrust into a world of Nazi Councillors and
Council officials, all on the make, sworn not to reveal the truth and to
watch each other's backs, including Sussex police, guaranteeing them
immunity from prosecutions. No evidence would ever be gathered and
existing files would be systematically destroyed. In the UK,
the state controls the crime scene and Legal Aid does not (did not)
extend to obtaining independent forensic medical evidence. Barrister
Julian Dale, and Solicitor Timothy Stirmey confirmed that to the
defendant. Later, barristers in England went on strike because Legal Aid
fees were so low, they were unable to defend their clients. It is
likely, as alleged, that The Colonials legal team, were bribed
to throw in the towel. The CPS and Sussex police, in on it.
This
story is remarkably aligned with the tale of Victor von Woolfe, and
of course the fictional John Wick out for revenge after his Beagle Puppy
is killed. The difference between
these stories is the time of the events, and most importantly, that
Victor's story is real. A true story, based on real events between 1981
and 2024, ongoing. Victor, 'The Colonial Bulldog', is an innocent man.
Framed once by Wealden
District Council, as to the truth about the Old
Pump House in 1985, and again by Sussex
Police between 2006 - 2008, when their partners in crime, Wealden,
were about to be unfrocked about the fraud the police had helped to
cover up for over 25 years. If the police were honest, they'd be
prosecuting this council and the officers involved for fraud. The fact
they are sitting on their hands, is proof positive of their conspiracy and
dishonesty. The Planning Inspectorate are just as guilty, having been
recently apprised of their part in the conspiracy, since they repeatedly
failed to ascertain the truth or make proper enquiries themselves
between 1985 and 2023, as is the State,
for allowing this injustice to persist. In the UK, there is no
"Right of Appeal."
John Wick is a 2014 American action thriller film directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad. Keanu Reeves stars as John Wick, a legendary hitman who comes out of retirement to seek revenge against the men who killed his dog, a final gift from his recently deceased wife. The film also stars Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, and Willem Dafoe.
Kolstad's script drew on his interest in action, revenge, and neo noir films. Producer Basil Iwanyk purchased the rights as his first independent film production. Reeves, whose career was declining, liked the script and recommended that the experienced stunt choreographers Stahelski and David Leitch direct the action scenes; Stahelski and Leitch successfully lobbied to co-direct the project. Principal photography began in October 2013, on a $20–$30
million budget, and concluded that December. Stahelski and Leitch focused on highly choreographed and long single takes to convey action, eschewing the rapid cuts and
close-up shots of contemporary action films.
Iwanyk struggled to secure theatrical distributors because industry executives were dismissive of an action film by first-time directors, and Reeves's recent films had underperformed.
Lionsgate Films purchased the distribution rights to the film two months before its release date on October 24, 2014. Following a successful marketing campaign that changed its perception from disposable entertainment to a prestige event helmed by an affable leading actor, John Wick exceeded box-office projections and became a modest success, grossing $86 million worldwide. It received generally positive reviews for its style and action sequences. Critics hailed John Wick as a comeback for Reeves, in a role that played to his acting strengths. The film's mythology of a criminal underworld with rituals and rules was praised as its most distinctive and interesting feature.
John Wick began a successful franchise which includes three sequels (John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019), and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)), the prequel television series The Continental: From the World of John Wick (2023), the spin-off film Ballerina (2025), as well as video games and comic books. Some retrospective assessments have identified John Wick to be among the best action films made; it is seen as having revitalized the genre and popularized long single takes with choreographed, detailed action.
PLOT
In New York City, John Wick is grieving the death of his wife Helen, who had arranged for him to receive a beagle puppy to help cope with his loss. A few days later, a group of Russian gangsters, led by Iosef Tarasov, accost John at a gas station and fail to intimidate him into selling them his 1969 Boss 429 Mustang. That night, they break into John's home, assault him, kill the puppy, and steal the car. Iosef takes the Mustang to a chop shop to remove its identifying details, but the shop owner, Aurelio, recognizes it and refuses service. Aurelio informs John that Iosef is the son of Viggo Tarasov, the boss of New York City's Russian mafia.
