“I’m not saying the universe is evil but it sure has a nasty sense of humour.” – A review of Passengers by Josh Hains

by Josh Hains, posted in Film Review

The following review contains mild spoilers that will describe events that occur during the first 25-30 minutes of the movie (the first act). If you do not wish to read what could be considered spoilers to some individuals, you can skip the fourth paragraph.

Science fiction, as a genre within the medium of film, has always been built on ideas, either that reflect societal issues or political stances, or that ask audiences thought provoking questions about Life, time, space, and our own morality codes. Since Gravity was released in 2013, I have asked myself what I consider to be a rather important question with each new science fiction epic related in the years since: does this story break new ground, does it try something different, or have I seen it all before? In the case of Gravity, I came to the conclusion that the story didn’t break new ground at all, though apparently there were possibly some ground-breaking methods behind the construction of the movie. Interstellar broke new ground, presenting us with the theoretical concept of astronauts travelling through a black hole in search of a new planet to colonize after mankind’s way of life ceases to be a sustainable enterprise. The Martian asked what would happen if a man was stuck on Mars for 4 years, how would he survive, and how would we get him back to Earth, and showed us with a great deal of scientific accuracy, how this might occur.

Passengers asks us some pretty deep and dark questions, such as what would you do if on a 120 year voyage to a new sustainable planet, you awoke from hyper-sleep 90 years early? How would you deal with the situation at hand and the idea that you’ll die before the voyage is over? How would you entertain yourself? Why were woken so early? Is this how your life ends?

The marketing team behind Passengers seems to have struggled immensely with concocting an effective way to advertise the movie to the two audiences who would undoubtedly want to invest in this movie: the science fiction lovers, and the romance-comedy-drama lovers. It’s as if half of the advertising was attempting to appeal explicitly to men with images of thrilling adventure and mind bending physics, while the other half of the marketing was aiming for a female demographic by hyping up the romantic elements and using odd pop-rock music. You can’t sell a sci-fi epic simply off the star power of your two leads, so a delicate balancing act showcasing the thrill and romance dramatics was needed, but sadly never achieved by a lazy marketing team. Thankfully, the movie itself is actually perfectly fine.

Jim Preston is awoken in his hibernation pod on the starship The Avalon, which is transporting 5000 colonists who have volunteered to travel in hyper-sleep for 120 years to Homestead II, a neighbouring planet to our Earth capable of sustaining human life. To his shock, Jim realizes he’s the only person currently awake on the ship because something in the ship malfunctioned and woke him 90 years early. Jim spends the next year of his life becoming acquainted with android bartender Arthur, trying to fix the pod and even send a desperate distress message that won’t reach Earth for 50 years, enjoying some of the luxuries of the ship, and becoming increasingly lonely, bored, unhappy, and suicidal. During a drunken venture through the ship, Jim sees an attractive young woman in a pod named Aurora Lane, and begins going through some of her person a effects, learning she’s a writer and other intimate details. He becomes obsessed with her, and after a bout of indecision, makes the choice to tamper with her pod and awaken her in the hopes of finally having a human companion and possibly finding some semblance of happiness with this seemingly perfect woman.

The dilemma the movie presents, being awoken 90 years early on a 120 year voyage through space, is a unique and thoughtful concept, and it’s interesting to see how our two leads, Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) and Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence) grapple with this concept, and the knowledge that they will die before the voyage comes to a close unless they can somehow figure out how and why they were awoken so early. The actors do a great job of capturing the varying emotions and mental states their respective characters experience during the course of the movie, with Pratt working his trademark charm and sly humour, and even digging deep into some strong emotional work, giving us a performance that might actually be surprisingly stronger than his turn as Star-Lord in Guardians Of The Galaxy. Lawrence is every bit as charming and witty as Pratt, and even doing a splendid job with the more emotional scenes of the movie. This is probably Lawrence’s best work since her Oscar winning turn in Silver Linings Playbook.

