Wick Is Pain

What can you say about this franchise that hasn't been said already I've loved the action genre since I was a kid I've watched action films from the 80s 90s and to me john wick is the best action movie series I've ever seen every movie top's the previous one keanu and chad are quite the dynamic duo I can remember going to see the 1st jw and the club scene starts with led spirals and the ensuing carnage had my jaw on the floor I was in awe at the spectacle before me eyes never knew action films could be this great in the modern age I love the action but I also love the world building such an original concept of the conitnental and this world of assasins and contracts markers rules it add layers of depth to this series I could watch keanu make 10 more of these to be honest nobody does it better than reeves hes the goat.

A truly gripping documentary that shows just how insanely difficult it is to turn an idea into a finished film. The funding alone is a huge challenge-and when a backer suddenly drops out, the entire project can be on the verge of collapse. That's exactly what almost happened with John Wick-if Eva Longoria hadn't stepped in financially (!), the movie and its now-iconic franchise might never have existed.

What I also really enjoyed was how the doc shows the tight-knit and often chaotic web that is Hollywood. Who knows who, who brings whom on board, and how often pure chance plays a role. It was also fascinating to see how skeptical some people were about scenes that are now legendary-like John Wick riding a horse through the city-and whether they'd work at all on screen.

I'm giving this documentary a solid 7/10. It was definitely interesting and offered some great insights, but in a few places, it could have dug a bit deeper. Still, well worth a watch for film lovers and behind-the-scenes nerds.

Great documentary and really draws you in and takes you through all the events leading up to the mega-franchise that John Wick is today. Also, gives you a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes and the actual sources of the "pain". It also shows you a side of Keanu Reeves you may not have seen before, the trainings, the stunts, the actual physical pain that he endured. Much, much respect for him and we tip our hats in his direction! Thank you Keanu! Inspiring enough to pull me back to watch the entire series again.... and again.... and makes us super anxious for the Ballerina and any future movies that tap into this story. Keep 'em coming!

What a perfect documentary. This is my favourite action franchise and I fell in love with the whole process behind it thanks to this film. What a wonderful creation. Great to find out more about Chad and Dave's relationship co-directing number 1. And getting to see all the gun fu pre-viz was absolutely rad. There's another documentary series called "action" where you get to see a lot of Dave's team doing this preViz stuff for the film Violent Night. I couldn't believe what Keanu puts his knees/body through to make these films. What a way to spend your 50s! Absolute legend. Still can't decide which of the four movies is my favourite.

This fast-moving doc is filled with behind the scenes details that you're just not going to get on the 'extras' of any DVD in the John Wick franchise. It's narrated mostly by Reeves and Chad Stahelski, the Director of JW 1,2 and 3. And, as Keanu likes to say, 'it's personal'.

You'll get the backstory on Reeves' perspective on John Wick, and why this character, who is a serial killer, remains a hero in the eyes of the audience.

Sitting back, just shooting the breeze about their work, the creative team tell us that they 'like that (the films) feel like a 'B' movie but taken to an artsy level'. They know they are giving us 'pulp', but with each successive film they've increased the artistry of the shots.

They see JW 4 as the most 'anime', dripping in tone. In each film, the DP move the camera as much as they can, whether they're in the desert or on the steps of the Arc De Triomphe. One of the most exciting and complex action sequences in JW4, or in any other action movie in recent years, was the top-down sequence in that film, where you see the action inside a location but are watching it as if the roof was removed...'top-down'. Everyone, from the camera operators and the stunt team, knew where they had to be at every single beat of the action. They tell us 'we didn't let the production company know we were going to do this, we just planned it out and by the time they knew, it was already too late to stop it'. Wick Is Pain takes you INSIDE this amazing shoot.

The Wickiverse is chock-full of memorable sequences like this. And to think that the entire series almost did not get off the ground. The team lost millions of dollars in funding the day before shooting was supposed to start. Wick Is Pain takes you through the financial struggles, the personal breakups and makeups, the intense training that Reeves goes through prior to the shooting of any of the films. Every installment has the 'revenge' theme, including the one that almost killed the first film... killing off the puppy. One of the worst things you can do in a film, and that call almost sank it.

Reeves decides if there's something that Wick would do that isn't in the script. The horseback riding scene under the train - all Reeves' idea. We get the technical details on how the team made that happen.

You'll hear from the martial arts trainers and stunt coordinators. The backstory on how The Crow and The Matrix films influenced the development of the Wickiverse. The evolution of 'the Marker'. The importance of character development driving the story. Wick's foes may be on opposite sides, but they still honor each other. Reeves' stunt double relates the story of how he crash landed during one of the building fall stunts.

What you come away with is the fact that Reeves is one of the hardest working men in the business. He works while in pain, when he's sick, even when injured. He just never wants to let the cast and crew down. And hell, yeah... you can tell that he enjoys every moment of being John Wick, though he admits he'd love to also ressurect a different character from his past. You'll have to watch to find out who. Wick is Pain is available to stream now on VOD.