John Wick (2014)

Lock, load, and prepare for a ballistic ride. This week, the Born to Watch crew take on the movie that brought Keanu Reeves roaring back into the action spotlight and set a new standard for gun-fu carnage with their John Wick (2014) Review.

Whitey, G Man, Damo, and returning guest Bones gather in the "Red Circle Russian Baths" to break down this lean, mean revenge machine. The premise is simple: they killed his puppy, they stole his car, and now John Wick is going to kill absolutely everyone. What follows is 101 minutes of exquisitely choreographed violence, ruthless headshots, and underworld world-building that's as fascinating as it is stylish.

The boys kick things off with an "overs and unders" rewatch count, Bones leading the charge with a double-digit tally, Damo admitting he was late to the Wick party, and G Man revealing this was only his second full viewing. Whitey takes us back to his last days running a video shop in 2014, when he first discovered the movie on DVD and immediately knew it was something special.

From there, it's a high-calibre conversation covering the sequels (John Wick 2 gets big love, John Wick 3 cops a length warning, and John Wick 4 is called out for testing bladders at nearly three hours). They crunch the numbers on the original film's body count, 84 kills for Wick alone, and swap favourite takedowns, from the Red Circle massacre to the infamous knife-to-the-chest finisher.

But John Wick isn't just about spraying bullets. The team dive into what makes it different: the cool, calculated underworld mythology of The Continental, the gold coin economy, and the assassin's code that adds sophistication to the chaos. They agree that the "no business on Continental grounds" rule is a masterstroke, and that Ian McShane's Winston brings the perfect mix of charm and menace.

Keanu Reeves' career gets its own spotlight, with nods to Point Break, Speed, The Matrix, and even the roles he almost played (Platoon, Starship Troopers). Supporting cast members also get their flowers: Michael Nyqvist's quietly menacing Viggo, Alfie Allen's punchable rich-kid villainy, Willem Dafoe's sniper guardian angel, and a surprise cameo from wrestling giant Kevin Nash.

In true Born to Watch fashion, the chat spirals into side quests: hot takes on Taken's influence on modern revenge films, debates over whether Russians are cinema's ultimate gangsters, and an oddly passionate discussion on Japanese onsens and Russian bathhouses (including the etiquette of washing before soaking with strangers).

They also unpack critical reception, David Stratton's dismissive "all gun battles" take versus The New York Times' praise for its style, wit, and box office performance, noting how word of mouth turned a modest $86 million return into the launchpad for a billion-dollar franchise.

Signature segments return in force:

• Hit, Sleeper, Dud, Swinger – with Interstellar and Edge of Tomorrow as hits, Frank as the sleeper, Dumb and Dumber To as the dud, and Pompeii roasted as a "swinger" that belongs in cinematic ash.
• Snobs Report Special – veering gloriously off-topic to Alexandra Daddario's career-making scene in True Detective.
• Question Time – covering everything from the realism of Wick's "magic pills" to whether Iosef's death was anticlimactic, and what exactly makes a headshot so satisfying.

Through it all, the crew's affection for John Wick is undeniable. They celebrate its stripped-back storytelling, grounded stunt work, and unrelenting pace, while acknowledging its few stumbles. It's the perfect mix of 80s-style simplicity and modern fight choreography, proof that a revenge story, told well, never goes out of style.

If you're a fan of tight, furious action films with a killer lead, a colourful rogues' gallery, and a fictional criminal underworld you want to explore (but not live in), this is the Born to Watch episode for you.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Is John Wick the best modern action franchise or just a stylish headshot marathon?
• Which kill in the Red Circle nightclub is your all-time favourite?
• Is killing the puppy the single most effective way to make an audience cheer for revenge?

Drop us a voicemail at https://www.borntowatch.com.au and be part of the show!

Listen to the full episode now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods.

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