Passengers doesn’t have plot twists that pull the rug out from underneath you, and even the real cause of the ship’s continuous malfunctions isn’t even that convincing an idea, or perhaps it’s just a lazy idea altogether, but that doesn’t make this a bad movie. The risks this movie takes don’t come in the form of jaw dropping spectacle or mind bending twists, but rather in the way the movie initially connects two characters in a less than desirable fashion. That this movie had the guts to bring the characters together in such a dark way and sustains that connection for as long as it does, and convincingly so, is worth praise aplenty. It’s really not the bad movie the Rotten Tomatoes collective are making it out to be, and while it’s not shocking or necessarily all that visually impressive compared against Interstellar for example, it is a perfectly fine movie. An unpretentious, enjoyable, entertaining, heartfelt, and thought provoking sci-fi drama, a voyage I won’t mind investing in again when the time is just right.

 

 

 

 

MIKE MITCHELL’S SKY HIGH — A REVIEW BY NICK CLEMENT

by nlclement, posted in Film Review

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Sky High is a total blast of fun. Released in the late summer of 2005, this is basically a live-action version of Pixar’s The Incredibles, with Kurt Russell starring as a Super Dad whose entire family consists of various superheroes. Conceived in the 90’s by Paul Hernandez and fleshed out by Disney animation staff writers Robert Schooley (Hotel for Dogs), and Mark McCorkle (Monsters vs Aliens), the film was energetically directed by Mike Mitchell (Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo), and has an incident-packed narrative that doesn’t skimp on quirky character beats or wise-ass humor. It’s colorful, it’s witty, and all of the performances are in on the joke and totally earnest in all the proper ways. This is easily Russell’s most underappreciated performance as an actor, while Michael Angarano, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kelly Preston, Danielle Panabaker, Steven Strait, Cloris Leachman, and ex-Wonder Woman herself, Lynda Carter all offered great support.

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Oh, and Bruce Campbell basically runs away with the entire film. Shelly Johnson’s vibrant cinematography is a huge plus, while the score by Michael Giacchino hits all the proper notes of familial triumph. Sadly, Sky High didn’t blast off at the domestic box office, as it probably seemed too quaint for our current in-your-face society; it grossed roughly $65 million in the states. But there’s something about this film that makes it special in a sea of family-oriented content, as it’s got a genuine sense of gee-whiz fun running all throughout its core, with a playful script and spirited sense of direction. Currently streaming on Netflix, this is a delightful PG-rated entertainment that is perfect for everyone as it offers a little bit of everything to be enjoyed.

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TERRY GILLIAM’S 12 MONKEYS — A REVIEW BY NICK CLEMENT

by nlclement, posted in Film Review

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There are few modern science fictions films as accomplished as Terry Gilliam’s complex and hugely entertaining head-trip 12 Monkeys. It’s easily in my top five from Gilliam. He’s made so many great, wildly fun movies that peer into pure madness that it’s tough to rank them. But this one is easily one of his most accomplished, and it represented that rare time where his incredibly unique, independent minded vision meshed with a somewhat generous studio budget and the rigors of a corporate funded project that was far from a surefire hit during its early conception.Gilliam is a filmmaker of eccentric wit, both of the verbal and visual variety, who also loves to push things as far as he can go with this go-for-broke style, which is borderline lunatic at times if not downright surreal and nightmarish. Looking like it cost twice as much as it actually did (an impossible to imagine $30 million!) and hurtling the viewer through time and space and all manner of various settings and distinct atmospheres, 12 Monkeys is a wonderfully convoluted tale of potentially hazardous time travel, affecting romance, paranoid fantasy, and sketchy virus thriller.

