The Big Picture

• The tragic element of John Wick's character elevates the franchise above other action films.
• Keanu Reeves delivers a richly nuanced performance that showcases his range as an actor.
• John Wick just wants peace, but is constantly drawn back into violence, adding depth to his character.

When Keanu Reeves uttered the phrase “I’m thinking I’m back” in the trailer for the first John Wick film, it seemed like a self-aware quip intended to kickstart a self-aware homage to his career in the style of The Expendables or Red. That is almost certainly not what Chad Stahelski created; viewers expecting jokes and gags may have been shocked to watch a heartbreaking story about a man who is mourning the loss of his wife, and only experiences another tragedy when his new puppy is killed by vicious gangsters. John may be talented at causing violence, but he doesn’t seem to enjoy it. In fact, the franchise has continued because John keeps getting drawn back into conflicts that he desperately wants to move on from. It’s this tragic element of the character that elevates the John Wick saga over the other action franchises of its time.

Reeves may not be traditionally considered to be a “serious actor,” but in the past, he’s shown his range in underrated classics like River’s Edge and Dangerous Liaisons. Nevertheless, anyone who knew Reeves only by the memes attached to him couldn’t have expected him to give such a richly nuanced performance. It’s easy to forget that the first John Wick feels like a straight-up drama for the first 20 minutes; John’s wife Helen (Bridget Moynahan) died of an unpreventable illness. John has no one to punish but himself; the death of his dog comes at a moment when he was at his most tormented. Yet, it’s his instinctive response to use his skills for something (as there was nothing he could have done to prevent Helen’s death) that drags him back into an underworld of violence, criminals, and killers.

Sadly, this tragic element of the character is one that Reeves has been burdened with himself. Shortly before shooting was scheduled to begin on The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, Reeves’ romantic partner Jennifer Syme was tragically killed in a car accident. The couple had only recently reconciled after their first child together was stillborn. While in the years since he’s been the subject of “sad Keanu” memes and the target of an elaborate Internet fanbase, Reeves has only put his celebrity status to good use, taking part in the St. Jude’s Foundation to help children with disabilities. There’s an element of this earnestness that is essential to the John Wick franchise. John has suffered significant tragedy within his life, but continues to move forward when everyone doubts him.

The John Wick Franchise Works Because John Doesn’t Have a Choice

This conceit was essential to the shocking success of the first John Wick in 2014. At this stage in his career, Reeves had been in a downward spiral: his post-Matrix career led to a series of forgettable romantic comedies, the embarrassing The Day The Earth Stood Still remake, and the loss of the box office draw he had initially generated. John Wick was directed by former stuntmen Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, and initially was planned for simultaneous release on video-on-demand services. Reeves wasn’t going to distinguish himself by lampooning himself—he gave the role his complete attention and delivered a new action classic that suddenly launched dozens of imitators.

Yet, all the movies that have tried to follow the John Wick formula don’t seem to understand the devastating sorrow at their center. Take the recent hit Nobody for example, which was produced by the same creative team and reiterated the narrative of a retired hitman returning to his roots. Bob Odenkirk certainly does a lot of impressive stunt work and the film is completely enthralling on a visceral level, but Odenkirk’s character Hutch Mansell is motivated by his desire to prove himself and return to something he loves. It doesn’t make Nobody unsuccessful as an action-thriller, but the rare moments when Hutch expresses vulnerability feel like distractions in an otherwise action-packed story.

At the same time, John Wick evolves into something that’s not a simple revenge saga. John’s only initial goal was to get back his car and avenge his dog; he certainly did not expect that he would be involved in an uprising within the Continental and the High Table that would lead him across the globe taking out enemies. In each subsequent film, John is content with being at peace; in John Wick: Chapter 2, he spares the life of the gangster Abram Tarasov (Peter Stormare) in an attempt to put an end to his mission. He intends for the death of Santino D'Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio) to be his last mission before violating the Continental’s rule of non-violence makes him the target of the High Table when he’s declared “excommunicado.” In John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4, he’s barely granted the opportunity to breathe.

John Wick Just Wants Peace

Perhaps it's Reeves’ incredible dedication to the stunt work that distracts from how mannered his performance is in all four films. John is silent and stoic, but not because he’s the type of brooding, hypermasculine killer of a Zack Snyder movie. He’s constantly mourning and loses friends such as Marcus (Willem Dafoe) and Shimazu Koji (Hiroyuki Sanada) along the way. The films work because even with all the intense action sequences where John is brutally killing enemies, they clearly care about their characters.

A recent death affected the John Wick universe when the brilliant actor Lance Reddick, who co-stars as Charon in all four films, passed away unexpectedly. Reddick’s death occurred after John Wick: Chapter 4 had screened for press and preview audiences, but before the film was released publicly. Charon is killed early on in the film, and as a result, Wick’s mourning over him feels like a tribute to a beloved screen icon. Treating the death of a major franchise character made John Wick: Chapter 4 a vessel for fans of Reddick’s to cope with their grief.

The John Wick saga doesn’t go the same route as other major action flicks of peppering in one-liners, and John himself isn’t taking pleasure in what he has to do. The franchise recognizes how the weight of death affects its hero, which is often lost in other big-budget action films. The tragic heart of this series is why it’s become the action franchise of its time.

John Wick is now available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.

Watch on Netflix