Overview
A retired assassin seeks vengeance after a tragic loss, unleashing chaos in his wake.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Graphic
- brooding
- visceral
- stylish
- action movie night
- late night thriller viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's stylish, exceptionally choreographed action and Keanu Reeves's physical presence, while finding its revenge story deliberately simple.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
John Wick's mourning for his wife and the destruction of her final gift motivate his return to assassination.
The hidden assassin society and the Tarasov family's awareness of Wick's reputation give violence a ceremonial social structure.
Wick's combat is presented through sustained, highly controlled sequences combining shooting, grappling, and movement.
The plot centers on Wick unearthing his concealed assassin identity after the gangsters attack his home and steal his car.
Films like John Wick, and why
The Equalizer
stylized revenge action, taciturn professional killer, and tightly choreographed gunplay
Taken
one-man vigilante violence, criminal underworld mythology, and emotionally driven retribution
Nobody
stylized hitman action, criminal codes, and a protagonist emerging from retirement
Movie Details
- Director
- Chad Stahelski
- Release Date
- 2014-10-16
- Runtime
- 101 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (21393)
Cast
- Keanu Reeves
- Michael Nyqvist
- Alfie Allen
- Willem Dafoe
- Dean Winters
- Adrianne Palicki
- Omer Barnea
- Toby Leonard Moore
- Daniel Bernhardt
- Bridget Moynahan
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, FlixFling, Spectrum On Demand, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is John Wick about?
- A grieving legendary hitman reenters a secret criminal underworld after gangsters destroy the last keepsakes of his late wife.
- What is John Wick like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of John Wick as brisk, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as simple.
- Is John Wick violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in John Wick as graphic.
- What did critics think of John Wick?
- Critics broadly praised the film's stylish, exceptionally choreographed action and Keanu Reeves's physical presence, while finding its revenge story deliberately simple.
- Which films are like John Wick?
- Films with a similar feel include The Equalizer, Taken, and Nobody.
- How long is John Wick?
- John Wick runs 101 minutes.
- Where can I watch John Wick?
- In United States, John Wick streams on YouTube TV, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel.