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The script’s ingenious final moments on board that plane along with that haunting final line – “I’m in insurance” – it still chills to the bone, and I loved how Gilliam took the brilliant screenplay (co-written by David and Janet Peoples; David Peoples also wrote or co-wrote Unforgiven and Blade Runner), which was an epic take on the phenomenal short film La Jetée, and fine-tuned it to his personal taste and form-pushing aesthetic. Sometimes, when a filmmaker is as wildly original as Gilliam, and they are working with material not authored by them, you get the sense that their talents aren’t being fully utilized. Not here. Everything in this film hits its mark, and in most cases, the performers and department heads went above and beyond the call of duty. Bruce Willis, rarely better, wasn’t the confident, normal “Bruce Willis” we’d been accustomed to seeing on screen when this film was first released. Constantly sweating or drooling or bloodied, massively vulnerable, possibly delusional, always volatile, and incredibly nervous, it’s his “out-of-control” moment as an actor, and it’s fascinating to see Gilliam pick and prod at his big Hollywood star, throwing him through the ringer, and ultimately getting one of the most emotionally accessible pieces of work from the actor.

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Brad Pitt, who had a banner year in 1995 with his twitchy, psychotic work in this film as a ranting and raving mental patient and his slick, star-making turn in David Fincher’s Se7en, brought a diseased humor (“Drrruuuggsss!”) to his role of guy with serious daddy issues and some interesting notions regarding animal freedom. Madeleine Stowe was still looking hot and it’s yet another reminder of how good she was on screen, sympathetic from the moment we meet her, and involved in the narrative not just as “the pretty girl,” which was a quality that followed her in many of her acting jobs. David Morse and Christopher Plummer also offered, as per usual, memorable support, with Morse cutting an especially scary portrait of the calm and calculated antagonist. I’ve been fascinated by this movie ever since my dad picked me up early from school (last two classes were ditched as I recall due to a “family event” lol) about two weeks into its wide release (it was his second time seeing the film), and over the years, I’ve utterly abused my DVD with countless re-visits, and it’s amazing to see the film on Blu-ray after all of these years. Roger Pratt’s varied and incredibly stylish cinematography is constantly arresting and a treat for the eyes, while Paul Buckmaster’s never-leave-your-conscience original score still gives me the willies. Mick Audsley’s editing is miraculous when it’s all boiled down; there’s so much depth to the storytelling and imagery and themes and yet the film moves at a beautiful pace. 12 Monkey’s has aged gracefully and rather compellingly over the last 20 years, with its political and social message still firmly intact, and offering cinematic glories that easily match the trippiest, most daring offerings of recent years.

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“Half of America just lost their Facebook.” – A Gravity review by Josh Hains

by Josh Hains, posted in Film Review

I love Gravity. Love, love, love it. L-O-V-E IT!

I mean, the unseen force that keeps us pinned to the ground so we don’t tumble about and float away into the depths of space. That Gravity. So thankful for it. As for the film, I love it too. You don’t even know.

Now let’s be perfectly honest with ourselves and admit, Gravity is kind of a difficult film to write a review about because there isn’t much of a story or plot for me to pick apart meticulously.

Russians blow up one of their own satellites and the fallout causes debris to collide with the several other satellites including American ones, as well as the Explorer space shuttle and its crew who are working on the Hubble Space Telescope. Two crew members, biomedical engineer Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock), a newbie to space, and veteran astronaut Lt. Matt Kowalski (George Clooney), are the only survivors, and must make their way back to Earth without the assistance of Mission Control in Houston, who has gone offline thanks to those satellites getting trashed. That’s it. I’m not kidding, that’s all there really is to it. That’s so simple a caveman could write a review about it. No offence to cavemen.

I’m actually pretty glad there’s not much plot to the film. There was a time when a lack of plot could get a film places, when people didn’t care if a film had the most intricately layered plot, as long as it entertained the hell out of them, and they’d put it upon a pedestal high above other films, giving it some kind of a legendary status in cinema history. Like Blade Runner. Today, a film without much plot often gets ripped to shreds by critics before the audience has even seen the film, automatically creating a negative aura that engulfs the flick and rapidly builds an unwarranted bias and stigma toward the film. Just look what’s happened to Disney’s Tomorrowland. Original ideas aren’t enough for some people, blah, blah, blah, the film looks amazing if you ask me.