Upon learning of his son's actions, Viggo berates Iosef for incurring John's wrath. He reveals John was once a hitman in his employ, and was renowned and feared in the criminal underworld as the Baba Yaga, a ruthless, relentless "man of focus, commitment, and sheer will". After John fell in love with Helen, a civilian, Viggo gave him a seemingly impossible task to earn his freedom; he succeeded.
John recovers a concealed stash from his former career that includes weapons and gold coins. He rejects Viggo's attempt to make amends and kills the hit squad subsequently sent to his home. Viggo puts a $2 million bounty on John and enlists John's former mentor, Marcus, to kill him. John lodges at the Continental, a luxurious hotel that serves as neutral ground for the underworld and where conducting criminal business is forbidden. Winston, the hotel's owner and John's old friend, informs him that Iosef is at a nightclub called Red Circle. John infiltrates Red Circle and confronts Iosef, but he is attacked by Viggo's henchman Kirill and forced to retreat to the Continental for medical attention.
As John rests, a hitwoman, Ms. Perkins, sneaks into his room. Marcus sees Perkins from an adjacent building and fires a warning shot to alert John, who wakes up and subdues her. Perkins reveals Viggo has doubled the bounty for her to kill John in the hotel and has concealed a high-value stash in a church. John hires another hitman, Harry, to secure Perkins but she kills Harry and escapes.
At the church, John destroys Viggo's cache of cash and extensive blackmail material. When Viggo arrives to assess the damage, John assaults him and his men but is hit by Kirill's car and captured. John tells Viggo he will not stop until Iosef is dead because the puppy gave him hope and a chance to not be alone in his grief for Helen. Marcus again intervenes to save John, who kills Kirill and threatens Viggo into revealing Iosef's location in a safe house. John attacks the safehouse and kills Iosef. Marcus encourages John to return to his everyday life. Perkins witnesses this and reveals Marcus's duplicity to Viggo, who has him tortured and killed. Viggo calls John to taunt him with the details, drawing him back to the city.
Winston has Perkins executed for breaking the Continental's rules, then informs John that Viggo is preparing to leave the city by helicopter. John races to New York Harbor, where he fights and mortally wounds Viggo. John, resigned to dying from his injuries, watches on his phone a video of Helen telling him they need to go home. He breaks into a nearby animal clinic, treats his wounds, and adopts a pit bull puppy scheduled to be euthanized before beginning to walk home.
CAST
- Keanu Reeves as John Wick: A retired hitman who is legendary in the criminal underworld
- Michael Nyqvist as Viggo Tarasov: A vicious Russian crime boss and John's former employer
- Alfie Allen as Iosef Tarasov: Viggo's reckless and arrogant son
- Adrianne Palicki as Ms. Perkins: A ruthless and highly skilled hitwoman
- Bridget Moynahan as Helen: John's beloved and devoted wife
- Dean Winters as Avi: Viggo's attorney
- Lance Reddick as Charon / Hotel Manager: The Continental's concierge
- Toby Leonard Moore as Victor: A Russian gangster working with Iosef
- Ian McShane as Winston: The enigmatic owner of the Continental
- John Leguizamo as Aurelio: A mechanic who owns a high-end chop shop
- Willem Dafoe as Marcus: A skilled sniper and John's old friend
The cast also includes Omer Barnea as Gregori, Iosef's underling who kills John's
dog; Daniel Bernhardt as Kirill, a former Russian military commander-turned-henchman for Viggo; Thomas Sadoski as Jimmy, a police officer; and David Patrick Kelly as Charlie, a cleaner who destroys criminal evidence, including bodies. The Continental staff includes Bridget Regan as Addy, a bartender fond of John, and Randall Duk Kim as a hotel doctor. Clarke Peters portrays Harry, a hitman; Kevin Nash appears as Francis, a bouncer at the Red Circle night club; and Munro M. Bonnell plays a corrupt priest protecting Viggo's vault beneath a church. A beagle puppy called Andy portrays John's dog, Daisy.
