While widely known for his roles in The Matrix and John Wick franchises, Keanu Reeves has starred in numerous worthy but often underrated movies that can slip under the radar. From bizarre animated films to supernatural thrillers to atypical superhero flicks — Reeves’ performance shines in the most unexpected ways in these 5 hidden gems.
Keanu Reeves has become somewhat of a phenomenon, not unlike Nicolas Cage, dividing the viewers between raging fans and facepalming skeptics. While some are taken by his awkward charm and disarming honesty, others criticize the lack of diversity in his roles and even doubt his acting talent altogether. These 5 movies offer a counterargument to the latter camp and show that Reeves can be much more than a revenge-driven assassin or a bullet-stopping Chosen One.
Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
Four years before The Matrix forever changed the sci-fi landscape and established Reeves as a prominent action star, there was Johnny Mnemonic. This cyberpunk action thriller and Robert Longo’s only theatrical release to date is set in dystopian 2021 (where megacorporations have taken over the world and a degenerative effect caused by the internet plagues humanity) and follows Johnny, a courier who transports data across borders in his cybernetically-enhanced brain. He picks up a dicey job of carrying more data than he can physically hold that doesn’t only put him in the crosshairs of a dangerous Yakuza gang and an evil corporation but also threatens to overload his brain.
Johnny Mnemonic might not have The Matrix’s scale, but it more than makes up in the wild, unfiltered fun and Reeves’ endearing and full-hearted commitment to the role. While the movie flopped at the box office, it gained a cult following over the years. Funnily enough, the distant cyberpunk legacy of this outlandish and underappreciated ‘90s gem can even be seen in Cyberpunk 2077, starring Reeves as Johnny Silverhand.
A Scanner Darkly (2006)
Richard Linklater’s mind-bending animated sci-fi thriller, based on Philip K. Dick’s eponymous novel, shows a dystopian future where the US government developed an invasive, high-tech surveillance system in response to the raging epidemic of a hallucinogenic drug, known as Substance D. Reeves plays Bob Arctor, an undercover cop, who is sent to infiltrate the criminal underworld and the drug supply chain but gets addicted to the substance in the process. The movie was made using the rotoscope technique that “paints” over the original live footage, which creates a distinctive animated look. This cleverly imitates the substance’s psychedelic effect and craftily puts the audience in the character’s headspace.
Aside from Reeves, who does a great job displaying Arctor slowly but inevitably losing grip on reality, A Scanner Darkly features stellar performances from Robert Downey Jr., Winona Ryder, and Woody Harrelson. This bizarre and hypnotic Keanu Reeves’ movie well deserves a watch.
The Gift (2000)
The dark and supernaturally-infused The Gift is not a typical Sam Raimi film. It doesn’t have gory fun of the Evil Dead franchise, lighthearted humor and action of the Spider-Man trilogy, or even the horror jump scares of his produced Don’t Breathe or The Grudge. Instead, this film offers a tense, psychological, and slow-paced experience that might not be everyone’s cup of tea but shouldn’t be dismissed nonetheless.
The story follows a psychic, Annie (Cate Blanchett), who’s helping the police find the missing Jessica King (Katie Holmes) using her abilities and, as a result, discovers the truth about other inhabitants of her small town. Reeves, who usually brings his natural charm and likability to his characters and is widely known to be an all-around nice guy off-camera, plays Donnie Barksdale, a redneck, abusive husband, and an obvious suspect in Jessica’s revealed murder. Of course, nothing is as it seems in Raimi’s film, and Reeves’ uncharacteristic performance only amplifies the impact and increases the feeling of the growing unease.
Constantine (2005)
Reeves’ performance as a chain-smoking, cynical, and sharp-tongued exorcist and a mystic detective gained a cult following over the years, despite being criticized for deviating from the original Hellblazer comics. He perfectly delivered the image of a dark, tortured, and condemned Constantine on a mission to protect a psychic, Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz), who investigates her sister’s apparent suicide, and saves the world from demons and angels alike.
Reeves might not present a canonical Constantine, unlike the spot-on Matt Ryan in the NBC series, but he did an excellent job popularizing the character for a wider audience and gained a fiercely loyal fanbase. The movie’s director, Francis Lawrence, has admitted that he, Reeves, and producer Akiva Goldman had privately discussed the idea of a hard-R, darker sequel. Although nothing has been set in stone yet, many fans can’t wait for Reeves to reprise the role of the tormented exorcist.
The Devil’s Advocate (1997)
Taylor Hackford’s legal drama — or, perhaps, a supernatural courtroom thriller? — has gained cult status, mostly due to the bizarre combination of genre elements, plot twists, and outstanding performance of Al Pacino. Reeves plays Kevin Lomax, a ruthless and ambitious young Florida attorney, who is recruited by a prominent New York law firm and moves to the big city with all its temptations. When his wife (Charlize Theron) starts having frightening, mystical experiences, Lomax begins to suspect that his boss and mentor, John Milton (Pacino) — the name that hints at the story’s link to Paradise Lost — is a more literal incarnation of evil than he thought. Reeves excellently portrays the growing sense of horror and unease as Lomax begins to uncover the truth, holding his own against the grand and remarkable Pacino, which is no easy feat.
The Devil’s Advocate is a nerve-chilling, stylishly seductive, and tongue-in-cheek film, with a stellar cast and deliciously over-the-top performance by Pacino, and is a must-see for Reeves’ and clever horror fans alike.