While I don’t think Keanu Reeves ever left the Hollywood spotlight, his new film John Wick claims that the actor is finally returning to action-hero glory in full force. After a few martial-arts-heavy films like 47 Ronin and Man Of Tai Chi, Reeves once again becomes a gun-toting badass who leaves a looming pile of bodies in his wake – but with a little more kick than usual. John Wick is a physically demanding role that requires a tremendous amount of what Keanu dubbed “Gun-Fu” choreography, blending shootouts and hand-to-hand combat with some punishing stunt-work. Welcome back Keanu, it’s nice to see you having fun again!
John Wick itself is an easily accessible thrill-ride that flies by thanks to Reeves’ intensity, as he blasts his way through Russian gang members and vengeful hitmen alike. With a cast that includes Willem Dafoe, Adrianne Palicki, Ian McShane and Michael Nyqvist, these crafty veterans (and smokin’ vixen) enter into a violent game of cat and mouse with plenty of bullets to spare, much to the audience’s delight. For a more in-depth take on the upcoming film, be sure to check out my Fantastic Fest review!
While in Austin, Texas this past month, I also had the honor of sitting down with Keanu Reeves to talk about John Wick and whatever else came to mind. With such a prolific career, I did my best to cram as many questions into the short timeframe as I could, which Mr. Reeves seemed perfectly OK with.
Starting out discussing his new role, we eventually found ourselves bantering about anything from the number-one-line his fans quote the most to his feelings on the upcoming Point Break remake. Keanu is an open book and couldn’t have made the conversation any more seamless, so I know you’re going to dig this one. I know it’s a bold statement, but this might be the crowning achievement from my very first Fantastic Fest experience.
Check out the video above, and be sure to catch John Wick when it opens on October 24th!