WRITING
During the early 2000s, Derek Kolstad struggled to gain recognition as a screenwriter, producing up to eight screenplays per year, none of which went into production. Although he continued to write, he stopped pursuing it as a full time career until his wife encouraged him to try again. Kolstad secured a manager and wrote 60 screenplays before finding success with the low-budget action films One in the Chamber (2012) and The Package (2013). Over four days in either 2012 or 2013, Kolstad wrote a spec script titled Scorn, the inspiration for which came from two "terrible revenge movies" he had watched. The script's story centered around the character John Wick, a long-retired hitman in his mid-60s to mid-70s who is forced back into his former life. John was modeled on actors such as Clint Eastwood and Paul Newman. The script included elements such as John's long-deceased wife, his elderly dog, the Continental, Charon, Winston, and the underworld gold coins; it had a kill count of 11 compared to the film's several dozen. John was portrayed as an underworld legend who had been absent for decades, causing younger criminals to dismiss tales of his deeds. Kolstad aimed to explore the character as "the worst man in existence" who finds and loses salvation through love and events that followed this. He had difficulty determining the incident that would lead to John's return, ultimately choosing his dog's murder over the cliché of the killing of the protagonist's wife and family. Kolstad focused his efforts on the first act, believing a solid opening would make later acts easier to write.
The draft was influenced by the variety of action films of which Kolstad was fond, including Aliens (1986), Predator (1987), and Die Hard (1988); and revenge films, westerns, and neo-noir films such as Miller's Crossing (1990). Kolstad included black comedy because he found that levity added to the characters' humanity, drawing influence from silent comedy actors such as Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin, and Roscoe Arbuckle; and his favorite animated television series, including Rick and Morty and SpongeBob SquarePants. After garnering feedback from family and agents, Kolstad made minor changes and the spec script was put out for sale.
DEVELOPMENT
At the same time, producer Basil Iwanyk was developing films for Warner Bros. Pictures through his studio Thunder Road Films. Iwanyk was frustrated at not being involved beyond sourcing scripts; he wanted the autonomy to develop independent films so he could be more involved in the process. He focused on action films that could be made on relatively low budgets. Iwanyk read Kolstad's spec script, appreciating its subversive tone and emotional throughline, as well as the relatability and accessibility of a man seeking revenge after losing his wife, his dog, and his car; and his home being violated.
Kolstad received multiple offers for the script, but his agent advised him to consider the lowest bid from Iwanyk because Thunder Road Films was ready to start work immediately. The deal was completed in February 2013. Kolstad began rewrites alongside Iwanyk and producer Erica Lee over two months. Iwanyk originally envisioned older actors such as Eastwood (then 83-years-old) or Harrison Ford (71-years-old) as John but later opted for an experienced actor rather than an elderly one.
In April 2013, Iwanyk's friend was serving as Keanu Reeves's talent agent. Iwanyk shared the script after the agent expressed Reeves's interest in pursuing a new action project. Reeves was interested in the dynamics between the real world and the underworld, and the emotional connection to John's wife. The script was sent to multiple directors, many of whom suggested expanding John's family and having them killed to drive the plot, but Kolstad opposed this idea. Others were uninterested because the idea appeared to be a typical Reeves action film.