Wait…Gravity was one of the best reviewed films of the 2013 season? And it won Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects at the 86th Annual Academy Awards? Oops. Guess I’m late to the party.

Gravity might not have much plot, but that isn’t even the slightest of a hinderance for this full throttle space thriller. In fact, the lack of plot actually works in its favour, allowing ourselves the opportunity to take in all the wondrous sights and sounds, rather than shovelling mountains of unnecessary exposition and plot-stuffings down our throats. Right from the first frames of the film, it’s evident moviegoers are in for a visual treat, thanks in large part to Emmanuel Lubezki’s uber-detailed cinematography, and the all-to-real CGI effects that make up I’d say about 98% of the film’s visual content – only the actors and their suits are real, to my knowledge. Again, this isn’t at all a hinderance, although at varying moments through the course of the film the two leads had a CGI sheen to them. I can only assume this was entirely intentional, given that this obscure look found its way into the final cut. The film is rich with detail, from the finest stubble on Kowalski’s chin that can be made out perfectly despite the camera being several feet away from the character, to the awe inspiring other-wordly view of our home planet; the detail is pronounced, immaculate, and gorgeous. Seriously, Gravity couldn’t look anymore beautiful than it already does. Can you believe me that their visors are CGI? Neither could I, they look so damn real.

In space, no one can hear you scream. In Gravity, sound is everything. From the thunderous score enhancing the urgency of the thrill-a-minute perilous sequences, to the subtleties of the character’s breathing as their oxygen levels dip. Between the stunning cinematography melded with the extremely lifelike visuals effects wizardry, and the moody music and pitch-perfect sounds effects, Gravity becomes an elevated immersive cinematic experience you have to see to believe. Simply hearing about the film or watching it’s then-popular trailer is not enough, you genuinely have to sit back and allow the ride to envelop you completely. If you’re into that sorta thing.

In terms of acting, in several elongated sequences strung throughout the film, we don’t get to see the actors faces as much as we get to hear them. Bullock’s Stone leans toward the panic-stricken side of things, being that she’s a space newbie and all, and she’s distressed enough from early in the film until the final frames to have next to no oxygen for an albeit short duration of the film, which is a bad thing in case you were wondering. Anytime something goes wrong, and believe me, the shit hits the fan (Murphy’s Law is in full, vibrant effect here), she goes into panic mode and can’t seem to keep her cool or maintain some semblance of self control, which again, is expected because she’s a…newb!On the other hand, Clooney’s Kowalski is the calm, cool professional. He maintains as much control as is feasible within the confines of their situation, but never overreacts or panics. He’s always cool, calm, collected, and does his absolute best to assist Stone and help calm her down at various points so she doesn’t use up all her oxygen. I couldn’t help but notice at a later point in the film, when Kowalski gives a motivational push to Stone, that George Clooney has possibly the most soothing male voice I’ve ever heard from a mainstream Hollywood actor. After the rigorous endurance test that is the early portion of Gravity, he actually calmed me down with his inspirational words of wisdom, I shit you not. In three noteworthy moments I don’t want to spoil for anyone who might not have sen Gravity, both actors, with little dialogue and very little of their faces available for our viewing pleasure, convey melancholic aspects of themselves without diving headfirst into sentimentality. These moments feel genuine and organically constructed, never once ringing falsely, and thus constructing raw moments of compassion we feel for their respective characters.

A hot topic surrounding the film has been the scientific accuracy of the picture, with everything from zero gravity to deceleration being scrutinized by the general public (why are people who know nothing about space given the time of day?), along with astronauts and Astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson. Tyson, after his viewing of the film, took to twitter to debunk some of the film’s key aspects, some of which were scientifically accurate, and some of which were simply movie mumbo-jumbo. The film’s director, Alfonso Cuarón, as stated that he is aware the film is not always scientifically accurate, but that these inaccuracies were necessary for the sake of the story. That’s something I can abide by.

