They Shouldn't Have Killed His Dog: The Complete Uncensored Ass-Kicking Oral History of John Wick, Gun Fu, and the New Age of Action

by Edward Gross, Mark A. Altman

There have been iconic moments in the action movie genre over the years, but nothing has come close to matching the kinetic, balletic gun-fu of the John Wick films.

In They Shouldn’t Have Killed His The Complete Uncensored Ass-Kicking Oral History of John Wick, Gun-Fu and The New Age of Action, bestselling authors Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross take you behind the scenes of a franchise that includes three films with more on the way, while exploring the action classics that led to John Wick as well as the films it inspired, like Atomic Blonde . They bring you right into the middle of the action of the John Wick films, detailing how the seemingly impossible was achieved through exclusive interviews with the cast, writers, directors, producers, stuntmen, fight choreographers, cinematographers, studio executives, editors, critics, and more. Together, they break down key action sequences while also providing a look back at the road the action genre has taken that led to John Wick , and a look at the character itself, an anti-hero who carries on the grand tradition of Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name, but with a twist ― and a never-ending supply of ammo ― while showcasing the enduring appeal of the action movie as well as John Wick’s unique reinvention of the genre.

Genres: Nonfiction, Pop Culture, Film, Media Tie In, Oral History, Cultural

288 pages, Hardcover

First published July 19, 2022

About the author

Edward Gross is a veteran entertainment journalist who took his childhood passion for film and television and turned it into a career. As a student at Hofstra University, while most of the staff of The New Voice was interviewing the likes of student senators and faculty members, he was speaking to people like playwright Neil Simon (awarded an honorary degree by the school), Curtis Sliwa of New York’s Guardian Angels, Dr. Daniel Schwartz, the police psychiatrist who interviewed both David Berkowitz and Mark David Chapman; and James Bond director John Glen. Early on he sold pieces to New York Nightlife, Starlog and Filmfax magazines and was on his way.
Over the years he would not only become a correspondent for Starlog, but part of the editorial staff of Fangoria, Cinefantastique, SFX, Cinescape, Sci-Fi Now, Not of This Earth, RetroVision, Life Story, Movie Magic, Film Fantasy and TV Magic. Online he was Executive Editor, US for Empire Online, Film and TV Editor at Closer Weekly, Life & Style, and In Touch Weekly, and Nostalgia Editor for DoYouRemember? Currently he is senior editor at Geek magazine, and editor and podcast host for Voices from Krypton (devoted to the superhero genre), TV RetroVision (classic television) and Vampires and Slayers (the name says it all).
In addition to the oral history books he’s written with Mark A. Altman, Gross’ other titles include Secret File: The Making of a Wiseguy and The Unofficial 25th Anniversary Odd Couple Companion; X-Files Confidential; Spider-Man Confidential; Planet of the Apes Revisited with Joe Russo and Larry Landsman; Rocky: The Ultimate Guide; and Stargate: SG1 — In Their Own Words.

Reviews

[Miya (severe pain struggles, slower at the moment) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfect fun for John Wick fans and action film fans. I mean they really shouldn't have killed his dog. You just don't do that. John Wick films are pretty epic honestly. I got a little lost in the second half, but I definitely could see how bigger fans would keep flipping pages and love it! Action fans/John Wick fans this book is totally for you.

[Read By Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fine. The first third is actually about the oral history of action movies, and there is an entire chapter about Atomic Blonde near the end, and I think these were just filling page count. But the core of the book was interesting, even if it didn't hit all the spots I would have preferred. I would recommend this to die hard action film fans, John Wick fans, or Keanu fans, but that's about it. Side note, everyone in this book has a lot of nice things to say about Keanu Reeves, as you'd expect.

[Martin Enidzhelyan]

Are they offering free pencils attached to the book ?