While Reeves was negotiating his involvement, he sent the script to Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, both of whom had worked with him as stunt coordinators and performers on the initial The Matrix trilogy of films and later projects, and had founded the action, design, and stunt company 87Eleven Productions. He recommended them to choreograph or direct the action sequences, feeling their style matched the script's tone. Stahelski and Leitch were interested in the variety of action scenes, but they wanted to direct the film itself. Stahelski and Leitch gained Reeves's support after pitching him their vision of an assassin thriller with a realistic tone in an otherworldly setting, in which John was an urban legend. Reeves said they impressed him with their intent to make each character memorable and thoughts on the theme of living a double life. In May, Reeves was confirmed for the lead role, and Stahelski and Leitch were to direct it.
For the next two months, Kolstad and Reeves spent weekends rewriting the script six times to fit Reeves's acting style. John was made younger, and Reeves, then 49-years-old, intended to portray him as a 35-year-old. Dialogue was trimmed to emphasize John's slick and tough persona; a five-page conversation between John and the priest was trimmed to John simply responding "Uh-huh". They decided not to depict the impossible task that earned John his freedom, believing they should never show his life before Helen's death.
CASTING
John Wick's principal characters were cast in September and October 2013. Casting focused on affordable actors who were available in the two and a half weeks before filming began. The task was eased by filming in New York City, allowing the producers to secure local actors such as Ian McShane, who only had to be present to film their scenes without traveling long distances. Character actors who could vivify Kolstad's characters were preferred; despite little screentime, they were considered essential for providing details about John Wick's past and the underworld.
Kolstad named John Wick after his grandfather, and Helen was named for his grandmother. Keanu Reeves was paid $1–$2 million for his performance. Reeves's personal experience with bereavement, having lost his daughter in 1998 and his partner in 2001, helped him relate to John's emotional state. Describing the character, Reeves said:
"[John] thought [his old life] was something he would never go back to ... John thought he was stronger than he is, when really he'd been drawing that strength from his wife, Helen ... I always thought of it as being a kind of Old Testament revenge story. When someone takes the things he cherishes, violence erupts and John can't temper it."
Stahelski and Leitch prioritized themes of loss and humanity as fundamental aspects of John, wanting to avoid making him a cliché "badass" assassin. They had Reeves grow his hair and beard, and dressed him in stylish suits to create recognizable visual elements. Reeves underwent four months of training, including several hours per day in a gym, strict diet, and stretches, and learned choreography. Despite his previous martial arts experience, the directors aimed to craft a unique style fitting for John, and had Reeves train in judo, Japanese jujutsu, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and arnis, as well as undergoing tactical-gun training with the Los Angeles SWAT and Navy SEALs. He also learned stunt driving skills, including how to drift a car while aiming a gun.
Michael Nyqvist described the relationship between Viggo and John as akin to a father and son, built on love and respect for John's prowess as an assassin. Nyqist trained in the Russian martial art sambo, reflecting the character's impoverished street-brawler origins, and partly based his performance on his Russian trainers. He generally played his character straight with some eccentricities. Kolstad described Alfie Allen's Iosef as "a dinner-theater version of his father," depicting a wealthy and spoiled youth who perceives himself as tough but lacks his father's strength. Allen, attracted to the challenge of speaking different languages and accents, immersed himself in Russian bathhouses in New York to refine his dialect. He faced difficulties, including the physical demands his character endured and the spontaneous additions of Russian dialogue to the script, requiring quick adaptation.
The character Ms. Perkins was originally conceived as a male figure until Adrianne Palicki was cast in the role. Palicki characterized the role as a cold, cunning, and ruthless assassin who derives pleasure from killing. Palicki trained in judo and jujitsu for a few months, and spent two weeks learning the choreography for her fight scene with Reeves. Bridget Moynahan, who portrayed John's wife Helen, chose not to read the script in its entirety. Her decision was based on the desire to understand only as much about John as Helen would know, contributing to a more authentic portrayal of her character.
