JOHN WICK (2014)

Initially, all we know of John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is that he is deeply mourning the recent death of his wife from cancer.  Soon after her funeral, John receives delivery of a puppy his wife arranged to be sent to him after her death, so he'd still have something - someone - to love.  When a chance run-in with some Russian mob thugs results in Wick turning down their offer to buy his cherry 1969 Mustang, they show up at John's house and beat him, steal the car ... and kill his dog.  And that is when we learn John is a former mob assassin, The Boogeyman, who got out of the business when he fell in love five years before - but is now back, and after the leader of the thugs who took everything from him ... who also happens to be the son of his former mob boss.  Reeves' "block of wood" acting style is perfect here, and if you can handle that Wick kills about 5,000 people in this film there is a mindless, surreal fun about John Wick that somehow keeps things both deadly serious and darkly humorous.  Often at the same time. (rated R)  B

JOHN WICK trailer