[Trevor · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love books about film, and I love oral histories. I’ve read a number of very good movie and TV oral histories, on things like Buffy, Dazed and Confused, Fury Road…heck, I just recently finished the first volume of a pretty good Star Trek one by the same guys who did this one. Which is why I’m pretty bummed to report the John Wick oral history is a really big miss, IMO. For one thing, Wick as a property is probably just too young and not big ENOUGH yet to justify a book like this - you can tell they understand this, as the first 60 or so pages are actually a scattershot, disorganized collection of various people talking about the history of action cinema, and they also throw in a chapter all about Atomic Blonde at the end. But the book suffers from other problems. For one thing, it’s pretty clear Keanu Reeves, the person you’d want to hear from the most, never talked with the authors, so all of his comments here are clearly taken from EPK type fluff pieces. What’s even worse, though, is how shockingly poorly edited this is, given the experience these guys have with this sort of book. There are so many times where you have to go through pages of different people (or sometimes even the same person) repeating the same point over and over; and there’s also an annoying tendency to suddenly drop in a comment from a new speaker that doesn’t seem to have ANY connection to what was previously being discussed in that section. Ultimately, this feels like something that was quickly conceived and thrown together to hit a deadline, but it doesn’t really justify its existence. The actual BTS Wick stuff that is here can probably be found on home video and online featurettes, and most of the rest is just off topic or people repeating the same stuff about how revolutionary the series felt when it started. I was really disappointed in this.

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was initially grabbed by the cover and title, but then the book itself was also immensely entertaining - another way-cool "making of" oral history, along the lines of the also-great Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road. The main difference is that while Sweat & Chrome focused on just the one movie, this book covers not only the John Wick trilogy, but the overall history of action movies leading up to the "Wick style" - much of which is obviously Asian/kungfu influenced, and so this book also ties in as a nice sequel to my old (and underappreciated) Kung Fu: Cinema of Vengeance from the mid-'70s.

BEST WAY TO ENJOY THIS BOOK:

* First, read the long (nearly a quarter of the book) background chapter; then watch the original "John Wick" to re-familiarize yourself with the story details, (and DO pay attention to the acting as much as the action - Ian McShane, William Dafoe and especially Michael NyQvist as Viggo are all excellent). Next, go read chapters 2-5 on the making of the first movie - and THEN go re-watch the whole thing again, now that you can appreciate all the work that went into it. (And if you can get the movie on DVD or Blu-Ray, make sure to watch all the "making of" extras.)

* Repeat the same process for the second and third movies, and then finally…

* ...read the chapter on making "Atomic Blonde" (which some reviewers thought was unnecessary, but which I thought fit in quite well), and then watch that movie - which hopefully you've seen before, because that has one confusing Cold War plot.

A solid 4+ stars that I really wanted to round up, just because this is Keanu Reeves we're dealing with, probably the world's most lovable movie star. But then there are the moral implications about how such movies glamorous gun violence (and violence in general), which is a huge problem here in the U.S.; and so ultimately I couldn't in clear conscience give this the full 5.*

Still - as both a fan of action movies and a former (if pretty terrible) martial artist, I do really enjoy these films, and can't wait now to see "Chapter 4"…I probably also have to go back and reread The Coldest City - the graphic novel source for "Atomic Blonde" - as well as it's new(ish) prequel, The Coldest Winter.
___________________________________

* I also wish that in hindsight, the writers had made Wick - aka "Jardani Jovonovitch" - pretty much anything other than Belarusian (Ukrainian, perhaps?), since other than Russia itself, Belarus is probably the world's #1 thug-ocracy right now - those guys are just the worst.

[Yuri Krupenin · Rating 3 out of 5]

На контрасте с The 50-Year Mission тех же авторов написано очень уж по горячим следам. Более-менее интересно, но это всё же достаточно спрессованная история недавних событий, не успела пока особенно обрасти контекстом. Многие отрывки интервью имеют все следы PR-кампаний выходящих ещё (на тот момент) фильмов. Активно работающие в индустрии люди выбирают слова, за жыром надо приходить 30 лет спустя.

[Sabrina Maisel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the behind-the-scenes moments that all led to the arrival of John Wick 1. Felt the historical intro was a little redundant (could have been fixed with editing) and Atomic Blonde was a little irrelevant. Overall, a mostly entertaining read that will have me binging all 4 of the movies again, armed with all new insights.

[Tamara Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

“They Shouldn’t Have Killed His Dog: The Complete Uncensored Ass-Kicking Oral History of John Wick, Gun Fu, and the New Age of Action” is a nonfiction book focusing on the film genre of gun fu as well as highlighting the John Wick movie and television series which is one of the greatest action franchises in history, and what actor Keanu Reeves brings to the role of John Wick.

The book consists of an unlabeled disclaimer, dedications, a table of contents labeled “Dossier,” two introductory essays by authors Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman, a dramatis personae which provides a list of all people mentioned in the book, followed by ten chapters, acknowledgments, and a section about the authors.