Kolstad depicted Ian McShane's Winston as a character who speaks sparingly but commands attention when he does, likening him to a titan in the realm of New York. McShane accepted the role based on his affinity for neo-noir films. John Leguizamo in his portrayal of Aurelio, drew inspiration from the character's stylish wardrobe, embodying a sense of confidence and swagger. Leguizamo explained, "I'm walking through the set and all of a sudden I start feeling a little cocky, like I'm somebody." Willem Dafoe described Marcus as a high-level assassin and father figure to John. He added traits to his aging character such as a scene in which Marcus makes juice because he reasoned the character would maintain his health to stay competitive with younger assassins.
FILMING
Principal photography began on October 7, 2013, on a $20–$30 million budget, in and around New York City. Filming was arduous, with stresses over the schedule and budget. There was reduced daylight for associated scenes and extensive night-time filming in very cold weather. The initial five days of filming took place in Mill Neck village with scenes at John's house. Iwanyk recalled thinking John Wick would not work after watching the crew lighting a stuffed dog stand-in and several scenes of Reeves brooding. He changed his mind watching John's interaction with the police officer after killing a hitman squad, an absurd situation played with earnestness.
Cinematographer Jonathan Sela intended to use anamorphic lenses for scenes depicting John's domestic life to create a soft, clean image, and spherical lenses for his return to the underworld to create a grittier, darker, and sharper aesthetic. Once filming began, however, he opted to use the lenses for, respectively, day-and-night filming, and contrast the use of a static camera position for the early segments and dynamic movements for the remainder of the
film. He lit scenes in a gothic manner to make the underworld appear with a mix of American and European designs, and illuminated characters in a manner that preserved the mystery of whether they were allies or adversaries to John.
Scenes at The Red Circle nightclub were filmed at Surrogate's Courthouse (exterior), Edison Theatre (club interior), and Aire Ancient Baths (below-ground spa). The production design added red-and-blue lighting and misted windows to the spa. Sela said they wanted it to look like a part of the underground but they were constrained by the budget; he said this sometimes worked in their favor because it forced them to develop creative solutions. Perry was hired to choreograph the nightclub sequence at the last minute because Stahelski was occupied filming the final confrontation between John and Viggo. Perry, who portrays four characters killed by John in The Red Circle, was only told to begin in the nightclub and move up to the top level. Despite the choreography, improvisation based on spontaneous additions often took place during filming. Reeves's training allowed him to rapidly adapt to the changes and perform many of his own stunts, so filming often operated quickly. Iwanyk said they could capture as much footage in an afternoon as some others could over three days.
The combat sequences adhered strictly to the number of bullets available in John's weapons, and scenes were crafted to include segments of John reloading at realistic intervals. Any alterations, such as the introduction of additional enemies, prompted corresponding adjustments to the bullet count, necessitating the relocation of reloading segments. Challenges arose during the club sequence due to incorrect gear acquisitions, including a holster that impeded Reeves's ability to draw his gun and the use of a silencer attachment that proved impractical. Minor timing issues in scenes at the spa and the club's upper floor posed difficulties, and insufficient footage to conceal the inconsistencies led to alterations in choreography and scenes to more clearly establish character locations. Reeves was also ill; according to Iwanyk, he would vomit between takes then insist on continuing filming. The film's insurers refused to approve Reeves performing a fall from the club's upper floor; Spidell stood in for falls and other hard impacts.
The fight scene between John and Viggo posed challenges during its filming over five nights at Brooklyn Navy Yard. The temperature was regularly 36 °F (2 °C) and the production was prohibited from using artificial rain on one evening because temperatures dropped too low. Reeves also refused to wear a wetsuit to help prevent hypothermia. Iwanyk thought the scene was an ill-fitting end to the film and would not fare well with audiences because John was fighting an older man. Additionally, the directors had initially planned for a more elaborate vehicle sequence involving several cars, but only two vehicles arrived.
