JuicyTalk
Though modern audiences mostly know Keanu Reeves thanks to the John Wick franchise, he’s actually starred in a ton of other great action flicks over the years too. Reeves got his start in the 1980s in teen roles that allowed him to show off his goofier side. Classics like Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure made Reeves a Gen-X superstar.
He transitioned to action roles in the 1990s, and that’s where he began to experiment with more diverse parts. No longer just a charming surfer dude, Reeves was able to evolve as a performer across the decade. That success continued into the 2000s, but it was there that Reeves began to hit a few bumps. A string of flops saw the actor falling out of the public eye more and more.
2014’s John Wick was the career renaissance that Reeves needed. Chad Stahelski’s ultra-stylish action thriller reminded viewers how great Reeves was, and recaptured a lot of the magic that had been lost in action cinema. Across four main films and several spinoffs, the larger John Wick series blossomed into one of the most successful and critically acclaimed action franchises of all time.
Though John Wick is one of Reeves’ signature movies, it wasn’t the first time he stepped foot in the action genre. In fact, many of the actor’s best films feature over-the-top thrills, and shine brightly because Reeves is in the lead role. He’s done drama, comedy, and everything in between, but it’s the action genre that has truly served Keanu Reeves best across his decades-long career.
8
Street Kings (2008)
Street Kings is arguably the most overlooked movie in Keanu Reeves’ entire filmography, and the police action thriller got almost no attention back in 2008. Reeves stars as a recently-widowed LAPD officer who finds himself in the middle of a web of corruption when he’s implicated in the death of another cop. Don’t be fooled by the lackluster reviews, Street Kings is a gritty thrill ride.
Director David Ayer has a deft touch when it comes to simplistic action flicks, and that’s where the charm of Street Kings truly lies. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, and instead nails all the necessary elements of an action movie. It teeters on being over-the-top, and that heightened sense of reality adds to the fun factor. It also has a shockingly stacked cast that includes Chris Evans, Hugh Laurie, and Forest Whitaker.
7
Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
Based on the work of cyberpunk maestro William Gibson, Johnny Mnemonic is a crown jewel of the ’90s tech-thriller genre. The titular character (Reeves) is a data courier who must retrieve the information trapped in his mind before it kills him. The 1995 movie’s exaggerated tone doesn’t always do the original story justice, but it remains a strong film on its own.
The world-building is engrossing and strange, and it takes big swings with its action. Critics weren’t necessarily wrong to give the movie bad reviews, but Johnny Mnemonic has more entertainment value than the critics seem to suggest. Modern recuts of the film have actually made it better, and it has become a cult classic. As a companion piece to The Matrix, Johnny Mnemonic is a must-see.
6
Sonic The Hedghog 3 (2024)
Though it is cartoonish, Sonic the Hedghog 3 is undoubtedly one of Keanu Reeves’ best action flicks. Sonic and his pals must race against time to stop the nefarious plans of Shadow the Hedgehog (Reeves), who wants to destroy the world. As with the previous two installments in the live-action video game adaptation series, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a well-crafted and cohesive piece of cinema.
The action is balanced nicely by strong character development, and all the CGI spectacle has actual stakes. Reeves’ voice performance is a new wrinkle in his career, and he’s set to return as Shadow in the future. As far as video game movies go, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 isn’t just one of the best, but one of the most action-packed. Even those who aren’t enamored by the blue speedster can get something out of the film.
5
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Outside the first film, the Matrix franchise doesn’t necessarily have the best reputation. However, 2003’s The Matrix Reloaded is still a stellar action movie. Neo (Reeves) and the rest of the freedom fighters do battle against the mechanical forces of oppression and get closer to learning the truth about the Matrix. Several of the movie’s action sequences are absolutely legendary.
While it pales compared to the first movie, and certainly lacks any depth, The Matrix Reloaded delivers where it matters most. It’s the perfect tune-in-and-tune-out movie, and leans heavily on its own bombastic spectacle. Considering how dull the third installment was, it’s clear that the action is really where the entire Matrix series shines brightest. The highway scene alone makes Reloaded one of Reeves’ best action movies.
4
Constantine (2005)
If you go into 2005’s Constantine expecting a faithful adaptation of the comic book, you’ll be sorely disappointed. Reeves plays the titular demon hunter who helps a woman investigate the mysterious death of her sister. He takes on demonic forces in order to save his own soul from damnation. Viewers back in 2005 weren’t able to separate the movie from its source material, so it was overhated for years.
What Constantine does deliver is a thrilling action movie with touches of fantasy and horror thrown in too. The script is pretty airtight, and Reeves’ brooding performance shows off the best of what he can do as a performer in action movies. It’s now one of the most beloved comic book movies of the 2000s, even though it holds little value for Hellblazer purists. Hope for a sequel is still high, especially with DC movies seeing a recent renaissance.
3
Point Break (1991)
The charm of many ’90s action movies is their bombastic tone, and never was that more true than in Point Break. A federal agent (Reeves) goes undercover as a surfer to infiltrate a bank robbing gang with a philosophical and charismatic leader. With its thick slices of ’90s cheese, Point Break straddles the line between being an action masterpiece and an old-fashioned schlock fest. Reeves and co-star Patrick Swayze sell every moment with aplomb.
All that said, the action in Point Break is magnificent. Kathryn Bigelow’s active camera puts the audience right in the middle of the excitement, and the editing emphasizes the pulse-pounding pace. The diversity of the action is also worth noting. With bank holdups, car chases, and even skydiving sequences, the movie takes the all-of-the-above approach. Few action films from the time are as entertaining as Point Break.
2
Speed (1994)
It isn’t an exaggeration to say that Speed is a perfect action movie. The mid-’90s classic concerns a cop (Reeves) who is trapped aboard a city bus that’s rigged to blow up if it drops below 50 MPH. Action always does best when the premise is simple, but it’s the execution of that simple idea that matters most. Speed doesn’t just rest on its concept, it actually explores every exciting possibility of its plot.
Naturally, Speed is all about pacing. The movie never takes its foot off the gas (pun intended) and doesn’t give the audience much time to breathe. Reeves is joined by Sandra Bullock and Dennis Hopper, both of whom add a lot of A-list gravity to what is ultimately a pretty silly flick. Speed builds upon itself with each scene, until the explosive finale where director Jan de Bont saves the best for last. If it wasn’t for one other Keanu Reeves action flick, Speed would be his best ever.
1
The Matrix (1999)
Even though John Wick is Keanu Reeves’ most recognizable modern movie, it will never knock The Matrix off the throne as his greatest action film. A bored office worker (Reeves) learns he’s living in a simulation, and must enter the Matrix to do battle against the forces of evil. The film is a mix between cyberpunk and action, and it revolutionized many techniques we take for granted today.
The Wachowski’s vision is certainly bigger than the movie, but it never gets too bogged down in its own philosophy. The action is the starring attraction in The Matrix, and it’s martial arts focus combines the best of what came before with a post-modern approach to the genre. Modern blockbusters all owe a debt to The Matrix, and Keanu Reeves‘ role as Neo will always be his lasting cinematic legacy.
- Birthdate
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September 2, 1964
- Birthplace
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Beirut, Lebanon