In the unlabeled disclaimer, the authors are clear that this book was not prepared, approved, licensed, or endorsed by Lionsgate, Summit Pictures, Sierra-Affinity, or any other entity involved in creating or producing the “John Wick” motion pictures or television series. The authors end the disclaimer with the phrase that the opinions expressed in the book solely represent those of themselves or those interviewed.

In the two introductory essays by the authors, each discusses how this book came to fruition despite an initial worry of lack of reading interests due to “John Wick’s” cinematography and the premise of a reluctant hero drawn back into his old life after experiencing unimaginable loss.

In chapter one “Action Jackson,” the authors and others discussed the first scene of the first “John Wick” movie and the importance of using the murder of a beloved pet as a way to connect with those watching the film. This section of the book also discusses the history of major action scenes being filmed and refers to 1896’s French silent film “L’Arrivée d’un train en gare de La Ciotat” followed by 1903’s “The Great Train Robbery.” Book contributors discuss how following “The Great Train Robbery,” action film consisted of Westerns, comedies, and swashbucklers.

Despite numerous action films in the fifties like Flah Gordon, Batman, and others, nobody was really talking about “action” movies until the eighties.Other action movies characters are mentioned including the Man with No Name, James Bond, Indiana Jones, and The Terminator, but none have captivated audiences as quite like John Wick since 2014.

It was also notable how the duration of movie fight scenes have increased over the years from five-thirty seconds with straightforward fights to longer and more involved fight sequences. Interesting to learn about how “gun fu” film genre was created to show superior skills through using samurai sword instead of taking the easy way out by using a gun. Birth of gun fu genre was John Woo and “A Better Tomorrow.”

In chapter two “Lighting the Wick,” discusses how the “John Wick” movies only came into existence through the strong belief of the film’s star, producer, directors, and screenwriter Derek Kolstad.Background is provided on Kolstad such as him being the nephew to Lori Wick, the highest-selling Christian romance author of all time, working at Dale Carnegie in Chicago teaching sales managers and manning their teams during the day while writing screenplays at night. Eventually, Kolstad moves to Los Angeles and after several years of working with nongovernmental organizations and nonprofits, he gets a manager and begins to get paid for his screenplays.

Kolstad’s goal in writing “John Wick” was to explore what would happen if the worst man in existence found salvation and what happens when that salvation is torn away from him. Originally, Kolstad wanted John Wick to be played by a seventy-five year old (preferably Clint Eastwood) with a seventeen year old dog. After Keanu Reeves accepts the script, he works with Kolstad to make John Wick closer to Reeves’ real age. Kolstad is impressed by Reeves’ commitment to reading all the scripts he’s been sent as well as being a movie fanatic.

Kolstad comments on how nice and descent Reeves is as well as being a down to earth, smart, a hard worker, and someone willing to take a chance on new talent even if they have. no previous experience. As the movie started to be filmed, Kolstad remarks that Reeves is a hands-on person who knows everyone’s job and can shoot, edit, write, direct, and his commitment to training for martial arts and weaponry. Despite Reeves’ positive global reputation, “John Wick” encounters problems with getting a domestic deal due to Reeves’ unsuccessful public reception of “47 Robin” and “Man of Tai Chi,” which was his directorial debut.

In chapter three “Gun Crazy,” financing for the “John Wick” film is secured and book contributors focus on the relationships between the character of John Wick and other characters including Winston, the manager at the Continental hotel for assassins, Marcus, a fellow assassin, Charon, the Continental’s concierge, Helen, John’s wife, and John’s dog. This chapter also mentions the overall filming process as well as the importance of setting and ratio of dialogue to action.

In chapter four “Anatomy of a Fight Scene: The Red Circle,” focuses on a nightclub where a massive fight occurs in John Wick films. This part of the book discusses innovations in “John Wick” films which include that despite the ludicrous circumstances including a one-man army who never dies and can’t be stopped, high body counts, outrageous villains, and a full-service luxury hotel for assassins, since the characters are dead serious about the world they live in, the audience believes it as well. Additional innovations are the emphasis on choreographed hand to hand combat, which adds extreme brutality and gore to the action genre.

In chapter five “With a Bullet,” the authors and contributors discuss issues during film postproduction. The reader learns Kolstad’s personal connection to naming the main character John Wick and his wife Helen and surprise when Kolstad and others are approached about doing sequel films following more adventures of John Wick.

In chapter six “Continental Divide: John Wick: Chapter 2,” producers and screenwriters of “John Wick” are shocked by the success of the first film. Those involved in the film are even more shocked a major movie studio approaches them to make a several more “John Wick” films. Unbeknownst to all involved, there was no way of knowing that their experimental film would transform into a million-dollar film franchise.

