The John Wick franchise is still going strong after four movies, a prequel TV series, and a new spin-off film. But the movie that started it all is still considered by many to be the best in the franchise, and its newfound success on streaming only supports that claim. Keanu Reeves first donned John Wick’s iconic suit in 2014. What was intended as a direct-to-video action flick quickly became one of the most influential action films of the modern era, thanks to the combined efforts of Reeves and director Chad Stahelski.
John Wick is currently streaming on Max, and subscribers cannot get enough of the now timeless action movie. With From the World of John Wick: Ballerina (starring Ana de Armas and featuring a cameo from Reeves) now in theaters, fans are journeying back to where it all began, as the movie is currently 7th on the streamer’s weekly chart. The original film was directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad, with David Leitch executive producing. As well as a jaw-dropping number of headshots and a criminally high kill count, the original John Wick also broke the cardinal rule of filmmaking: you don’t kill puppies.
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The world of John Wick expands with ‘Ballerina,’ and you can get a new look every day this week ahead of the action movie’s release.
It might be easy to forget considering John Wick has killed over 500 people across the span of four movies, but this all started over a car and a puppy. Alfie Allen played Iosef Tarasov, the snotty son of mob boss Viggo (Michael Nyqvist), who robbed John Wick’s house, stole his car, and killed his dog. This led Mr. Wick on a mission for revenge, with the aid of Marcus (Willem Dafoe), Aurelio (John Leguizamo), Winston (Ian McShane), and Charon (Lance Reddick). The official synopsis reads:
“John Wick is a former hitman grieving the loss of his true love. When his home is broken into, robbed, and his dog killed, he is forced to return to action to exact revenge.”
The Next Chapter in the ‘John Wick’ Saga Is Here
Lionsgate Films
John Wick’s unique approach to action design helped to revolutionize the genre. Stahelski, a former stunt performer, put the physicality of the action in the forefront, shooting everything from wide angles and letting the choreography speak for itself. This was all made possible by Keanu Reeves’ intense dedication to training in martial arts and gunplay.
As well as influencing countless other copycat action movies, like Atomic Blonde and Extraction, John Wick was also successful enough to kickstart a billion-dollar franchise. From the World of John Wick: Ballerina is the latest entry in said franchise, and the film is currently screening in theaters. McShane and Reeves return as their respective characters, alongside Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro, an assassin of the Ruska Roma family seeking revenge for the death of her father.
Ballerina opened to decent reviews upon its theatrical release. The film sits at a modest 75% on Rotten Tomatoes. While this is in no way a bad score, it is far from the high ratings of the core John Wick films. Although audiences appear to be enjoying the new spin-off, as the film boasts a 93% audience rating.
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