John Wick: This
film offers a unique theme for a revenge movie—the death of a pet. When Iosef
Tarasov (Alfie Allen, the wonderfully sniveling Theon Greyjoy from Game of Thrones) invades the home of
John Wick (Keanu Reeves) to steal his vintage sports car, he and his crew
overpower the unprepared Wick and kill his dog, a last gift from his dying finance.
A former hitman and enforcer for the mob, Wick goes back into business to track
down those villains what done him wrong.
The plot is that simple. But the execution is
magnificent. Wick is a man on a mission. No threat, mob killer or father’s plea
can stop him from tracking down and killing anyone in the crew that murdered
his beloved pet. This is one of the most violent films I have ever seen. Wick
becomes a hurricane of action, and is focused like a laser beam on his goals. In
one scene he moves through a nightclub, shooting scores of mob toughs keeping
him from his revenge. Two in the chest, one in the head seem to be his mantra,
and bad guys are shot up close and in the face. When Wick runs out of bullets,
he’ll use anything from a tire iron to a deadly out-the-front knife (similar to
the one I carry personally, that was cool) for last-resort protection. He is also
an expert martial artist, and there are some brilliant hand-to-hand fight
sequences. The action is mean and gory, with Wick leaving the city littered
with bodies as he chases his revenge. Can we have a moment of silence for all
of the stuntmen obviously killed during the making of this movie?
The end
leaves an opening for a sequel, as Wick finds himself back in the enforcement
business. I’m all in for Wick 2, as long as he carries those lovely knives.
Martial
Arts/Action Rating: ***** broken sternums out of 5
The Guest: The Peterson’s
are a nice suburban family. Their son was recently killed in Afghanistan and they
are still dealing with their grief. Enter David, a soldier friend of their son’s.
David is kind and likable. He stopped by on his way home from the war because
he promised their son he would check on them. Invited to stay a day or two, David
makes close friends quickly with the family. Beautiful daughter Anna Peterson (Maika
Monroe) is the only one who suspects David of not being all he claims. But she
can’t put her finger on what’s wrong about him ...
Then things start to fall
apart. David has a violent side which he allows the Peterson teenagers to see,
but hides well from the parents. His happy-go-lucky demeanor slowly starts to peel
away and reveal a violent monster, No one will believe Anna that David is not all
he seems until it is too late for any of them.
It’s hard to believe Dan
Stevens, the puffy English gentleman Andrew Crawley from Downton Abbey, plays the title role. He has slimmed down, buffed
up, and has that perfect American accent most British actors seem to acquire
effortlessly when needed. David is friendly, full of smiles and easy
manipulation to get what he wants. As he turns darker and more violent, he
insinuates himself totally into the life of the Peterson’s, their children and
their friends. When government authorities arrive to investigate, David shows
his true mettle and proceeds to run them all in circles. When the results of
his military “programming” are revealed, everyone who had contact with him is
suddenly in deadly danger. The ending is absolutely breathtaking and caps off a
creepy and addictive movie. Recommended, for a great story and a bevy of chilling
performances, especially by Dan Stevens and Maika Monroe.
Rating: ****½ stars
out of 5
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