The sequel transformed by going to global locations while increasing the brutality through having one of the two original directors involved while adding a new director of photography, new production designer, and new editor. Question arose of could franchise last without the dog but is eventually remedied by having the movie start right where the previous film left off.
Book contributors discuss the importance of building an underworld with its own set of rules and power structure as well as the significance of literal blood oaths. In each “John Wick” film, the goal is to strike a balance between action and coolness.

In chapter seven “Anatomy of a Fight Scene: The Hall of Mirrors,” codirector Chad Stahelski shares his fierce drive in filming the hall of mirrors scene in “John Wick: Chapter 2” as a homage to movies “Enter the Dragon” and “The Lady from Shanghai.” Interesting to learn that while the mirror scene in “Enter the Dragon” was literally one wall of mirrors, the mirrors scene used in “John Wick: Chapter 2” was custom made.

In chapter eight “Dog Days: John Wick, Chapter 3 —Parabellum,” it was fascinating to learn that “John Wick: Chapter 3” was green-lit soon after “John Wick: Chapter 2” came out. I found it amusing when director says that everything that happens in first three “John Wick” were meant to take place a few days after Mrs. Wick’s funeral. What makes “John Wick, Chapter 3 —Parabellum” so special is that the film audience finally learn of John origin story and transformation from a Belarusian immigrant named Jarsani Jonovich into a legendary assassin named John Wick.

In chapter nine “Going Atomic: John Wick and Beyond,” contributors discuss how the “John Wick” films helped to create a subgenre of films which provide a more visceral experience and discusses the film “Atomic Blond” and how actress Charlize Theron became involved in transforming “The Coldest City” which a graphic novel about the Cold War by Kurt Johnstad into a fully developed female spy thriller film despite being comparable to “John Wick.”

In chapter ten “John Wick Will Return,” contributors discuss how initial plans to shoot “John Wick 4” and “John Wick 5” back-to-back were thwarted by the global COVID pandemic. This chapter also alludes to a prequel telefilm set in the “John Wick” universe providing the backstory of “The Continental” hotel again 1970s Manhattan.

As I finished reading the book, I liked how each chapter begins with a quote used in “John Wick” movies. In addition, I liked how each chapter consists of viewpoints from many reputable sources which creates a well-rounded discussion of the gun fu movie genre as well as “John Wick” films overall. If you are someone who loves “John Wick” film, action films, and martial art films, this book is a must read due to the amount of depth and insight found within the book.

[Suz Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a comprehensive guide to all things JOHN WICK, from what influenced its creation, to movies that it in turn influenced, to the nitty gritty of making the movies themselves, and to the future of the franchise.

The information comes directly from a variety of people who contributed to the movie and to movies like DIE HARD (influencer) and ATOMIC BLONDE (influenced). This is the book’s greatest strength as well as its greatest weakness, because it reads like all these people are in a room having a conversation, and like conversations there’s some meandering and repetition and tangents. I found these at times fascinating and at other times a bit frustrating. But, I feel that depending on the reader’s interests, they may be fascinated by some of the things that frustrated me and vice versa.

In this case, having a bit too much information was a good problem to have because of the nuggets which wowed me. For example, the evolution of the original script, the way the cast and crew collaborated in making the films shine, and the honestly around what worked and what didn’t work as well. For example, the discussion on why the ending of the third installment was not ideal and the way Mark Dacascos who played assassin and John Wick fanboy in the third installment helped shape his character. It was cool to hear directly from the writers, directors, producers, editors, actors, etcetera.

I’m the rare individual who doesn’t mind spoilers, but I didn’t feel that the parts that spoke to the future of the franchise provided any plot secrets. They did, however, make me excited for John Wick’s next adventure. I appreciate how Keanu Reeves and Lionsgate championed the first film and how screenwriter Derek Kolstad not only conceptualized the character and world, he had a big hand in bringing them to life.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed the John Wick movies - more so than I initially thought I would. This book intrigued me with the upcoming release of JW Chapter 4, so I thought it would be good to read as a refresher.
The first chapter is quite long as it explores the history of action movies, kung fu movies, and other influences - notably Die Hard (another personal favorite of mine).
The remaining chapters move at a faster clip taking the reader behind the scenes of how the first John Wick movie came to be, continuing through the second and third movies, and up to the forthcoming fourth movie. It also explores the JW impact on other films.
It's a nice length book (under 300 pages) so it was an easy vacation read. As the book is structured around interviews, it's fascinating to see differences of opinion on various topics.
If you're a John Wick fan, you will definitely enjoy this book!

