Very well directed. Reeves is one of the most likeable but also most terrible actors out there but smartly underplays his role as an apparently semi-world weary international diamond dealer and his part works in this movie—to a POINT. Also kudos to Pasha D. Lychikoff who has way too much fun playing a menacing Russian Mafia don.
After that, the movie confuses. The love affair between Reeves character (Lucas Hill) and Katya really adds little to the plot, and seems to plod on. SPOILERS:
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Lucas is also a confusing character from any sort of action movie standpoint: he handles a hunting rifle like a video game superstar, but easily gets his ass kicked by a couple of thugs, and allows the Russian Mafia Don to all but force his girlfriend to suck his dick. Makes me wonder if Keanu “kidnapped” a script meant for someone else in mind, because when you are John Wick, I’m expecting you to put a knife through your palm and shout to the heavens “THIS HOW WE MAKE BLOOD BROTHERS” to a shocked crime lord, rather than meekly accepting his suggestion you both look into each others eyes while getting blown simultaneously.
Finally, the ending . . . just come out of nowhere. What’s the takeaway? Did Lucas fly back to Siberia love? For the diamonds? Perhaps for both, and he pays the price for both. But was the Reeve’s part really as much of a sociopath deserving of such an untimely end? Maybe a better actor would have gotten that across----Keanu doesn’t have the range to take the viewer that far.