As a whole, sure, Gravity has zip for a story. Nada, nothing, right?. But sometimes, watching a film isn’t about whether you’re sucked in by the story or not, but how the film affects you on a visceral, deeply psychological and emotional level. Sometimes, the best films don’t require the brains to navigate through overlong dialogues and meticulously crafted story lines, but rather, the sight to bear witness to the greatness being displayed before your very eyes. But a great film can’t be measured by such things, even though I’ve taken the time to acknowledge them. That’s what I love about cinema, it’s not about how great the story was, or how terrifically riveting the performances were, or how the special effects looked or the way the music rings through your ears. No, a great film is measured by how it makes you feel deep down in those places you don’t talk about at parties. A great film is measured by how deep it reaches you. How deeply it hits you square in the gut like a shotgun blast at point blank range, or how it sinks into the furthest recesses of your heart and makes you long for its company. Or how intimately it affects your mind, and resurrects your love for fine filmmaking. A great film can push the world and all its complications to the side, put you at ease, and take the time to entertain the living shit out of you, if only for a short time.

In Gravity’s case, it took just one incredible moment in a tremendous motion picture to make my jaw hit the floor with its beautifully rendered view of the Earth and the astronauts working near it.

And I’ve gotta admit one thing: can’t beat the view.

Episode 34: MICHAEL MANN’S THE INSIDER with Special Guest MATTHEW SAND

by Frank Mengarelli, posted in Film Review, Interviews, Podcast

sand

mattsand_mingasson_025Join Nick and Frank with returning guest, screenwriter Matthew Sand (DEEP WATER HORIZON), to discuss Michael Mann’s THE INSIDER as well as the process between writing fiction and non fiction.  We also discuss at length the genre of topical films, and how beholden the writer should be to the truth, and how much creative freedom the writer and film should take.

JOEL & ETHAN COEN’S THE BIG LEBOWSKI — A MINI-REVIEW BY NICK CLEMENT

by nlclement, posted in Film Review

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The Big Lebowski is a favorite comedy for so many people because it speaks to everyone’s inner “Dude,” and it balances various forms of comedy – physical, verbal, visual, spiritual, existential – in a way that few other films have successfully pulled off. This was the last movie I think anyone would have expected from the Coen Brothers after they crafted their homespun crime thriller Fargo, and despite the fact that it wasn’t warmly received by theatrical audiences, most critics enjoyed it at the time despite some feeling perplexed by the endeavor. But over time, and because of the influence of DVD, stoner culture, and social media, The Big Lebowski has taken on an entirely new and different life of its own, and can be seen as so many things all at once.

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It’s nearly pointless to rehash the uniformly excellent performances from the ridiculously stacked cast; Jeff Bridges has been brilliant so many times throughout his career but this is the film that he’ll be most remembered for. Roger Deakins’ work behind the camera on this film is spellbinding and dreamy, the laughs are nearly constant, John Goodman is outrageous, the soundtrack is impossibly great, and the amount of quotable lines and now-iconic scenes that this film contains is almost embarrassing. I can still vividly remember seeing this on opening night, and it’s one of those films that I’ve viewed so many times that it feels ingrained in my soul. I look forward to another thousand viewings in the future. Strong men also cry, POWER.

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ALEX PROYAS’ DARK CITY — A REVIEW BY NICK CLEMENT

by nlclement, posted in Film Review

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It’s a miracle that this movie ever got made, especially when considering it was released in 1998. Dark City is Alex Proyas’s masterwork as a filmmaker, a concoction so startling and unique which has helped to set it apart from so many other genre efforts from throughout the years. So few films are allowed to blend science-fiction and noir in the same package, and this one did it with love and care for both milieus, telling a smart, captivating story without resorting to cheap violence or nonsensical special effects; everything is earned and warranted here, and when the stage is set for the climactic battle, there are stakes to the action and the effects served the narrative. Roger Ebert’s glowing, four-star review has stood the test of time; also worth checking out is his audio commentary track on the DVD/Blu-ray, as this was his #1 film of that year.

