'Wick is Pain' Review: A Celebration of One of Action Cinemas Greats
- Jack Ransom
- May 18
- 2 min read
By Jack Ransom - May 18, 2025
Wick Is Pain showcases the never-before-seen footage and story behind the John Wick phenomenon, starring Keanu Reeves - from independent film to billion-dollar franchise.
Well what a treat this is! A few weeks before Ballerina dances us back into the world of John Wick, Lionsgate drop a celebratory, incredibly in-depth, geeky and wholesome overview of the greatest action franchise of the past decade. I, like millions of others, absolutely bloody love Johnathan Wick and his penchant for pistols, knives and lethal book usage and seeing his hellish independent scale development through to a $120 million budgeted fourth instalment is fascinating.
This is an absolute goldmine for franchise diehards and fans of filmmaking (particularly action) in general. We see the film’s roots as Scorn (originally pitched as a 70+ year old Wick) and how it became melded into what we know and live today. From the process of getting a film off the ground, the stress and pressure of a tight deadline and crafting your vision from the assembly cut. It’s all here presented in intimate fashion with all the highs and lows on display.
What’s undeniably incredible and unfathomably badass is the amount of dedication, training practicality, danger and excitement thrown into the stunt choreography: from the concept art to pre-visualisation to the final execution. It’s fascinating to watch unfold and infectious watching the filmmakers come up with badass sequences, nuances and ideas to establish the core fight style of the character.
Clocking in at just over 2 hours this doc leaves no stone un-turned and gets surprisingly raw and straight-to-the-point in terms of how the creatives feel/felt about each other during and after the production. With stunt legends Chad Stahelski (who has done nothing but Wick since 2014) and David Leitch (Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, Hobbs & Shaw, Bullet Train & The Fall Guy) straining both their working relationship and friendship to get the first film locked in. Seeing Keanu’s utter joy and enthusiasm as he and Stahelski reminisce over scenes together is a joy to behold.
Wick Is Pain is a celebration of one of action cinema’s greats, as well as a testament to the amount of struggle, dedication, excitement and sacrifice that goes into getting a film off the ground and the swift opening of the floodgates once said film becomes a hit. Keanu’s love and gratefulness for the role is palpable, Chad and Dave are a unique pairing and all involved in the stunts are masters of their craft.
Wick is Pain is available now on digital platforms
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