The first installment in the action-thriller franchise, John Wick was released in 2014 and it’s become one of the biggest hits in recent movie history outside of comic book movies or revivals of past works. Keanu Reeves hasn’t had worldwide success since The Matrix trilogy was completed, so this was a great way to get back to the top of the action movies. It was also a treat for fans of the action star to see Keanu back in action.
The world has passed action thrillers. The era of Macho Man expression with guns and violence dominated by Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Van Damme and Sylvester Stallone is over. Sexuality and subtlety are now essential for an action film. Although a few films have attempted to replicate the modern style, none of them have managed to pull it off, until John Wick.
Action films weren’t always praised for their cinematography as it didn’t always matter to the genre but it was modern day and John Wick ‘s outstanding cinematography. You could say that’s the unparalleled quality of the film. The first installment, directed by Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, had little promotion before its release, but word of mouth about the film’s exceptional quality helped it become a worldwide phenomenon and kick off a franchise. The subtlety of the film was interpreted by the hands of Derek Kolstad, whose screenplay delivered a story that impressed the entertainment industry.
Synopsis
John Wick is essentially the story of a man whose purpose is taken away from him, driving him into madness through suffering and loss. After John Wick loses his wife to a terminal illness, he is given a puppy to be delivered to him by his wife before he dies. John finds comfort in the dog as his wife had hoped and the two men begin to spend their lives together.
One fateful evening, after a day of drivingIn his favorite car with Daisy the dog, John is approached by a group of young Russian gangsters. The leader of the group, Iosef Tarasov, offers to buy John’s car, but he politely refuses. Iosef took John’s refusal to sell as an insult and followed him home where he attacked him, knocking him into a state of consciousness, before stealing his car and killing the dog.
A vengeful John Wick, who had lost his wife and his separation gift to him, seeks retribution. When he learns that Iosef Tarasov is the son of the head of the Russian crime syndicate, he meets Viggo Tarasov, the father he has dealt with in the past, asking him to let him kill and finish. Viggo tries to convince him not to take revenge, but John refuses, causing them to play cat and mouse with guns and many deaths.
After many murders and betrayals, John gets his revenge and he takes a new dog back to his quiet life before the unfortunate incident.
John Wick – Cast
John Wick boasts of an excellent cast that delivers an intriguing visual experience. The first film in the franchise featured Keanu Reeves in the lead role, John Wick. John Leguizamo, Bridget Moynahan, Adrianne Palicki and Ian McShane are among the cast.
Keanu Reeves
Keanu plays the eponymous character, John Wick, a retired Hitman who had given up his life of crime for love. The role was originally written to be played by an older actor, but one of the producers felt it best to have a younger, more accomplished actor for the part. Although Keanu already had a background in martial arts and other fighting styles from playing Neo in The Matrix, he was brought in to learn new styles like Judo, Jujutsu, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
The star actor was also made to get acquainted withfirearms, learn a lot about them. Keanu’s shooting accuracy in the film is a true reflection of his shooting skills. He also had to learn the fu gun, one of the most prominent action styles in film. One of the best things about his performance was the limited use of stunt doubles and how his use of firearms in the film matched how they would be used in real life. Keanu was reportedly paid $2 million for the film.
Michael Nyqvist
A good protagonist needs a good antagonist, and that’s exactly what Michael Nyqvist introduced to the film as Viggo Tarasov, the villain of the John Wick story. One of the moments that highlights Michael’s game difference with Viggo Tarasov is when he tells the story of John Wick to his son. He tells her about an impossible task he gave John and how John accomplished it to earn the nickname Baba Yaga.
Michael plays Viggo differently from your stereotypical Russian mob leader. Viggo respects John Wick, but even though his son did a heinous act against Wick, he couldn’t tune in to watch John Wick kill his son. In Viggo’s story, he is a loving father who is willing to do anything to protect his son and that’s what made Michael Nyqvist’s performance a compelling sight. He managed to sell the conflict and Viggo’s reluctance to fight John. For the role, Nyqvist trained in the Russian martial art, Sambo.
Alfie Allen
Alfie Allen plays Iosef Tarasov. Viggo’s son who initiated the film’s conflict. It was Allen’s first project outside of his Game of Thrones character. According to Alfie, he spent time in Russian bathhouses to formulate his accent for the film. Although Alfie didn’t get much film in the film, he did a good job selling the pompous, scared brat that is the character of Iosef Tarasov.
Willem Dafoe
Veteran actor Willem Dafoe plays John Wick’s mentor Marcus. Willem enters the fray of the story in an effort to add to the emotional burden on John Wick and to express the cruelty of the criminal underworld of which John is a part. Willem’s performance, albeit short, captures both of these points perfectly.
Other John Wick cast members include Ian McShane who plays taller than the owner of the Continental Hotel. Although he plays a limited role in the first film, he plays a bigger role in the sequel and is expected to play an even bigger role in the conclusion of the franchise. Adrianne Palicki plays Mrs. Perkins, an accomplished assassin. John Wick wasn’t Adrianne’s first action project, having spent some time on ABC’s Agent of Shield. She had to add judo and jujutsu to her repertoire of skills for the film.
Production on the film began with Derek Kolstad, who had an interest in telling the modern-day story of an assassin who comes out of retirement seeking revenge. After completing the script, Kolstad collects it and sells it to Thunder Road Pictures. The film was originally titled Scorn but was later changed to John Wick because Keanu Reeves preferred to name it after the titular character.
The film was released to positive reception from critics. Major review platforms such as Rotten Tomatoes, Rolling Stone gave the film favorable reviews and the film’s positive reception was highlighted at the box office, with the film grossing a total of $88.9 million on a budget of 20 millions of dollars.
The success of the first film launched what became a franchise. The franchise now includes two additional films, with the second film being released in 2017 and a third film scheduled for 2019. A television series in development will also focus on The Continental film; the global hotel chain that is neutral ground for assassins. A video game inspired by the film was also released in 2017. The popular Battle Royale game, Fortnite also featured a Reaper skin which was a reference to John Wick.
Is John Wick available on Netflix?
John Wick spent a few months on popular streaming service Netflix before it pulled out of the US after its distribution license expired. For viewers outside the United States, however, there is no confirmation of John Wick’s removal from the Netflix catalog, so viewers might search for the film on their account. You can get a Netflix account by signing up for the service and paying a monthly subscription fee. The first month is free for new users.
Here’s how to watch it online for free
For those who might choose not to have a Netflix account or cannot pay for one; Vidmate is an alternative application which can be used to watch the movie. The robust app gives users the ability to choose the quality of viewing experience they want. You can also choose to download the movie and watch at your convenience.