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Rufus Sewell and Keifer Sutherland were both excellent, Jennifer Connelly was lit like a noir-Goddess, all of the baldies were menacing and intriguingly off-putting, and you have William Hurt playing a detective named Baumstead – what’s better than that? The ingenious screenplay by frequent Steven Soderbergh collaborator Lem Dobbs and DC-movie-maestro David S. Goyer packs enough emotional punch to go along with the various narrative tricks, and Proyas’s visual style and design choices, in tandem with MASSIVE early Dariusz Wolski POWER, makes this $27 million dollar production look a helluva lot more expensive and grand. The plot is as dense as the Blade Runner and Metropolis-inspired production design, while the underlying themes centering on dreams and reality feel tied to the surreal leanings of Terry Gilliam in some spots. I’ve seen this spectacular work of art countless times, and it’s a great film to show to the uninitiated.

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John Moore’s I.T.

by Frank Mengarelli, posted in Film Review

​I.T. is that hard R thriller that has dark twists and turns, creating a rewarding moviegoing experience in a genre of film that has been sorely lacking.   The film packs a punch and takes itself places that are as shocking as they are refreshing in an era of oversaturated gloss and CGI.

Clocking in at a lean 95 minutes from filmmaker John Moore and screenwriters William Wisher and Dan Kay, the film doesn’t overstay it’s welcome, and tautly finishes to a mysterious, yet rewarding ending. 

Pierce Brosnan has gone through an interesting period post Bond.  He’s dabbled a little in the spy/action genre, but he’s also stepped back and played many anti-Bond roles, and this film is certainly one of them.  Brosnan takes on the role, in a such a restrained and psychical way, he throws enough shade that leaves us questioning the integrity behind that dashing and dapper businessman.

The narrative wraps itself in the culturally relevant world of cyber attacks and lack of personal privacy and security in our post 9/11 world.  Brosnan plays a self-made aviation tycoon who in personal financial strain, opts to make his business public, launching a new app that is essentially Uber for the ultra rich seeking quick travel via private jets.

His business and personal life are flipped, as he becomes victim to a sociopathic intern who turns any and all smart devices that Brosnan and his family use against them.  It’s a slick story, that knows the terminology and world it lives in, without ever running the gambit of ever over explaining anything.  

Perhaps the strongest suit of the film is an airtight screenplay, and a Tangerine Dream esque score by Tim Williams that creates an atmosphere of digital age threat and paranoia.  I.T. is a very good adult oriented thriller crafted so well, with such attention to detail, that it’s a film that stands incredibly high on its own originality.

I.T. is currently streaming on Netflix.

GAVIN O’CONNOR’S MIRACLE — A REVIEW BY NICK CLEMENT

by nlclement, posted in Film Review

 

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The 2004 sports drama Miracle craftily and persuasively recreated the famous United States vs. Soviet Union hockey game where the Americans pulled one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history, beating their heavily favored opponents in the medal round, which would send Team USA to collect a rather unexpected gold medal. Kurt Russell delivered one of his best and most undervalued performances as head coach Herb Brooks, evoking the fiercely competitive nature and the fatherly instincts that helped to make Brooks one of the more revered coaches to work the frozen ponds. Directed by Gavin O’Connor with the appropriate grit and determination that the story called for, Miracle easily contains some of the better done-for-the-movies ice-hockey footage that’s ever been captured; this is a lightning-fast and extremely rough sport to physically play, and the filmmakers did an excellent job in stressing how hard and intense the on-ice fury can get. Dan Stoloff’s sharp cinematography got in close and tight with the action, with John Gilroy and Daric Loo’s fast-paced but never chaotic editing helping to keep the film moving at a brisk pace.

