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Who would have played John Wick better than Keanu?

posted 9 years ago by joyork
93 replies | jump to latest

I've just watched John Wick for the second time and I enjoyed it just as much second time round as the first. I love revenge/justice type films and I think this was well executed, if you pardon the pun.

My main gripe about the movie, however, is the lead actor. I didn't find him to be particularly convincing as John Wick.

Maybe he's too skinny or un-menacing or not psychotic enough. The best bit was when he stabbed the guy and stared intently as he watched him die. Other than that I found Keannu to be slightly weak as the main role... particularly as the reputation and legend that is John Wick the character was built up magnificently all the way through the movie.

I'm racking my brain to think who would have been perfect for the role and have come up with these suggestions:

Jim Caviezel (Mr Reese in Person of interest - just the right amount of menace/professional hitman/one man army about him, and despite being 4 years younger than Keanu actually seems older)

Tom Cruise - what he lacks in muscle he makes up for in psychotic nuttyness. Just needs to channel his inner Thetans and kapow!

Any other credible suggestions?

[–] KaZenPhi 9 years ago

I think Reeves was the perfect choice for this role, he's got the necessary martial arts skills and it showed. Tom Cruise would have been a terrible choice, he's unbelievable in basically every role unless he plays a cocky bastard. As a real live person he's crazy and frightening, but as an actor he's unconvincing and mistakes blank stares for intensity and all his action moves look incredibly choreographed. Jason Statham could have handled the physical part of the role well but he can't act and he would have made the role too entertaining.
A younger Viggo Mortensen might have worked, he's a good actor and can be menacing if needed.

[–] jco41566 9 years ago

KR was perfect for the role. The whole point of being an effective assassin is for the mark to not see you coming!

[–] jim-wiggs 9 years ago

How about Max Martini?

[–] Lord_Stark 9 years ago

Why does he need to be crazy?

I thought Reeves was absolutely perfect and his performance was very good. He was far better off as the calm, in control and razor sharp hit man than some run of the mill psycho in my opinion.

[–] Kenneth-8 9 years ago

I actually thought Keanu was great in the role, and it definitely gave his flagging career a much needed boost. I think his past roles in action classics (ie Speed, Point Break, the Matrix trilogy, Constantine) helped to make his character here convincing as a veteran hit man who has had a violent past. Keanu might not be the best actor in dramatic roles (actually he's usually pretty poor), but his wooden persona and monotone delivery actually works well for straight up action films as it does here.

That said, just for fun here are my choices:

Jim Caviezel (good suggestion)
Dolph Lundgren
Gerard Butler
David Duchovny
Val Kilmer
Lou Diamond Phillips
Robert Taylor (Longmire)

[–] ZeppelinRenegade 9 years ago

No one. How's that for an answer?

Half these names have already done a similar movie anyway. Cruise? Already did it with Jamie foxx. Ben Foster (honestly the best alternative to Keanu if there HAD to be one) already made the mechanic.

Gerard butler can't do the solace needed in the beginning.

Dolph lungren? Like wtf people...

Tom hardy is a great actor best listed here and even still I would prefer Keanu.

Val Kilmer? Good God people.... He's 260 lbs and diabetic now.

This role was made for him.

[–] StefanMichael 9 years ago

Would you consider Yun-Fat Chow? I think he could carry this role off really well.

[–] alidede 9 years ago

Keanu was perfect for the part and he did lost of his stunts.

I dont think anybody else could have done it better than him.