On paper, everything about David Leitch and Chad Stahelski’s violent action thriller seems painfully rote. It’s yet another movie about an ex-hitman reluctantly dragged back into the game. Of course it has the ubiquitous Russian mobsters, and stars action veteran Keanu Reeves as the titular widowed anti-hero.
But former stuntmen Leitch and Stahelski inject John Wick with such a giddily frenetic energy that it proves irresistible. From the subtitles that cheekily highlight the frequent expletives with comic book-style all-caps, to the Continental Hotel where all the world’s master hitmen reside, to Reeves’ deadpan cool, the directors create an intricately plotted, endearingly pulpy world.
With an innate understanding of pacing, the directors’ action sequences are choreography masterclasses. The style of action suits each player: infamous Wick is a jack of all terrifying trades; sly Ms Perkins (Adrianne Palicki) is all double-jointed martial arts; tidy minimalist Marcus (Willem Dafoe) relies on silencers and long-range rifles. The stylish cinematography is seductively sleek, while the soundtrack’s use of Marilyn Manson, Tyler Bates and Kaleida perfectly complements the film’s kinetic force.
With a sequel already in the works, the visual splendour and rip-roaring energy of John Wick could make for that rarest of Hollywood phenomena – a genuinely great franchise.