John Wick

[Maven]

Out today. I wanted to like this more than I eventually did.

There are some choice moments of entertainment peppered throughout the film, and the action scenes are original and raw. It helps that the director was one of the stunt coordinators for the Matrix films and has worked with Reeves in the past.

I wanted to know more about the world of the film because it was stylistically interesting, but I think it wouldn't hold up to any serious examination. Reeves brings his Stiff As A Board acting, but it really works for the deadpan scenes. It's funny to see others emoting (female bartender in the Continental) to his blank expressions. So, overall, film's meh, especially the inconsistent style, and the poor story and structure, but it's a good popcorn flick.

[schild]

Wife and I were going to go see it but the Austin fucking Film Festival (of Shit) was this weekend, so movie hours were fucky. Will see it some time this week.

[MrHat]

Wife and I were going to go see it but the Austin fucking Film Festival (of Shit) was this weekend, so movie hours were fucky. Will see it some time this week.

Enjoy.

It's a damn fun movie and the action shots are fun and Keanu acts through every trigger pull.

I enjoyed this more than Shoot 'Em Up.  And I loved Shoot 'Em Up.

[Maven]

I've been checking out reviews and other news as it comes up. It doubled its box office expectations and has been received positively. Thinking about the movie and accepting its faults rather than knocking it for them, the movie delivers some solid entertainment.

[Merusk]

Folks on the reddit thread were praising the actual thoughtfulness behind reloads and kill shots. I might have to see it for that reason alone as it's a rare thing in action movies.

[murdoc]

I really enjoyed this movie. I wouldn't say it was a good movie, just highly entertaining. I thought the subtle world building was really well done, the action scenes were fantastic.

[pxib]

It's directed by David Leitch and Chad Stahelski, two stunt men turned stunt coordinators and fight choreographers. The action scenes had better be good... they've been doing this stuff for more than 20 years.

Stahelski's first credit is as Keanu's stunt double in Point Break.

[Abagadro]

Really fun movie. Plot is very simplistic (duh), but it is done really well. It is stylish, it creates an interesting world with its own coherent rules, and has a dynamite ancillary cast. Highly recommended.

[SurfD]

Really fun movie. Plot is very simplistic (duh), but it is done really well. It is stylish, it creates an interesting world with its own coherent rules, and has a dynamite ancillary cast. Highly recommended.

Yep.  A number of the big fightscenes (like the one in the Circle Club) were really well done, and they managed to pack a hell of a lot of world building into the short duration of the movie, to the extent that you leave feeling like this is almost part two of a franchise you already saw the first part of.

[Riggswolfe]

How bad is the shakeycam in this? My hope is that as fight choreographers these guys will want to actually show the fights instead of jerking the camera around but my fear is that won't be the case.

[Maven]

Minimal. Few close-ups to hide the action. Wide-angle, very fluid and detailed. Compare to: The Equalizer, where Denzel looks amazing because you can't really see what he's doing.

Action scenes are the best I've seen this year. You believe Keanu is actually doing it because I think he actually is for most of the movie. There's one scene where he uses a Jujitsu hold on a guy that you would never think Liam Neeson, Denzel, or any over 50+ action stars would think of attempting.

[Abagadro]

I don't remember any shaky cam at all other than maybe some car collisions where it would make some sense.

[Pennilenko]

I remember reading somewhere that Keanu practices several martial arts. Probably helps make his fight scenes more believable.