John Wick

Right now you can watch John Wick in Australia on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, and in the US on HBO Max Amazon Channel and YouTube TV — and it earns its twists rather than manufacturing them. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 21,002 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Watch Keanu Reeves work — the performance is a masterclass in restraint. Start it on Netflix whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

John Wick is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. John Wick treats its mystery as a means, not an end in itself. Ex-hitman John Wick comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that took everything from him. Credit to Keanu Reeves and Michael Nyqvist for grounding it — this is a cast that earns the twists. It hit screens in 2014. John Wick is at its best in the quiet scenes between the plot beats, where the character work actually happens. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in John Wick. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Watch Keanu Reeves work — it is a masterclass in the genre. Few crime dramas earn their twists this consistently.