If you’ve watched any of the "John Wick" movies, you’re well aware of the violence and action, but there’s plenty of driving going on in some of the films. The latest, "John Wick: Chapter 4," is in theaters now, again starring Keanu Reeves as an assassin of “particular focus.” As it turns out, though, he’s such a good driver that the film’s stunt drivers could’ve taken a day or two off.
Racer and former "Top Gear America" host Tanner Foust got the nod to be John Wick’s driving stunt double, but he said Keanu took to the action so well that Foust rates his drifting skills as an 8 out of 10 – high praise from one of the most well-known drivers around. Foust attributed some of Keanu’s skills to his motorcycle experience, which he said led to faster learning times behind the wheel.
Foust spent several months training Reeves in Berlin to prepare for the film and said that the team devised a set of maneuvers that Keanu could reliably perform repeatedly. The resulting shots are impressive – one-handed drifting while reloading, and reaching the absolute limit without crossing it.
As for the cars, the Wick films have featured some sweet classic metal, including the Mustang Boss 429 from the original 2014 movie. When that car was destroyed, Wick shifted to a Chevelle SS. In the fourth movie, Wick/Reeves pilots a 1971 Plymouth Cuda, the car he so artfully mastered with Foust’s help in scenes such as the car chase (doorless, even) through Paris in the clip above.
John Wick 4 is still in theaters but is due on streaming services soon. If you’re hoping to check out the vehicular action, be advised that it comes with a super-healthy dose of gun-and-fist violence. The good news is that the movies package the carnage in an entertaining and sometimes funny way, so it’s not at all a drag to watch.
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