Don’t kill dogs. Just don’t do it. And whatever you do, don’t kill John Wick’s dog. Because. He. Will. Find. You. And. He. Will. Kill. You. He will go all Liam Neeson on your ass, and all the while you’ll be wishing he was Liam Neeson and not John Wick.

Because John Wick, like the movie John Wick, is one f**king badass.

Keanu Reeves plays the man, the legend, the ex-hitman whose very name strikes fear in the Russian mob. Keanu Reeves, my friends, is back, and perhaps better than ever. John Wick is Reeves’ best movie since The Matrix, and he owns it. Rugged, angry and dangerous, he dives into the role, delivering his most visceral performance to date.

Of course, no one cares about Reeves’ acting. He is what he is. The movie is exciting, fast paced and violent. Bloody from beginning to end, John Wick is the best revenge film you’ll have seen in years. Featuring several great action scenes where Reeves shoots, stabs and punches his way through dozens of henchmen, John Wick keeps you on the edge of your seat down to the final bloody minutes.

Superbly composed by director Chad Stahelski, the movie features terrific cinematography by Jonathan Sela and a great selection of music and composition by Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard. While generally serious, John Wick has a quirky vibe to it, largely emanating from Derek Kolstad’s screenplay. The movie is seriously fun—and combined with the complementary music, John Wick fires on all cylinders.

John Wick is bloody, violent and ruthless, but it’s also fun and a refreshing blast of excitement. Just don’t think about killing his dog. Because. He. Will. Find. You.

Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.