The Beaver Building served as the location for exterior scenes at The Continental, and interior scenes were filmed at various buildings across Manhattan and Brooklyn, including the Cunard Building, Hotel Wolcott, and a bank vault in the Financial District; Marble was glued to its surfaces to make it appear expensive. Exterior scenes set at Viggo's headquarters were filmed at the Maritime Exchange Building and on the roof of ModernHaus SoHo on Grand Street. Filming also took place at Calvary Cemetery, a gas station in Upper Nyack, Republic Airport, Manhattan Bridge, Schaefer Landing, and Bethesda Terrace and Fountain. The church scene was conceived as a bank heist but scouts had difficulty finding a suitable location. Ultimately, directors Stahelski and Leitch opted for a church setting, considering it an interesting hideout. Interior scenes were filmed at St. Francis Xavier Church, while the exterior combines the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Building in New York and the Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles.
Filming concluded on December 20, 2013, after nine weeks. The directors described it as a difficult learning experience that included many mistakes, and stretched the limits of the budget and schedule, but was ultimately successful. Kolstad lamented the loss of his favorite scene due to scheduling, in which two men at Aurelio's garage see John's car, recognize it, and promptly vacate the premises.
DISTRIBUTION & MARKETING
By August 2014, John Wick had no secured distributor. Industry professionals blamed the lack of interest on the film's untested directors, and Iwanyk's relative inexperience in independent film production. Additionally, Reeves's recent films, such as 47 Ronin and Man of Tai Chi (both 2013), had performed poorly, even in countries where he was expected to have a strong following, such as China and Japan. Despite having secured strong presales in certain countries, Iwanyk said significant territories were not showing interest.
A screening arranged for studio acquisition executives went poorly; one viewer walked out shortly after it started. Lionsgate Films emerged as the sole bidder, offering terms that included no upfront payment and a minimal release commitment, which Iwanyk interpreted as meaning John Wick would go straight to home video. However, Lionsgate executives Jason Constantine and Tim Palen championed John Wick, and set an October release date through its subsidiary Summit Entertainment. The John Wick title came late in production; dissatisfied with the original title Scorn, Reeves regularly referred to the film as John Wick in interviews, which Lionsgate executives equated to "seven million dollars in free press".
A trailer created by Palen was well received, as were pre-release screenings at the 2014 Austin Film Festival and Fantastic Fest. Audience demand at Fantastic Fest led to two additional screenings. In the week leading up to its release, John Wick was screened at no cost to audiences in 42 cities across the United States. Box office analyst Scott Mendelson wrote Lionsgate's marketing campaign had taken a film with little audience awareness and generated interest by turning a "theoretical B-movie action pick-up into something of an A-level event... [and] a coronation for its iconic star [Reeves]". According to Lionsgate executives, audiences had a favorable opinion of Reeves because of his candid nature in interviews regarding his personal and professional successes and failures. In October, Lionsgate announced John Wick would play in IMAX theaters, which was considered a superior theatrical experience and further raised the film's profile. Even so, expectations for John Wick were low due to Reeves's recent box-office failures and the film's short promotion cycle.
As a promotional tie-in, the first-person shooter game Payday 2 (2013) added John Wick as a playable character in the week leading up to the film's release. Free copies of the game were given to people who purchased tickets for the film early via online ticket retailer Fandango. Variety praised the idea for targeting the same male audience as John Wick without the cost of making a full game based on it.
BOX OFFICE
John Wick was premiered at Regal Union Square Theater in New York City on October 13, 2014; Reeves was accompanied by Andy, the puppy that portrays John's dog. The event was hosted in partnership with watch company Carl F. Bucherer.
John Wick was released in the United States and Canada on October 24. During its opening weekend, the film grossed $14.4 million across 2,589 theaters—an average of $5,568 per theater, making it the number-two film of the weekend behind the debut of Ouija ($19.9 million) and ahead of Fury ($13.3 million), which was in its second weekend. The success of John Wick was a surprise, nearly doubling analysts' low expectations and pre-release estimates of $7–$10 million, and over-performing across 347 IMAX theaters with $2.5 million, accounting for 18% of its total box-office take. The film primarily drew a male audience, and approximately 77% of the viewers were over 25 years old. John Wick fell to number six in its second weekend with a gross of $8 million, and number eight in its third with $4.1 million. It left the top-ten highest-grossing films by its fourth weekend with a gross of $2.2 million. John Wick left theaters by January 22, 2015, with a total box-office take of $43 million, making it the 79th-highest-grossing film of the year.