This book fulfilled the 2023 PopSugar prompt #11 - A book about or set in Hollywood.

[Phair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a quick read. This is done in an oral history style with excerpts from a huge assortment of interviewees re the Wick and other related movies; the history of action movies; etc. to form a narrative of how and why the Wick movies were made, their innovations, meaning and future of the style (gun fu) in motion pictures.
Much is made of the trend for actors to do extensive training and then do much of their own action sequences in big long choreographed scenes rather than quick cuts using stunt players where possible.
The book made me want to rewatch all of the Wick movies.
Alas, the book contained no pictures at all!! Maybe there was a bit too much in the way of references to Asian action films and stars as antecedents but the process and goal of making an action film that is almost balletic without wires or CGI tricks was very interesting.

[Jessie]

DNF: I just returned from San Diego Comic Con where I attended a panel on the upcoming 3 part series on The Continental. I was very nostalgic about John Wick so I was thrilled when I saw this promoted at a different panel. But I missed the words "Oral History" in the title. It's just pages and pages of transcript dialogue. It didn't keep me engaged as a reader. I wish it had because I'm their target audience.

[sammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a super fun book to read if you're a huge john wick fan like me. it was exciting to read these glimpses into production and to hear everyone constantly praising how incredible keanu reeves is as a human being. it gets a little meandering and bragadocious for some of the contributors, but i do appreciate it for what it is, especially considering how much this franchise clearly means to the filmmakers. it's fun to see people be so in love with what they're making.

[LaVonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an oral history of the making of the John wick series. It goes into action, budgeting, and the scripting of the series. I really liked that they broke down the influences of the ballet style fighting and how it influenced future projects.

Everyone was kind to each other and couldn’t say enough things about how hard everyone worked.

[Jarrett Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid oral history of the “John Wick” franchise. While it gets a bit bogged down with the history of the action franchise at the beginning, the book captures the creativity and excitement that make “John Wick” an action-packed, visually unique, immersive series. Excited for the 4th!

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of chapters felt like filler but otherwise a fun and interesting read if you're a Baba Yaga super-fan like me.

[Thelma]

I dnf-ed within the first chapter. This is messy, disjointed and barely about John Wick.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, I don't know. It's fine but premature to write this with the fourth movie yet to hit theaters. And it's not super compelling to read about a film shoot that goes smoothly. The early chapter about the history of action films is an interesting read. But, overall, I was hoping for more bits of new information about these films and it sort of just becomes a book that's telling you what you already know.

[Andy Rausch · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the most boring oral history I've ever read. Beyond the fact that the first whole third of the book is (obvious filler) a broad history of action films, it's not the editors' fault. An Oral History can only be as good as the comments given by the interview subjects. The problem here is that the shoots went smoothly, everyone likes each other, and no one says anything particularly funny or offers any groundbreaking revelations. The editors did what they could, and the book is well-constructed, but it's super boring.

[John Schorg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is it possible to wait at least a few years before anointing a film the greatest of its kind? I have seen all the John Wick films and found them enjoyable, but I don't think they announce a new age of action cinema that has never been seen before. The book actually gets off to a good start with an interesting discussion of action movies, but the stuff about the John Wick films reads like the product of an overheated PR department. Since these movies play practically every week on cable TV, there are plenty of chances to review their nuances. This book offers only an introduction to what could be a more interesting discussion down the road.

[Leane · Rating 3 out of 5]

All the players deconstruct and reminisce on the creation of all three John Wick films. Quick read and full of insider commentary on the writing, directing, acting, stunt work, etc. Entertaining and accessible. Would have liked stills from the filming process.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher St. Martn's Press for an advanced copy of this film history and commentary.

Creating in Hollywood can be difficult. A screenwriter has a great idea, but he producer with the money wants to take it in another direction. A director has a vision for a film, but a studio has notes. The studio can also make a movie impossible to seen, either because of spite, indifference or that wonderful thing all corporations share incompetence. However sometimes the stars align, the moon is right and things start to work in a collaborative, not combative way. A pair of directors working with their own stunt crew have a vision and a want to make a career, a producer needs a hit to prove he can play with the A-listers, a screenwriter has a good idea with a Hollywood icon liking it. A hungry group of people making art, and the magic is there. Oral Historians and longtime Hollywood reporters and writers Edward Gross & Mark A. Altman have written the ultimate guide on a movie that no knew was coming and has rewritten action movie vocabulary for the the foreseeable future in They Shouldn't Have Killed His Dog: The Complete Uncensored Ass-Kicking Oral History of John Wick, Gun Fu, and the New Age of Action. A book that goes everywhere discussing the film, its influences, and its influence on future film making.

