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John Wick (Amazon Instant Video)

I am seldom, if ever, kind to Keanu Reeves. I have often described him as a human two-by-four, an actor who defines "stiff," etc. If someone's performance is really bad, it's not unusual for me to say he makes Reeves look Oscar-worthy. I am not kind.

Yet, it is equally true that Reeves has a certain range and ability that serves him well in many roles. For example, he's utterly perfect as Neo in The Matrix. And while it was a silly role, he was very good as the pointless white man in 47 Ronin. (I also applaud his documentary Side by Side, chronicling the development of digital cinematography; see it, it's great.)

Now he's in John Wick and he's damn near sublime, as is the entire film. I love a story with a simple plot that is well told, and John Wick is all of that in spades.

Reeves plays the title character. In the opening minutes of the film, we meet Wick, his wife, his wife becoming ill, dying, and leaving Wick a dog as an anchor for his humanity. This sequence, by the by, is very well done. It sets up the character nicely and builds the basic foundation for the rage storm that is to come.

Because some Russian gangster punks, Russian gangsters being the new and acceptable go-to villains for movies, steal Wick's car and kill his dog. This causes, shall we say, a reaction. Because as the Russian gangster punk's Russian gangster father puts it, "It's not what you did, it's who you did it to." Wick is apparently the most lethal killer to have ever walked the face of the earth, probably the reason the dinosaurs went extinct, and with his anchor to humanity gone, he goes on a relentless hunt for Russian gangster punk blood.

There are a number of little scenes where people react to seeing Wick back in action. Each illustrates the sheer size and magnitude of his past and reputation, and they never wear out their welcome. From one man's simple, shocked, "Oh," to another's "Thank you, sir," because Wick opts not to kill him, they are little accents to a remorseless character that Reeves plays to perfection.

The film is a thrill ride from one set piece to the next. Where elsewhere you might describe Reeves' acting as stiff, here it becomes stoic, relentless, remorseless. Others try for this (such as Jai Courtney, a man who ruins everything he's in and will be the singular reason the upcoming Terminator: Genisys will suck); few succeed as well as Reeves. Yes, I am praising Keanu Reeves because the man knows his limits and exploits them to the fullest here.

The entire cast is perfect. No one is going to win an Oscar, because the Oscars don't even acknowledge that films like this exist, but each performance is a fine example of craft. Stand outs for me include Michael Nyqvist, as Russian gangster punk's father, and Ian McShane, operator of The Continental, a hotel where assassins may rest, safe from harm. Adrianne Palicki plays Ms. Perkins, someone who is perhaps disrespectful of The Continental's rules, and she simply revels in the part. (Maybe she would have been a great Wonder Woman after all…)

Special mention goes to that one guy who damn near beats Wick at one point. I believe the character is Kirill, played by Daniel Bernhardt. I hope I got that right because he's awesome.

Chad Stahelski directs and he apparently is a major league stunt coordinator. This shows in virtually every frame of the film. The fight sequences move with verve and splendor. There is a loving embrace of practical effects and it all pays off. The film feels as physical as it looks. Here again Reeves steps up and performs most, if not all, of his own stunt work.

Yes, the plot is a trifle. Yes, there is absolutely nothing of significance going on. You will not be intellectually challenged by anything. But the craft on display here deserves recognition, a simple story told very, very well, by people who care that every detail, even in so trivial a film, is perfect. If you like a good action film, this one is a keeper.

Bravo, Mr. Reeves, bravo.

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