10 Terrible Ideas That Became Great Movies
7. Keanu Reeves Avenges His Murdered Dog - John Wick
Keanu Reeves' career may be back on top right now, but around the time of the first John Wick's release, he'd been in a serious slump for the better part of a decade following the end of the original Matrix trilogy.
The critical and/or commercial duds were numerous - The Day the Earth Stood Still, Henry's Crime, and most infamously the calamitous box office bomb 47 Ronin in 2013.
And so, when Reeves was announced to be starring in a new action-thriller as an assassin seeking to avenge his murdered puppy, of course the kneejerk response was to laugh.
Hell, yours truly even predicted it might score 0% on Rotten Tomatoes before release - that's how lacking in momentum Reeves' career was at the time. This had "glorified VOD movie that somehow secured a theatrical release" vibes all over it, but oh how wrong we all were.
John Wick ultimately released to strong reviews and turned a hefty profit at the box office, largely due to its impressively nuanced world-building, darkly humourous script, killer ensemble cast, and sharply staged, stylish action.
In turn, John Wick revitalised Reeves' career, ensuring he's appeared in countless quality projects since, including three increasingly impressive John Wick sequels. What a turnaround.