Keanu Reeves is one in every of Hollywood’s largest stars, however a lot of his work within the twenty first century has been as a part of two franchises: The Matrix and John Wick. After his breakout in The Matrix in 1999, he appeared in three extra movies in that franchise after 2000 after which took the function of John Wick for 5 films between 2014 and 2025. Nonetheless, this isn’t all that Reeves has been doing, though most of his different roles are overshadowed by his two massive franchises. Certainly one of these films that deserves a re-examination is the 2008 crime thriller Avenue Kings.
Avenue Kings hit theaters in 2008, and it gave Reeves an opportunity to work with one of many Marvel Cinematic Universe’s largest stars three years earlier than he joined the MCU, in a film directed by a future DC Prolonged Universe director, eight years earlier than he directed Suicide Squad.
Keanu Reeves Labored with Chris Evans in Avenue Kings
Keanu Reeves took on a task towards kind in David Ayer’s Avenue Kings in 2008. This film is against the law thriller about an undercover police detective who’s implicated within the homicide of one other officer, which then results in a path of corruption within the LAPD. Reeves performs Tom Ludlow, an alcoholic undercover detective within the LAPD Vice-Particular unit. He’s additionally somebody who will break the regulation to make issues proper. This included the opening of the film, the place he finds a gang’s hideout, kills all of them to rescue two teenage women, and phases the scene to appear to be self-defense.
When a captain in inner affairs named Biggs (Hugh Laurie) approaches Tom about potential corruption, Tom believes his former companion, Terrence Washington (Terry Crews), reported their actions. Washington finally ends up useless throughout a shootout with two gang members. Nonetheless, as a result of Tom unintentionally shot Washington as nicely throughout the shootout, he’s implicated within the homicide. This then results in each an investigation into the capturing and Tom’s dedication to search out the precise killers.
Avenue Kings relies on a narrative created by writer James Ellroy (L.A. Confidential) and a script that Ellroy wrote, with extra rewrites by Kurt Wimmer and Jamie Moss. This was Ayer’s second film as a director, following the crime thriller Harsh Instances (2005). The film featured a formidable solid that included names like Forest Whitaker, Chris Evans, Cedric the Entertainer, Jay Mohr, Naomie Harris, and Widespread.
The film ended up with combined to unfavorable opinions, sitting at 37% on Rotten Tomatoes, however the viewers rating of 58% confirmed it has its followers. The critics’ consensus on Rotten Tomatoes revealed that critics felt it was formulaic, however the script wasn’t good. Nonetheless, due to the stable appearing of individuals like Reeves and future MCU star Chris Evans, there’s a lot to love in regards to the movie as a complete.
Avenue Kings Was a Chris Evans Supporting Function Earlier than He Turned Captain America
Chris Evans was discovering his place in Hollywood when he took the function in Avenue Kings. He had began to make his identify in comedian guide films by this time, so Avenue Kings was a uncommon crime thriller function for the rising star. Evans hit it massive due to the 2005 Improbable 4 film, the place he performed the Human Torch, and he adopted it up with the FF sequel, the TMNT reboot in 2007, and a sci-fi film referred to as Sunshine in 2007. After a comedy and animated voice function in 2007, he appeared subsequent in Avenue Kings in a supporting function.
Evans performed Paul Diskant, an investigator who was assigned after Tom was punished for his function in Washington’s capturing. He labored with Paul and witnessed the brutality of Paul’s model of police work earlier than Paul ended up being killed as nicely in a gunfight, which led to Tom’s realization that crooked cops have been really responsible for Washington’s homicide. It was a small however necessary function within the film, and it confirmed Evans was prepared for a much bigger Hollywood future.
That occurred simply three years later. After taking over roles in three extra comedian guide films, Push (2009), The Losers (2010), and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), Evans began his MCU journey in Captain America: The First Avenger. That heroic function is now what Evans is finest recognized for, and he even returns to it in 2026 in Avengers: Doomsday. Nonetheless, earlier than he turned the world’s most iconic superhero, he starred in a small function as an ill-fated investigator in Avenue Kings with Keanu Reeves.