In 2015, Keanu Reeves’ profession was on a giant upswing. There had been a time period within the 2000s when his profession had sputtered a bit with a sequence of underwhelming movies. The general public’s love for Reeves hadn’t ceased in any respect, however his star energy on the decline. Then got here John Wick in 2014, a movie that in the first place a case of one other getting older star in a shoot ’em up motion film, however turned out to be a lot extra. It was a problem for Reeves, however maybe his final problem would come the next 12 months along with his subsequent movie co-starring fellow soon-to-be John Wick universe actress Ana de Armas — Knock Knock.
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Keanu Reeves is probably the most liked film star within the nation. It is laborious to argue towards such an announcement. Not solely, at 58-years-old, is the unaging actor having fun with his biggest success, because of the favored John Wick movies, however he is steadily within the information for his kindhearted acts, which solely furthers to endear him to followers. He is the epitome of the cool, good man, along with his Hollywood standing not having gone to his head.
Then there’s Ana de Armas, an actress who has change into one of many largest stars on the planet because of a string of hits from a lead position in Knives Out, a small however unforgettable look once more with Daniel Craig in No Time to Die, and an Academy Award nomination worthy efficiency in Blonde. Her upward trajectory seems to proceed because the lead in Ballerina, a movie set within the John Wick universe. DeArmas hasn’t been in a John Wick movie earlier than, however the character she’s going to play has. In John Wick 3: Chapter 3 – Parbellum, the Ballerina was performed by Unity Phelan in a small position as a killer named Rooney. Ballerina will put Keanu Reeves and Ana de Armas collectively, however, as talked about above, it will not be the primary time that the 2 stars have labored on a movie with one another.
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‘Knock Knock’ Challenged Each Keanu Reeves & Ana de Armas
Picture by way of Lionsgate
Whereas Keanu Reeves was one of many largest names on the planet in 2015, Ana de Armas was not. It could be two extra years earlier than she actually broke out in Blade Runner 2049, however right here she landed her first important mainstream position. Collectively, they’d group as much as work with horror director Eli Roth, who was identified for Cabin Fever, the Hostel movies, and The Inexperienced Inferno. Although Knock Knock can be extra thriller than straight-up horror, it was nonetheless a style Reeves and de Armas did not have a lot expertise in. Reeves had been in horror adjoining fare like Constantine and The Day the Earth Stood Nonetheless, however movie followers nonetheless checked out him because the hero because of characters like Ted Logan from the Invoice & Ted movies, Neo from The Matrix, and John Wick.
Keanu Reeves Gave Us a Completely different Form of Character in ‘Knock Knock’
Picture by way of Lionsgate
In Knock Knock, Reeves nonetheless performed the hero, however one who wasn’t so morally good. The premise of the movie is efficient in its simpleness. A remake of the 1978 movie Dying Recreation, Roth not solely directed however wrote this new adaptation, which sees Reeves play a person named Evan Webber. Webber is a profitable architect dwelling in a slightly massive home with giant home windows looking onto his equally spectacular yard. He is additionally a married man with two children. His household has a visit deliberate, however an damage means he cannot go, so he stays dwelling alone. That evening, there’s a knock on the door. Webber solutions to seek out two lovely younger girls, Bell (de Armas) and Genesis (Lorenza Izzo) standing there within the rain. They’re misplaced, and being the good man {that a} Keanu Reeves character can be, he invitations them in to allow them to get out of the climate and even orders an Uber for them. Then comes the inciting act. Bell and Genesis do not need to depart. They flirt with Evan, and he even finds them bare collectively. He is uncomfortable, and as they arrive on to him, we look ahead to him to inform them no, to kick them out. That is what Ted Logan, Neo, and John Wick would do. However not Evan Webber. He provides in to temptation and has intercourse with them, thus dishonest on his spouse.
It is an attention-grabbing character for Reeves to play. He was so accustomed to being the hero, whether or not or not it’s motion or comedy, that to see him be a person who would cheat on his spouse makes us really feel icky. That is the purpose. Roth may have chosen any actor and had them do the identical factor, and we might purchase it as a result of, nicely, sadly, so many males cheat. However not Keanu, we are saying. Keanu would by no means do this! So now Roth is asking the query, how do you take a look at a hero who has performed unsuitable?
It is not as if Reeves hadn’t performed the villain earlier than. He was a killer in each 2000s The Present and The Watcher. These motion pictures, nevertheless, got here out lengthy earlier than he grew to become an actor idolized on the extent of Betty White. Are you able to think about Keanu Reeves taking part in an evil serial killer now? It is in all probability not one thing audiences would really feel comfy with. Knock Knock places him in an intereresting in between spot. Evan will not be evil, however he is no saint both.
Ana de Armas Shocked These Who Did not Know Who She Was in ‘Knock Knock’
There’s already sufficient of a narrative right here, however then issues actually go off the rails when Bell and Genesis refuse to depart the following day and even tear up Evan’s dwelling. He begs them to depart, and eventually will get them to let him take them dwelling, however the nightmare is not over. The 2 return, breaking in, and assault Evan, leaving him unconscious. In a creepy scene that turns the desk on conventions, de Armas’ character rapes Evan. De Armas has by no means been shy about displaying off her physique or sexuality in her movies, from her earliest roles earlier than Knock Knock, to movies like Blade Runner 2049 and Blonde. Within the latter two examples, De Armas is a protagonist, whether or not because the very actual and troubled Marilyn Monroe, or the not so actual however loving laptop program Joi. Right here, nevertheless, she makes use of her seems for villainous means, betraying the harmless good lady picture that acquired her inside Evan’s home to start with.
All through the movie, Bell and Genesis threaten to inform Evan’s spouse about what they did. They lie about being beneath 18 in an effort to scare him additional. When a buddy arrives on the home and dies, the women make it seem like Evan was accountable. They beat Evan, inform him that they’ve killed different males, and within the morning, earlier than they depart, take Evan outdoors and bury him as much as his neck. They then add a video of them collectively to the web, laughing at what they’ve performed, admitting that it was all a sport and that they meant no true bodily hurt to him. They’ve created their very own horror, however extra horror is but to return when Evan’s spouse will get dwelling.
Whereas Knock Knock did not the set the world on hearth, with many deciding that it did not go far sufficient as a house invasion flick, it did go far sufficient for Keanu Reeves and Ana de Armas. It confirmed audiences that their hero may nonetheless shock us along with his character selections. It confirmed audiences who Ana de Armas was, letting her run the gamut between lady subsequent door to utterly nuts.
Ballerina is certain to be a loopy good time, full of a great deal of motion and violence. Nonetheless, it doesn’t matter what Keanu Reeves and Ana de Armas do in that movie, nothing will match the extreme, over-the-top madness of Knock Knock.