Delayed Reaction: John Wick

The Pitch: Taken, except they kill his dog.

How I Came Into It: I've heard nothing but good things about this as people've slowly discovered it. My hesitation has been knowing that the dog dies. You just don't hurt puppies*. That's my line.

*'Puppies' is my blanket term for all dogs.

Why I Saw It: This is lean as hell and greatly entertaining. I believe the director is a former stunt man who has worked with Keanu Reeves for years, and that shows. The fight scenes get first billing and most of the focus. Reeves has his limitations, but this kind of stoic badassery is within his scope. Everyone in the cast feels right - Willem Dafoe channeling his Boondock Saints energy, Dean Winters as comedic relief, Adrianne Palicki fitting in perfectly, and throw in some actors from The Wire in a pinch. This was a lot of fun and I'd happily watch a sequel.

Why I Wish I Hadn't: It could've used more of the puppy. The one real downside to this movie is that it's for a very specific mood. It's not a multi-faceted movie. It's a collection of fights scenes that doesn't take itself too seriously. There's nothing wrong with that and I'm very likely to watch this again.

Verdict (?): Strongly Recommend