At some point last decade, probably around 2014 or so, the movie going public underwent a change in its thinking about Keanu Reeves.
While some critics had dismissed Reeves as a lightweight and a bit of a himbo, the success of the 2014 action film “John Wick,” brought about reappraisal of the actor’s talents and career. Before long, film buffs were saying things to each other like “actually, Keanu is underrated” and “between ‘Speed,’ ‘The Matrix’ films, ‘Point Break’ and now the ‘John Wick’ films, Reeves might be America’s greatest action star.”
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Around the time of the release of the sequels “John Wick: Chapter 2” in 2017 and “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum,” Reeves reputation, after a few years of box office misfires, had been fully rehabilitated to the point where he was now one of Hollywood’s most beloved celebrities. There are numerous reasons for this, from profiles that made him seem kind and soft-spoken, but also slightly unknowable in a way that’s become rare for celebrities in the digital age, to viral stories of Reeves being kind to his fans.
A younger generation of film critics celebrated his understated performances and mastery of the action genre. It also helped that many critics pointed out that Reeves had worked with more female directors than any other A-List action star, and he publicly supported “Matrix” director Lana Wachowski, who is trans, at a time when Hollywood in general seemed clumsy in how it was adapting to changing gender norms.
And once news broke that Reeves, who many fans assumed was deeply lonely following the death of his romantic partner in the ‘00s, began dating a woman near his own age, it was a wrap. Keanu Reeves was now our greatest living star, and perhaps the greatest person on the planet. (Look, Leonardo DiCaprio famously dumps women as soon as they turn 25. Sometimes, it doesn’t take much to win people over.)
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It also helps that for what they are, the “John Wick” films are fantastic, full of beautifully choreographed and thrilling action sequences, eye-popping cinematography and Reeves generally looking cool as heck. These films aren’t deep, and they don’t need to be, they just need to slap hard, which they reliably do.
And it looks like people’s love for the series has not diminished in the four years since “Parabellum,” as the latest installment, “John Wick 4,” made $73.5 million in its opening weekend. It’s Reeves biggest total since 2003 “The Matrix Revolutions.”
Reeves and director Chad Stahelski have indicated that this will be the final “Wick” film, though Lionsgate isn’t going to let this valuable property go. Liongate is the rare studio without its own streaming service, and at various points the “Wick” films have been on HBO Max (WBD) or Peacock (CMCSA), and a spin-off “Wick” film starring Ana de Armas is already in the works. (Keeping the intellectual property train going is the name of the game in Hollywood, for better and for worse.) But if this is the last time we see John Wick, Reeves delivered a strong closing bow, and has left fans wondering what he’ll do next.
