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John Wick

age 17+
(i)

 

Action film is stylish, entertaining but extremely violent.
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Parents recommend
  • Review Date: October 22, 2014
  • Rated: R
  • Genre: Action/Adventure
  • Release Year: 2014
  • Running Time: 101 minutes

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What parents need to know

Positive messages

Your past may catch up with you, but that doesn't mean you have to let yourself get caught up in it.

Positive role models

Despite being an assassin, John Wick is principled: He only hurts those who hurt others. Still, his "field" isn't exactly one that inspires admiration, at least from outsiders.

Violence

Brutal: It feels like two-thirds of the film is made up of killings, and much of the violence is presented in a stylized, semi-glamorized way. Characters are shot, maimed, stabbed, beaten, threatened, killed with firearms at close range, blown to bits in an explosion, strangled with bare hands, and more. There's blood everywhere. In one of the most disturbing scenes, a man clubs a puppy to death; a trail of blood is shown leading to its carcass. In another extended scene filled with mayhem, the body count exceeds three dozen.

Sex

Couples are shown kissing.

Language

Frequent language includes "f--k," "s--t," "goddamn," and more.

Consumerism

Several products/brands are seen, including Apple, Chevrolet, Mustang, Acura, and Peligroso liquor.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking

Characters drink, usually hard liquor. Partiers at a bar are shown swilling champagne. One guy smokes marijuana.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that John Wick is a brutally violent, frequently bloody thriller starring Keanu Reeves as an assassin. There's a very high body count: Characters are shot, maimed, stabbed, beaten, threatened, killed with firearms at close range, blown to bits in an explosion, strangled with bare hands, and more. And especially because so much of the violence is depicted in a stylized, semi-glamorized way, it's best reserved for the oldest teens and adults. Interestingly, a streak of humor also runs through it, and fight scenes choreographed so thrillingly that it's almost like watching ballet -- albeit a gunshot-riddled, rough-and-tumble one. You can also expect lots of swearing ("f--k," "s--t," and more) and a fair amount of drinking, as well as pot smoking.

What's the story?

John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is a retired assassin who was once the best in the business. But after a long illness that leads to the death of his beloved wife (Bridget Moynihan), he's pulled back into a world that he left long ago for love. A chance encounter with the entitled, violent son of an old associate ends up with John bloodied in his own home and the dog his wife left him as a parting gift slaughtered. For John, there's now no other recourse but revenge.

Is it any good?

QUALITY

Few films in this genre are known for their intricate, layered dialogue or depth of feeling. JOHN WICK doesn't exactly break these conventions. (Its most entertaining line may actually be "Oh.") But there's no denying the artistry that went into its filming. The frames are well-crafted, the pace quick and effortless, the fight scenes choreographed like a ballet. It looks fantastic. And although it's an action thriller, it has a streak of humor that confidently runs through it, making it even more entertaining. Reeves' impermeable face and economic acting work well in this context because he plays a mystery man who remains mysterious throughout. And the rest of the cast -- especially Willem Dafoe and Michael Nyqvist -- is great, too.

But there's no doubt that John Wick is deeply violent. It starts out quiet, and the first attack comes as a shock, which works well for the story. But after a while, all the fights begin to numb; although they're beautifully filmed, they lose their potency, since they come fast and furious without much room to breathe or process what's happening. And parents will want to know that the fighting is so ferocious that it borders on barbarous, making the movie best left for mature teens and adults.

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about why John Wick gets back in the 'business." Are his reasons, in this messed-up world, at all reasonable? Is he a sympathetic character, despite his line of work? Why or why not?

  • John Wick is a violent movie. Does it glamorize the violence? If so, how? Does all the violence serve the story, or does it go too far?

  • John is strongly motivated by revenge. Is that understandable? Is revenge ever an acceptable excuse for violence?

Movie details

Theatrical release date:October 24, 2014
DVD release date:February 3, 2015
Cast:Keanu Reeves, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, Michael Nyqvist
Director:David Leitch
Studio:Summit Entertainment
Genre:Action/Adventure
Run time:101 minutes
MPAA rating:R
MPAA explanation:strong and bloody violence throughout, language and brief drug use

This review of John Wick was written by

S. Jhoanna Robledo
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are conducted by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

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Teen, 17 years old Written bydazburg21 February 28, 2015
age 13+

Finally, another good movie with Keanu!

Okay, when I watched this last night, I thought it would be like the equalizer. At the end, it kind of was, but with one difference. It was much more violent!! I mean, Denzel In the equalizer does kill the bad guys in brutal ways, but John kills them mostly in style. Although, a few times blood spurts all over the place. And you see the brutal Russian gangsters kill John's dog on screen and other disturbing images, like at the end John goes to a dog shelter and stitches up a cut with a stapler. And the language, wow! Although, it was okay.
What other families should know
Too much violence
Too much swearing
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Adult Written byB-KMastah October 28, 2014
age 15+

Terrific action, no character.

Here's another "I wouldn't have ever seen this if it weren't for the surprisingly strong reviews" movie. I'm glad that I saw it, but I wouldn't see it again. It's not the average generic action movie, but though, because of its very sleek and stylish action scenes. None of them use annoying shakycam and are instead very calculated and sly just like John Wick himself. There's a nightclub sequence here that's really great partially due to its use of colors, shadows, and music. All of these factors partially redeem the movie of its near-complete lack of character. Keanu Reeves is good at this role, obviously, because he's more or less playing himself. That's not to say that he doesn't do a good job, because he does; it just occasionally reminded me of the extremely cookie-cutter script. Hardened badass's wife dies, he gets sucked into gangster troubles, and the gangsters are a Russian mob. There were some people that would show up and I'd be like, "Yeah, that guy." Thank God for the direction and visuals, though, because that's what keeps this at a "see it in theaters" level. I was never bored and frequently went "oooooohhh!", but still, writing matters. 7.4/10, good, one thumb up, above average, etc.
What other families should know
Too much violence
Too much swearing
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Teen, 15 years old Written byWhitelr February 5, 2015
age 16+

Great movie for Older Teens

Once this movie came out,i enjoyed this movie's appearance toward keanu reeves.The body count toward Violence is very,very large.But, there is no nudity or sex.Parents should know that many teens will want to see this movie.There are no messages here found in this movie.Best left for teens in high school and left for older adults.Definitely not recommended for young viewers at all.
What other families should know
Too much violence
Too much swearing
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