Outside the U.S. and Canada, John Wick is estimated to have grossed a further $43 million, with its highest grosses coming from Germany ($3.7 million), France ($3.2 million), Australia ($2.8 million), Taiwan ($2.6 million), Russia ($2.59 million), the United Kingdom ($2.4 million), and Japan ($2.3 million). This made it the 114th-highest-grossing film of the year outside of the U.S. and Canada. Worldwide, John Wick grossed an estimated $86 million, making it the 89th-highest-grossing film of 2014.
CRITICS
John Wick received generally positive reviews. On the website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an 86% approval rating from the aggregated reviews of 219 critics and an average score of 6.9/10. The consensus reads; "Stylish, thrilling, and giddily kinetic, John Wick serves as a satisfying return to action for Keanu Reeves – and what looks like it could be the first of a franchise". The film has a score of 68 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 40 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+-to-F scale.
Critics, including Peter Travers and Stephanie Zacharek, praised Reeves's performance, describing it as a return to form. Richard Corliss, among others, said it was a fitting role for the actor that benefits from his stoic, taciturn demeanor for a character who conveys intent through actions. Bilge Ebiri said John Wick would have been a typical revenge story with any other actor but the "ethereal and ageless" Reeves makes it "mythic". The Atlantic and The New York Times praised Reeves for being able to suggest depths to his character and portray a physical charisma while maintaining a relatively blank expression. Others said his believable physicality and athleticism enhances the many combat sequences and long single takes. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian, however, wrote Reeves's deadpan style could only work when contrasted with humorous dialogue, and considered John Wick to be humorless. Praise was also given to the main supporting cast, particularly McShane and Nyqvist, though The Atlantic believed the supporting cast were underused.
The directors' decades of experience in stunt work was seen as a major benefit to the action sequences, which Stephanie Zacharek described as among the "most beautifully choreographed" set-pieces in an American action film for a long time. Reviews commended the fluidity of the action sequences and the skill displayed by the performers. They considered the choreography to be inventive, opting for a straightforward and impactful style over slow-motion effects, resulting in heightened shock value. The action scenes were lauded for their adeptness, with their ruthless and effective nature mirroring the demeanor of the film's central character. Some publications highlighted the film's deliberate avoidance of shaky camera movements and quick editing in favor of long takes that help immerse the audience in the sleek choreography, which differentiated John Wick from its peers. Variety said the large number of equally impressive action sequences compensated for the weak script.
While critics generally described the narrative as a self-serious, cliché-filled, and predictable action script with a stylistic approach, they said it offered a novel setting, creating intrigue related to John's past and the mythology that developed around the criminal underworld. The mythology in John Wick was identified as a key aspect that differentiated it from other action movies, particularly the codes and rules that govern the criminals, and the Continental hotel, which provided a reprieve to the otherwise non-stop violence in the rest of the film. Entertainment Weekly praised the rich and stylish world-building, and The Guardian's Jordan Hoffman hoped for future films to explore this setting, even without the John Wick characters.
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MOVIES
& TV
Django
Unchained 2012
Double
Jeopardy 1999
Enemy
of the State 1998
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Bates Vs The Post Office (Horizon) 2024
Gladiator
2000
John
Wick 2014
Rambo
First Blood 1982
Rules
of Engagement 2000
Sisu
2023
The
Bonfire of the Vanities 1990
The
Crown, Netflix 2013 - 2023
The
Fugitive 1993
Yes
(Prime) Minister 1980 - 1988
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