One of Canada’s finest, Keanu Reeves is known as one of Hollywood’s nicest men, with a glowing career to go with it. From gun-fu’s finest to heart-throb hunk, we have seen Keanu’s progression from marauding hitman, to time-travelling teen, to a 1970s moustachioed motorcyclist toy. To celebrate the release of DC League of Super Pets on 29th July 2022, we are counting down Keanu’s top ten films from over the years.
BILL & TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE (1989)
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure follows the story of the twoteenage boys starting their rock and roll band ‘WYLD STALLYNS’; the pair so wyld they are both lagging in their history class. To ensure they do not get separated if Ted’s father sends him to military school and they get fulfil their wyld-est dreams, they recruit the time-travelling Rufus (George Carlin). Rufus shows the pair a future where their band is the foundation for a perfect society. Together, Bill, Ted and Rufus embark on a journey to compile all the historical figures they need to not only pass their history report but to save the world! A truly wacky sci-fi/comedy that really encapsulates the message of not only being yourself, but the importance of passing your history tests!
THE MATRIX (1999)
The blockbuster that shook the world with its cyberpunk aesthetics, 360-degree camera work, superhuman kung fu and dystopian themes (not to mention tiny glasses and floor length coats.) The Matrix sees Keanu starring alongside Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving and Joe Pantoliano in a world where the human race has been enslaved unknowingly inside a complex simulated reality. This reality, created by malevolent Artificial intelligence to sustain their global empire, sees humans grown and harvested to be used as an ongoing energy source. Reeves stars in the film as Neo, a hacker that has teamed with a hearty band of freedom fighters to combat their enslavement and ultimately free humanity.
SPEED (1994)
A bus ride no one wants to miss! The full-throttle thriller sees Reeves star as LAPD Swat bomb defusal officer Jack Tavern. Jack, after witnessing a bus explode within the city, discovers another bus has been rigged by Howard Payne, a retired Atlanta Police Department bomb squad explosives expert. This time, in an extortion attempt for $3.7 million ransom, Howard creates a ‘game’ that plays with the trigger on life and death for all on-board the 2525 bus. The bomb on the bus will arm itself once the bus reaches 50 mph, however, if the bus goes below 50 mph the bomb will detonate, subsequently killing everyone on board. Jack steers the bus in the race for his (and everyone else on board) lives through the city in an adrenaline-fuelled, action-packed sequence with unfinished freeways, battle scenes and emptying gas tanks. With two Academy Awards and grossing over $350 million, Speed was a whizz in the box office becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of 1994.
TOY STORY 4 (2019)
Nine years after the last Toy Story instalment, Woody and the gang are back together for their fourth adventure, with a brand-new host of toys to help them along the way! It is now Pixar’s second highest grossing film at $1.073 billion (sitting just behind The Incredibles). The film won several awards including an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Keanu voices Duke Caboom, a 1970s moustachioedmotorcyclist toy and Canada’s greatest daredevil and stuntman. However, despite the Evil Knievel-esque stuntman advertisements, Duke is unable to perform any of these incredible tricks and so, he let his previous kid down and now has a fear of failure. Duke plays an instrumental role in the mission to reunite their owner, Bonnie, with her beloved toy Forky; a runaway plastic spork who simply wants to be trash. Director Josh Cooley highlighted Reeve’s excitement about his character before filming led to him jumping onto the table during lunch and portraying Caboom-styled poses – that’scertainly one way to get into character!
ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE (2019)
This Netflix romcom sees Celebrity Chef Sasha (Ali Wong)and old friend Marcus (Randall Park) as childhood friends that went separate ways for 15 years following an incredibly awkward teenage kiss. The pair reunite when Sasha returns to her native San Francisco to open her brand-new restaurant, with her amazing celebrity chef career, her seemingly perfect life and not to mention her brand new arm candy, Keanu Reeves. On the other hand, Marcus is a musician still living at home and working alongside his dad; not quite as glamourous. In this supporting role, Reeves plays a somewhat parody of himself mirroring typical Hollywood stereotypes. Thetremulous tale of failed pretentious double dates, a struggle to adapt to each other’s worlds and a battle between suitors, ultimately, Reeves loses out in the pursuit of love as Sasha and Marcus eventually rekindle their old flames.
CONSTANTINE (2005)
The American superhero film stars Reeves as John Constantine; a chain-smoking cynical exorcist that has the ability of communicating with semi-angels and demi-devilstrue forms. Based on DC Comics’ Hellblazer, John is in a battle to return all evil to the depths of Hell in order to win the favour of the Almighty’s, having attempted the mortal sin of suicide as a young man. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, the film grossed over $230.9 million worldwide.
POINT BREAK (1991)
Arguably a tentpole of Reeve’s career, the film follows Keanu Reeves as FBI Agent Johnny Utah as he embarks on an under-cover mission to find suspects after a chain of bizarre bank robberies. The former football player, Johnny, and his partner Pappas (Gary Busey) hunt down the robbers, who donpeculiar rubber masks of various former presidents. Another twist to these robbers, if the masks were not enough already,is that they are a group of suffers, led by the one and only Bodhi (Patrick Swayze). When a love match sparks between Johnny and a female surfer, Tyler (Lori Petty), Johnny must choose between his commitment to duty or his heart.
RIVERS EDGE (1986)
A harrowing tale of aimless youth, River’s Edge generates tension and urgency in this American crime drama film. It follows a group of teenagers dealing with the murder of their friend’s girlfriend and the subsequent disposal of her body. Whilst the screenplay is fictional, the script is based on the true story about the death of 14-year-old Marcy Renee Conradfrom Milpitas, California. Marcy was murdered by her 16-year-old boyfriend, Anthony Jacques Broussard. When casting Matt, casting director Carrie Frazier knew instantly Keanu was the right person for the role; “Oh my god, this is my guy!” It was just because of the way he held his body – his shoes were untied, and what he was wearing looked like a young person growing into being a man. I was over the moon about him.” As a standout film in the 1980s, the idea of youth is not glamourised, instead it is depicted as a time of boredom, waste, and digression.
JOHN WICK (2014)
The thriller sees Reeves as John Wick, a legendary assassin retired from his xxx career after marrying the love of his life. His wife dies suddenly, leaving him in deep mourning. When the Callus gangster Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen) and his gang steal John’s prized car and murder his puppy (the lastsentimental gift from his beloved wife), John unleashes on a relentless, remorseless and ruthless rampage to seek his revenge. All the while, Iosef’s father (Michael Nygvist), puts a bounty on John’s head. With a myriad of gun-fu stunts, tear-jerking plotlines and a Matrix-revival colour scheme it is no surprise that the film grossed $88 million worldwide. Reeve’s stunt work, commitment to the role and experience in martial arts are evident and no doubt elevated this movie to what is widely regarded as some of his best work.
MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO (1991)
In the loose adaption of Shakespeare’s “Henry IV”, Reeves and River Phoenix give life to two social-outcast delinquents with an intimate seriousness. Mike Waters (Phoenix) is a gay hustler afflicted with narcolepsy. Scott Favor (Reeves) is the turbulent son of the local mayor. Together, they travel throughout America in a search to find Mike’s estranged mother. On the journey, not only do they delve into the world of money and drugs, but they are also faced with the struggle of accepting their homosexuality and the connection with a wealthy benefactor and sexual deviant. This role trulyhighlighted Reeves’ scope as an actor, despite reaching a more limited audience, it proved that he was much more than a goofy smile or teenage heartthrob.
DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS RELEASES IN UK CINEMAS ON 29TH JULY, 2022.
