John Wick is a 2014 American action thriller film directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad. The film follows John Wick (Keanu Reeves), a legendary hitman who is forced out of retirement to seek revenge against the men who killed his puppy, a final gift from his recently deceased wife. John Wick also stars Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, and Willem Dafoe.
Kolstad's script drew on his interest in action, revenge, and neo noir films. Titled Scorn, the rights were purchased by producer Basil Iwanyk as his first independent film production. Reeves, who was experiencing a career lull, liked the script and recommended experienced stunt and action choreographers, Stahelski and David Leitch direct the action scenes. Instead, the pair successfully lobbied to co-direct John Wick. Despite the project nearly being cancelled weeks prior to filming, principal photography began on October 7, 2013, on a $20–$30 million budget. Stahelski and Leitch focused on highly-choreographed, long single takes to convey their action, eschewing the rapid cuts and closeup shots of contemporary action films. Iwanyk struggled to secure theatrical distributors, as industry executives were dismissive of an action film by first-time directors and Reeves's recent filmography had underperformed. The distribution rights were eventually purchased by Lionsgate and a release date scheduled only two months later for October 24, 2014.
The marketing campaign was seen as a success, changing the perception of John Wick as disposable entertainment to a prestige event helmed by an affable leading actor. The film exceeded box office projections, earning $86 million worldwide, becoming a modest success, and earned generally positive reviews for its style and action sequences. It was hailed as a comeback for Reeves, the John Wick character playing to his strengths as an actor. The film's mythology of a criminal underworld with specific rituals and rules was also praised as the film's most unique and interesting feature.
John Wick is now considered one of the greatest action films ever made. Its unexpected success led to the John Wick franchise, one of the most successful action franchises, which comprises three sequels, John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019), and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), as well as video games and comic books. The franchise includes the upcoming spin-off film Ballerina and television series The Continental. John Wick has been influential on action films. It is seen as having revitalized the genre, popularizing long single takes with choreographed and detailed action.
PLOT
John Wick is grieving the death of his wife, Helen, from an illness. To help him cope, she arranged for him to receive a beagle puppy. A few days later, Wick is accosted at a gas station outside of New York City by a group of Russian gangsters, led by Iosef, who fail to intimidate Wick into selling them his 1969 Boss 429 Mustang. That night, the men break into Wick's home, assault him, and kill the puppy before stealing the car. Iosef takes the Mustang to a chop shop to remove its identifying details, but the shop owner, Aurelio, recognizes the vehicle and refuses service. Wick learns from Aurelio that Iosef is the son of Viggo Tarasov, the boss of the city's Russian mafia.
Learning of his son's actions, Viggo beats and berates Iosef for incurring Wick's wrath. Viggo reveals that Wick was formerly a hitman in his employ, renowned and feared in the criminal underworld as the "Baba Yaga," a ruthless and relentless "man of focus, commitment, and sheer will." After Wick fell in love with Helen, a civilian, Viggo gave him a seemingly "impossible task" to earn his freedom.
Wick recovers his concealed stash from his former career, including weapons and gold coins used as underworld currency for special services. He refuses Viggo's attempt to make amends for his son's actions and kills the hit squad subsequently sent to his home. As a result, Viggo puts a $2 million bounty on Wick's head, and his former mentor Marcus is enlisted to take him out. Wick lodges in the city at the Continental, a luxurious hotel that serves as neutral ground for the underworld and where conducting criminal "business" is strictly forbidden. The hotel's owner and Wick's old friend, Winston, warns him about the dangers of returning to the life he left behind. Despite this, Winston secretly informs Wick that Iosef is at the Red Circle nightclub. Wick infiltrates the club and confronts Iosef, but he is attacked by Kirill, Viggo's henchman, and forced to retreat to the Continental for medical attention.
As Wick rests, he is targeted by a hitwoman named Ms. Perkins, who sneaks into his room. Marcus sees Perkins from an adjacent building and fires a warning shot to alert Wick. He wakes up and subdues Perkins, who reveals that Viggo doubled the bounty for her to kill him in the hotel. She also discloses that Viggo has a high-value stash concealed in a church. Wick has another hitman, Harry, secure Perkins, but she escapes and kills Harry.
At the church, Wick destroys Viggo's cache of cash and extensive blackmail material. When Viggo arrives to assess the damage, Wick assaults him and his men but is captured after being hit by Kirill's car. Wick tells Viggo that he will not stop until Iosef is dead because the puppy gave him hope and a chance to not be alone in his grief for Helen. Marcus intervenes again to save Wick, allowing him to kill Kirill and threaten Viggo into revealing his son's location. Wick assaults the safehouse and kills Iosef. Afterward, Marcus encourages Wick to return to the everyday life he has built, but their meeting is witnessed by Perkins, who reveals Marcus's duplicity to Viggo. He has Marcus tortured and killed before calling Wick to taunt him with the details, drawing him back to the city.
Perkins is executed at Winston's behest for breaking the Continental's rules, and Winston informs Wick that Viggo is preparing to leave the city by helicopter. Wick races to the New York Harbor, where he fights and mortally wounds Viggo. Resigned to dying from his own injuries, Wick watches a video on his phone of Helen telling him they need to go home. He breaks into a nearby animal clinic, treats his wounds, and adopts a pit bull puppy scheduled to be euthanized before beginning the walk home.
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