Directed by: Jeffrey Doe
Distributed by: Lionsgate
Written by Taylor Baker
72/100
I’ve always wanted to be a fan of the John Wick films, but could never quite find my way in. While anyone could appreciate the action choreography and the sheer difficulty of the filmmaking—particularly in “John Wick 3” with its complex dog action sequences—I failed to enjoy the films themselves. What I learned from watching “Wick is Pain” is that I enjoy watching each entry in the franchise being made more than the films themselves.
The backstory of David Leitch and Chad Stahelski coming together to adapt Derek Kolstad’s screenplay, written initially with an aged Paul Newman in mind, then repurpose and retool it for Keanu Reeves, proves to be more thrilling than the films themselves. While I can appreciate the martial arts techniques employed and the later films’ stylized movements in loading and discharging weaponry, I never quite felt the visceral punch that so many others laud it for. “Wick is Pain,” settles all that noise into a straightforward documentary about the labor of love and behind-the-scenes feuds that turned a little indie action film into another conglomerate film universe with its numerous spin-offs.
The majority of the documentary focuses on getting the first entry made and released; its release struggles and eventual monumental success are likely still over-analyzed by distributors today. Some attention is paid to the difficulties between co-directors Leitch and Stahelski, with equal time given to the effort Reeves himself put in to ensure the film would be made. As the documentary progresses through discussions of “John Wick 2” and “John Wick 3,” we begin to understand the physical toll these films have taken on Reeves’ body—his difficulties navigating injuries, particularly in his knee and shoulder, and the fact that he has a fused neck, which contextualizes his distinctive head movements throughout the series.
“Wick is Pain” isn’t a documentary that will change my ability to revisit these films with newfound enjoyment. What it does provide is a distillation of those films into something I find genuinely intriguing. If you already love the John Wick films and Reeves, this documentary will deepen that appreciation and likely add layers to your future viewings.
John Wick has moved the action genre forward, the invention of plugging gun barrels to allow for realistic close-up weapon work, the extended action sequence takes, the integration of judo, jiu-jitsu, and aikido moves in prolonged sequences—all pushes the language of cinema and its capabilities forward. That evolution is thrilling to watch as a fan of cinema, even if I can’t quite engage with the John Wick films themselves.
“Wick is Pain” Trailer
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