The movie Keanu Reeves wouldn’t make until it was rewritten: “We can do better”
Celebrated for being one of the most versatile actors over the last 50 years, Keanu Reeves has confirmed beyond a sliver of doubt that he can take on any role and play it with unmatched authenticity. But even his ability to be the ruthless and unforgiving John Wick in one film and transform into the charming Frank in Destination Wedding didn’t stop him from turning down the film that would have catapulted him into Hollywood’s leading man.
Reeves is known for thoroughly studying his characters before accepting a role, opting to do extensive research to understand the part to play, whether it be its psychology or delving into the physical demands. Being as true to the character as possible has always been the actor’s one goal—diving into a film without getting to know his role has never been an option for him.
For playing Jonathan Harker in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Reeves spent months studying Victorian literature and working on adopting speech patterns to match the film’s time period. His role as Neo saw him immersing in the role and understanding simulation theory, dipping into the philosophy that made the plot. He could have easily relied on a body double for his action scenes, but he chose to learn martial arts and wirework.
Imagine an actor like Reeves getting his hands on the script of the 1994 action thriller Speed, portraying his character of Jack Traven as “very flippant”, as the actor himself described in his chat with Entertainment Weekly. All he was were forced one-liners or, as he called it, “Die Hard mixed with some kind of screwball comedy”. Though he was yet to find a strong footing in Hollywood at this point, he still refused to do the film until his character—an LAPD Swat officer on the mission to stop a bomb from detonating on a city bus—got a well-done do-over.
“I said, ‘I’m not really interested in that. I think we can do better,’” Reeves shared. Since director Jan de Bont was sure he wanted Reeves to play the part, he looped in Joss Whedon to rework the script. Everything that dampened the character was snipped away—the gaudy one-liners, the moments where his comedy felt forced and unoriginal, and every archetypal action-hero trope. As quoted by Whedon on the 50 MPH podcast, it was Reeves who explained to him how “unfailingly polite” real Swat members are, even when they are on the field.
“I dealt with the LAPD before on Point Break, and the thing that came off is their concern for human life: ‘We get the bad guys, and we get to save the good guys,’” Reeves outlined, detailing his vision of his character and, of course, what would set the film apart from other action flicks of the era. “And with that basic tenet, I began with Jack.”
And Reeves was right. The audience instantly connected with Jack, particularly because he didn’t try to fit into the mould of every other action film out there. He didn’t indulge in brashness, flaunt unnecessary bravado, or rely on clichéd lines to become popular at a time when the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and Jean-Claude Van Damme were dominating the scene. Jack Traven was a hit because he didn’t try to be Douglas Quaid from Total Recall or John McClane from Die Hard.
