They Shouldn’t Have Killed His Dog by Edward Gross and 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 Dog: 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. 

MY REVIEW: 2 Stars 

I love John Wick to death, but unfortunately the book didn’t work for me. I thought it was going to be something totally different. I wanted a book chock full of John, but there were other movies and people and tidbits. I did enjoy the parts about Atomic Blonde. 

I’m sure plenty of people will enjoy the book, I was just personally looking for something more. 

*Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book.