The book begins with a history of action films and movies that can be construed as action films starting in the silent era and moving up to Die Hard and its influence and Cannon Films. This section alone is worth the book as the authors take the time to dissect what worked, what didn't and what influenced the creation of the John Wick mythos. From there we meet the directors, fight people and a producer who all need a hit movie, to show who they are and to advance their careers. Along comes a screenwriter with two credits, both direct-to-video movies with a new take on revenge. A star takes notice and suddenly a film franchise is born. All the birthing pains and watching the movie grow to being on the screen are covered, both good and bad. All three movies are covered, including hints for the fourth and fifth.

The authors do their usual outstanding jobs in writing and being able to bring all of this information together and make it not only readable, but easy to follow along. At no point does the story lag, or get to film technical. There are a lot of interviews, but the people interviewed are always identified, always clear on what is being discussed, and very forthcoming about what worked, and what didn't. Outsiders are included, for story commentary of historical and film commentary, and they too are quite clear and insightful. I wish there was a little bit more about the sound and the music, but I am a nerd about that, and still loved the book anyway. Plus there is some facts and making of information on Atomic Blonde, and what the future of action films might be post- John Wick.

Recommended for fans of the film or for fans of the genre in general. There is a tremendous amount of information in here about a variety of film subjects. Just an amazing amount of work, done very well. For fans of Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner by Paul M. Sammon, The Making of Dune by Ed Naha and the Final Cut: Art, Money and Ego in the Making of Heaven's Gate by Steven Bach.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must preface this by saying I hated the format this book was written in. There are forty-five people "talking" in this book, which is an absolute bitch to keep track of. It's as if they did a roundtable discussion about the topic and then published the transcript.

With that aside, a lot of the information on older action movies and the birth of the genre was interesting. I particularly enjoyed reading the latter half of the book where the John Wick directors, crew, and actors talked about each film. Learning that the first movie was made on a shoestring budget with an incredibly tight schedule, but that the second was harder to make, while the third came about with more money and, unfortunately, more writers, made perfect sense as a viewer. Hearing from the actors themselves was also interesting, as it gave a little bit more depth to the characters and their journey through the films.

Quotes of note:

"'It's like Die Hard on a...'
That was the pitch used by dozens of Hollywood writers in the aftermath of that film's successful release. And studio executives responded, green-lighting a wide array of high-testosterone movies that relied on the concept of an everyman hero trapped in a confined space with bad guys and their hostages. Beyond four sequels to Die Hard, there were films like Speed (Die Hard on a bus), Under Siege (Die Hard on a battleship), Passenger 57 (Die Hard on a plane), Cliffhanger (Die Hard on a mountain), Air Force One (Die Hard on the president's plane), Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (Die Hard on a train), Sudden Death (Die Hard in a sports stadium), The Rock (Die Hard in Alcatraz), and Speed 2: Cruise Control (Die Hard on a cruise ship). And much to the amusement of many a studio executive, writers began inadvertently bringing things full circle with pitches of 'It's like Die Hard...in a building.'" (page 44)

"We went out purposely on the first John Wick to try and create a mythological world. That's why you see the colors, the extreme wardrobe, the extreme language. We just want to make sure everyone knows that it is more or less a fantasy. We want it to be a fun ride with the action and the humor. That's why we keep hitting John Wick with cars. He seems to have a problem with cars and windows and stairs. We were trying to create a hero. Yes, he does things with the gun, he does have an affinity for the head shot, for sure. Again, we try to stay away from grounding it too much to give it that emotional content of actual violence. We prefer to think of it more as a video game line. So it's a little bit more of a fun adventure with wish fulfillment." (page 256)

[Kirsten · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know this book is called "They Shouldn't Have Killed His Dog" but it really should have been called "They Shouldn't Have Written This Book."

This.
Was.
TRASH.
GARBAGE.
DRIVEL.

I'm so mad that my first 1 star of the year was for a book about John Wick because, as you may know, I'm OBSESSED with that franchise. However, this was truly one of the worst books I've ever read and it really comes down to not having an editor/not knowing how to edit/just being bad at writing.

