What do you get when you cross one of the world’s biggest tech companies with Keanu Reeves? A movie that reviewers really, really don’t like.
A black comedy-drama about a washed-up actor named Reef (Reeves) whose life is turned upside down when he’s blackmailed over a questionable video leak, Outcome is a new Apple TV movie that critics have roasted. Indeed, despite its evident star power, as I’m writing this article on its launch day (April 10), it holds a 27% approval rating from 26 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Not exactly the outcome that Reeves or the tech giant had in mind, I imagine.
Thankfully, Reeves’ back catalog is filled with other movies that are actually unmissable. Below, I’ve picked four of his works that are available on one or more of the best streaming services and are highly rated by fans and critics.
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Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Where to stream: MGM+, Fubo, the Roku Channel, and YouTube (US), StudioCanal (UK), and Stan (Australia)
Widely considered to be Reeves’ breakout role in Hollywood, this 1989 sci-fi stoner comedy sees the fan-favorite Canadian actor unite with long-time collaborator Alex Winter for a totally rad adventure.
In it, the titular metalhead slackers travel through time to persuade notable historical figures to feature in their high-school presentation. Long story short: teenage hijinks ensue across the length and breadth of human history.
With 83% critic and 75% audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes (RT), Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure is a riotously, well, excellent ride from start to finish, and its eponymous characters are played to perfection by its leads.
Speed
Where to stream: Hulu (US) and Disney+ (UK and Australia)
Eleven movies separate the above suggestion and this one in Reeves’ film library, including the sequel to the aforementioned flick, Point Break, and Much Ado About Nothing. But it’s his role as heroic Los Angeles police officer Jack Traven, though, that books this highly rewatchable action-thriller a spot on this list.
For those who somehow haven’t seen this masterpiece (no, I’m not using that word liberally, shut up): Speed tells the story of a passenger bus rigged with explosives that’ll go off — and kill everyone on board — if its speed falls below 50 miles per hour.
Sure, that sounds incredibly simplistic and, to some, probably quite boring. However, with its over-the-top 90s set-pieces, great performances from Reeves and co-star Sandra Bullock, and Dennis Hopper’s villainous Howard Payne chewing the scenery in every scene he’s in, I dare you not to walk away from Speed with a giant smile on your face. Not convinced? Maybe its 95% critic and 77% audience RT ratings will change your mind.
The Matrix
Where to stream: HBO Max (US and UK), and HBO Max and Stan (Australia)
A dystopian sci-fi epic that needs no introduction. If you didn’t watch any of Reeves’ previous 26 movie outings, you certainly saw this genre-bending, ground-breaking flick.
The Wachowskis’ seminal work sees Reeves play Thomas Anderson, a disenfranchised computer programmer whose worldview (and ours alike) is completely changed when he learns that humanity is trapped in the Matrix, a simulated reality created by intelligent machines. Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Ann Moss, and Hugo Weaving are among its incredibly talented cast.
A film renowned for popularizing the visual effect known as ‘bullet-time’, The Matrix continues to exert its influence on the sci-fi genre, pop culture, and wider entertainment business to this day. The fact that it’s been parodied by everyone from The Simpsons to Shrek goes to show how universally known and adored it is, too.
John Wick
Where to stream: HBO Max (US and UK), and HBO Max and Stan (Australia)
The R-rated action film franchise that coined the phrase ‘gun-fu’ and introduced a whole new audience to Reeves, John Wick was an unexpected hit upon its release in 2014.
Like Speed, its premise doesn’t initially lend itself to generating excitement among cinephiles. Indeed, the tale of a former hitman seeking revenge on the men who stole his prized car and killed the dog gifted to him by his late wife didn’t sound all that appealing or original.
With its beloved lead actor firing on all cylinders, spectacular and violent action sequences, and heart-tugging narrative, though, John Wick is an underdog story for the ages. The fact that it’s gone on to spawn a franchise dripping in mythology and, spin-offs Ballerina and The Continental aside, has gotten better with each entry — and been more profitable than the last — is a testament to how unbelievably good it is. For more on the movie series’ various release projects, read my John Wick movies in order guide.
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tom.power@futurenet.com (Tom Power)