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Eric Guggenheim and Mike Rich’s well-researched screenplay stuck with the facts, and with a story like that, there’s no real need to embellish much, as the story of “The Miracle on Ice” is exciting enough without any phony grandstanding. All of the actors did a commendable job especially considering that most were hired for their hockey skills and less their acting abilities. Patricia Clarkson and Noah Emmerich both delivered excellent supporting work. Mark Isham’s score hits some big, blustery notes of personal triumph that feel well-earned, and it’s hard not to enjoy a film that features Russell wearing plaid pants and sporting that awesome early-80’s haircut. A hit with both critics and audiences, Miracle if definitely one of the better hockey movies that I can think of, on the list with the masterful Slap Shot, underrated and hilarious Goon, and the lightweight but still enjoyable Mystery, Alaska. I guess I need to track down Idol of the Crowds, from 1937, with John Wayne as a hockey player!

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John Wick: A Review by Nate Hill

by natewatchescoolmovies, posted in Film Review

  

The reason John Wick works so well is a flawless mix of simplicity, earnestness and passion. The premise is a familiar one, and nearly identical to countless other slam bang action flicks out there, a simple and well travelled formula. It’s in the absolutely stylish, classy and distinct execution that it finds its uniqueness. The filmmakers (Chad Sahelski and Derek Kolstad) are stuntmen themselves, and therefore know what is needed to make a successful action film: well staged action. The terrific atmosphere that tagged along is a bonus and goes to further prove these guys have serious talent. They also care, want to have fun and want their film to exist within a memorable universe, and this all shows. An action film would be nothing without it’s star, and Keanu Reeves comes busting out of the gate in full rampaging glory as the titular ex-super hitman John Wick, an expert operative who can do things with guns that would make Neo nervous. John is grieving the death of his wife (the lovely Bridget Moynahan) and taking care of the puppy she left behind to console him, living the quiet life as it were, or at least as quiet as life can get for an ex mob assassin. Wick manages to chill out for a bit with the doggo, but that all ends when his path crosses with that of a spoiled mafia brat (Alfie Allen, played an even nastier snot rag than he did in Game Of Thrones) who steals his car and kills the poor pupper. This really lights Wick’s fuse, gives his brutal talents a new lease on life and throws him headlong back into the dangerous and often eccentric realm of covert contract killers. Allen was the son of a powerful, loose cannon Russian kingpin (Michael Nyqvist in a mirthful blend of funny, scary and just plain exasperated), and now John is at odds with hordes of his underlings and a few former associates who want his head. That’s pretty much all there is in terms of plot, but the film soars on the wings of propulsive, meticulously choreographed action and positively drips with cool, it’s main asset found in Reeves, who is an absolute boss in the role. Sporting a tailored suit, fiery attitude and lethal reflexes, John punches, kicks, stabs and shoots his way through endless unfortunate adversaries, seeming to be both fallible human and invincible archangel of destruction simultaneously. It’s the perfect role for him, a comeback of sorts and just a rip snortin action hero you can get riled up for. There’s attention to detail paid to his world too, the clandestine realm of killers given a mythology, currency and protocol all its own and perfectly original. Adding to the already impossible levels of class are a perfectly chosen roster of supporting talent too. John Leguizamo makes a peppy cameo as a cranky auto fence, Willem Dafoe plays a morally vague fellow hitman, watch for Lance Reddick, David Patrick Kelly, Daniel Bernhardt, Dean Winters, Adrienne Palicki and the always awesome Ian McShane as the suave proprietor of The Continental, a posh hotel that caters only to assassins. All characters encounter John Wick at some point and in some capacity, but Wick himself is the constant, the raw element which drives this film forward with the force of a stampeding bull, scarcely hesitating to breathe or seek medical attention on his quest for carnage. Reeves sells the character and then some, headlining one of the most flat out spectacular action films of the last decade.