Look, I get it - oral histories are meant to be made up of interviews and sometimes people aren't that articulate. That said, be better than who you're interviewing and edit what they have to say so that it's actually interesting and not just repetitive junk. So many big chunks of this book were various people who worked on the Wick films just repeating each other. If Chad Stahelski said something about how great it was to work with Keanu, we also had to hear David Leitch say it with the same words but in a different order.

This was particularly obvious in Chapter 1, which served as a history of the action genre. I was interested in the history, but not in how poorly this was structured. Like, where do Gross and Altman get off, bragging about all these books they've written, when they're this piss-poor? The ENTIRE "about the author" section was them rambling off the list of oral histories they've worked on together and if they're anything like this book, I can guarantee you they're awful.

I also simply CANNOT EXCUSE having a whole chapter about the Charlize Theron film Atomic Blonde. There is GENUINELY no connection to what else was discussed this book besides the fact that David Leitch directed it but WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING? Charlize is great, that movie's probably great, but it has no place in a history of JOHN WICK. Did Gross and Altman forget what stop to get off at?? What is even going on here??

I love John Wick, I love Keanu, and I love some of the tidbits this book shared about the thinking behind epic fights like the one in the Red Circle club and how they tried to build on the success from films 1 to 2 and 3. All those things being equal, though, this was pure garbage that I wish didn't take me so long to get through.

Happy to use it to increase my page/book count for the year - otherwise, this was a waste.

[Sarah Schwartz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you @Goodreads and @StMartinsPress, for the advanced copy of the book They Shouldn't Have Killed His Dog: The Complete Uncensored Ass-Kicking Oral History of John Wick, Gun Fu, and the New Age of Action by co-authors Edward Gross & Mark. A. Altman.

I enjoyed the first three John Wick movies, especially the original first John Wick movie. My Dad is a really big fan of action movies. We first saw these movies together in the theatre. Excited that John Wick 4 is coming out in late March 2023, and I plan on bringing my Dad to the movie.

I agree, they should NOT have killed John Wick’s dog!! Proud Dog Mom here. “OMG!” I shouted out loud in the theatre. “No, they didn’t!” They did. As sad as that scenario was, it sets the tone, and the viewer up for a fun ride.

My Dad is not a big reader, but he may read this book. He’ll like the casual, uncensored, back and forth commentary between best selling authors Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, along with the feedback from various directors and actors who provide their behind the scenes stories. Keanu Reeves, who plays the anti-hero character John Wick, is one of the many contributors to this book.

Is this a good book? That depends. I think it would make a good Podcast for some fans. Overall, I love action movies (the first three Indiana Jones movies are my absolute favourite!). I like the John Wick movies. Keanu Reeves is not my favourite actor, but he does a great job embodying the John Wick character. I like that Keanu Reeves is a Canadian. I’ve never met him, but he comes across as kind, cool, and collected.

I didn’t really enjoy this book, but I think the idea of it works for hard core fans. I recommend They Shouldn't Have Killed His Dog to John Wick fans, Gun-Fu aficionados, pop culture followers in general, and of course those who enjoy the action movie genre.

#TheyShouldntHaveKilledHisDog #JohnWick #goodreads #goodreadschallenge2023 #StMartinsPress #MarkAAltman #EdGross #KeanuReeves

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE KILLED HIS DOG is one of the funniest and most accurate book titles of all time. If you've seen the first John Wick, you agree with the statement: No, they should not have done that. Going in, I was expecting an oral history of John Wick. The character's face on the cover told me that much. I missed the part in the lengthy subtitle (as an author who writes lengthy subtitles, I pass no judgment) that mentioned a history of "gun fu," the sub-genre of action film Wick has been credited with popularizing--but not creating--in the 2010s.

Co-authors Edward Gross and Mark Altman devote THEY's first chapter to the history of action films and gun fu specifically. It's fascinating at roughly 70 pages, and that length is the book's strength and weakness. In this chapter, and occasionally in others, information is repeated (one quote was used twice almost back to back, and again, I pass no judgment; keeping track of so much information is difficult in nonfiction). And unlike the first two Wick movies, the action of the book drags a little. Seventy pages is a lot of words devoted to one subject, even one as rich and deserving as the history of action movies.

That aside, the rest of the book is absorbing and illuminating. I highlighted so many quotes that had I read a physical book instead of a Kindle copy, marker would have bled through nearly every page. The authors talked to everyone, from the screenwriter who envisioned John Wick as a 60-something retiree, to the series' co-directors, to Keanu Reeves and Halle Berry, and even to Charlize Theron, who starred in the Wick-inspired Atomic Blonde action flick.

