'John Wick'
The Ringer's Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Shea Serrano are thinking they're back after rewatching the 2014 action-thriller hit 'John Wick,' starring Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, and Alfie Allen.
Cast
Keanu Reeves as John Wick
Michael Nyqvist as Viggo Tarasov
Alfie Allen as Iosef Tarasov
Willem Dafoe as Marcus
Ian McShane as Winston
Lance Reddick as Charon
Adrienne Palicki as Miss Perkins
John Leguizamo as Aurelio
Bridget Moynahan as Helen
Dean Winters as Avi
David Patrick Kelly as Charlie the Cleaner
Directed by: Chad Stahelski, David Leitch
Written by: Derek Kolstad
Notes
- Budget of $25 million, grossed $85 million worldwide. 101-minute runtime. Originally titled 'Scorn.'
- As of August 2014 (3 months before release), the film had no distributor. Lionsgate picked it up with no upfront payment. Started at ~42 screens and grew via word of mouth after Austin's Fantastic Fest.
- Co-directed by Chad Stahelski and David Leitch (both Matrix stunt coordinators). DGA wouldn't give co-credit, so one was credited as director, the other as producer.
- Keanu trained 4 months: judo, Japanese jiu-jitsu, BJJ, arnis, tactical gun training with LAPD SWAT and Navy SEALs, stunt driving (learned to drift while aiming a gun).
- Keanu had a 104-degree fever during the nightclub shoot and insisted on filming – 'his flu game.'
- Michael Nyqvist cut his head so badly during a fight scene he needed 80 stitches and almost lost an ear.
- The franchise spawned 3 sequels, a prequel TV series (The Continental), a spin-off film (Ballerina), video games, and comic books.
- Keanu's career was essentially dead before this – his preceding films included 47 'Ronin' (bombed), Generation Um..., and Henry's Crime.
- John Wick's car: a 1969 Boss 429 Mustang (only 1,315 ever made). They couldn't afford to buy five and destroy them.
- They had only about 10 stunt people reused over and over, which inadvertently led to the signature wide shots – not enough cameras for close-up coverage became a strength.
- The entire setup takes only 16 minutes. Total 'John Wick' kills: 84.
- The Red Circle nightclub is named after Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Cercle Rouge.
Categories
- Winner: The nightclub fight (Red Circle sequence) – from putting a gun to Francis's head outside to being thrown off the balcony = 7 minutes, 'the seven best sustained minutes in action movie history.'
- Shay's pick: The cop scene after the house fight ('You working again, John?' / 'Good night, Jimmy') – the moment the world opens up.
Adrienne Palicki as Miss Perkins – felt perfectly early 2010s. The overall cast (Lance Reddick, Ian McShane, Clarke Peters) feels 'perfectly 2014.'
- The 'Baba Yaga' nickname. The Continental concept and world-building.
- No cops subplot – the movie is so lean; no grizzled detective side plot slowing things down.
- Alfie Allen as Iosef – incredibly unlikable, great performance.
- Winston calling him 'Jonathan.' Wick turning his watch face inward before a fight (soldiers do it to avoid reflections).
- Getting punched and immediately puking (body blow realism).
- Marilyn Manson music ('Killing Strangers') used multiple times – very on the nose.
- Feeding cereal to the puppy (diarrhea central).
- 'John Wick' never gets blood on him despite all the close-range killings.
- Chris: Red police lights pulsing into Wick's house after the home invasion; any frame from the Red Circle dance floor fight.
- Bill: Slow-mo ground-up shot of Wick about to kill Iosef; the cemetery shot of Wick and Dafoe in black and white.
- Shay: The wide shot of Wick with a bag over his head, tiny in frame, in a vast empty warehouse.
They capture 'John Wick' and don't kill him immediately – full Austin Powers 'Why didn't you just kill him?' situation. They have guns drawn after he's killed 50-60 people and bring him to a remote location instead.
- Bill: Viggo's speech about karma is actually 100% correct – maybe don't kill 1,500 people and your wife doesn't die.
- Chris: John Wick's massive overreaction to a dog he knew for two days – it's really deflection from boredom with suburban life.
Ian McShane replaced Jason Isaacs as Winston.
- David Patrick Kelly (Charlie the Cleaner – also Luther from 48 Hours, the bad guy from 'The Warriors').
- Dion Waiters Award: John Leguizamo – filmed all his scenes in one day (15-hour shoot). Steals every scene.
- Keanu Reeves: No – it's The Matrix (imagine doing 'John Wick' and that NOT being your Apex Mountain).
- Fake hotel universe (The Continental): 100% yes.
- The one extra headshot (confirmation kill): Yes, Apex Mountain.
- Burying and digging up your former career under concrete: 100% yes.
Cruise, unanimously. 'We saw it in 'Collateral'. He did it already.'
- Viggo final fight doesn't reach the nightclub heights – he's too old to be a credible physical threat.
- Iosef not knowing who Wick is seems impossible. Wick has a clear shot at Iosef in the bathhouse and doesn't take it.
- The gold coin economy makes no sense (same coin for body cleanup, club entry, hotel stay, valet tip).
- Baba Yaga is actually an old female witch in Russian folklore – strange choice for a male assassin.
Viggo yelling 'PRICELESS!' – the one time he loses it.
- Don't fuck with another man's dog, car, or both.
- If you're a Russian mob boss, tell your kids about Baba Yaga – just send it on the group chat.
'John Wick' 2.
Keanu Reeves – obvious, unanimous pick.