Stunt coordinators, stunt doubles, film historians--the authors tapped experts from in and around action films to weigh in, and the resulting oral history makes THEY one of the most comprehensive I've ever read.

[Collin Henderson]

An often fun read. You get quite a lot of insight on behind the scenes elements of the films, and that was of course the stuff I enjoyed most. Between reading books like this and If Chins Could Kill by Bruce campbell, horror and action really do stand out as being genres that reward creativity and using every trick in the book to form a great example of the genre. Part of the fun of the John wick movies is how clearly passionate just about everyone involved is. That and they’re just dope action movies.

This book does suffer in other ways though. The way that quotes are organized often feels jarring, with topics changing sometimes multiple times a page. Other times the quote doesn’t really contribute much; one recurring commenter is just a guy that writes for a movie magazine, and the only purpose he seems to serve is to remind the reader of things that happened in the movie and/ or to complain about how violent the movies are. I’ve gotta be real, I don’t really know why certain people are a part of this book, but thankfully the majority of the people quoted were involved with the topics at hand.

Reading other reviews, it’s clear that this isn’t an amazing example of an oral history book; I haven’t read many examples so I can’t comment on that, but it’s still an enjoyable read if you like the movies. If nothing else, it may turn you into a bunch of amazing sounding Asian action movies you haven’t heard of before (I really, REALLY need to watch more John Woo).

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOTE: I am a librarian and I received an ARC of this book in MOBI format from NetGalley.

This book is a fun must-read for any and all "John Wick" and Keanu Reeves fans, of which I am one. Learning about the origins, making of, and reception of the film franchise was an absolute joy ride. Gross & Altman offer an inside look into the contemporary film industry, providing a historical overview of the action and martial arts genres that would interest any film historian. The interviews contained in each chapter are extensive and include commentary from director Chad Stahelski and even some remarks from Keanu Reeves himself.. There are fun facts sprinkled throughout--Without giving away any spoilers, I was tickled to learn who the actors who played John Wick's tailor and the violin-playing assassin are in real life. Though the book reads like the transcript of a documentary at times, its first-hand accounts of the franchise's history illustrate how its existence, like that of many films, is a near-miracle. Fans of "The Internet's Boyfriend" will be thrilled with his colleague's depictions of his work ethic. A chapter on "John Wick's" influence on the film industry piqued my interest in "Atomic Blonde." I look forward to exploring more film history in Gross & Altman's other books, and of course seeing the next "John Wick" installment once it is released.

[Eduardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh hey, two guys wrote a book about the making of “John Wick.”

This book is basically a documentary, and I can’t help but wonder if maybe this would have been better as a documentary. It reads like the script for one–each chapter contains quotations from different people involved in the subject matter (mostly the “John Wick” movies), and I think it’s something you expect more on the screen.

Whatever. It’s still very good.

If you were curious how something like “John Wick” gets put together, this book is for you. Not only does this book take quotes from crew and cast to discuss how “John Wick” and the first two sequels were created, but it also goes into the history of action movies, all the way from “The Great Train Robbery” through gamechangers like “Die Hard” and “Lethal Weapon.”

And where do things go from there? Not just in terms of more “John Wick” movies, but in action movies in general. With films like “Atomic Blonde,” “Nobody,” and “Gunpowder Milkshake,” the influence of “John Wick” is so in your face, so it’s obvious that SOMETHING has changed. And is that a good thing?

If you like “John Wick” or action movies, or the history of film in general, you should pick up this book.

[Michael Huntone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of great fun background to the creation and production of the John Wick films! My only issue is that it could use some extensive editing. The first third is all about the history of action movies, and it is an important foundation, but it gets repetitive- it could have been trimmed for effectiveness. Similarly at times the comments included get repetitive- I know this is an “oral history” but the authors could have helped their contributors by paring them down to make their comments more powerful. Finally there is a LOT of discussion of Atomic Blonde, so much so that it feels like half the purpose of this book is the sell that movie. There is an ENTIRE CHAPTER about Atomic Blonde- and it absolutely is not connected to the overall narrative except for the barest of connections- the director was one of the directors for the first John Wick. So overall fun and interesting, but this could be 100 pages shorter. If you’re a big John Wick fan like I am definitely check it out- just feel free to bounce around. It’s not really a cover to cover book.