Keanu Reeves’ Relentless Pursuit of Perfection in Siberia

There’s a certain breed of 1990s action films that can be rather hit or miss, but one performer stands out as a constant presence in the genre. I’ve made my way through nearly every title he led during that era, indulging in what can only be described as a not-so-secret fondness for the gloriously over-the-top. That actor, of course, is Keanu Reeves.

It all began with Speed, the adrenaline-fuelled thriller where he’s tasked with keeping a bus above 50mph to prevent disaster. The entire premise was delightfully implausible, from the endless near-misses to the infamous leap over a gaping section of Los Angeles motorway. Then came Point Break, which only heightened the sense of the absurd. Whether it was leaping from a plane without a parachute, picking up surfing in a matter of weeks, or spending every waking moment with Gary Busey, the film was a world away from reality—yet all the more captivating for it.

From Action Hero to Unlikely Craftsman

As Reeves delivered his lines with that trademark intensity, I often found myself wondering if there was anything he couldn’t pull off—or, more to the point, anything he could attempt that I wouldn’t be keen to watch. The turn of the millennium, however, brought a shift. Audiences began to crave a touch more realism in their cinema, and Reeves’ place among the greats seemed less assured. A string of forgettable romantic comedies and family-friendly adventures followed, and my once-guilty pleasure started to wane. Not even the relentless vengeance of the John Wick series could quite recapture the old magic. It was clear that times had changed.

Then, in 2018, Reeves appeared in Siberia. The film follows his character, a black market diamond dealer, as he journeys into the Siberian wilderness in search of a missing associate, only to find himself embroiled in danger and romance. At last, here was a project that seemed to tick all the right boxes for a classic Reeves vehicle. Yet, rather than the usual high-octane stunts, it was a single, understated moment that director Matthew Ross highlighted as the film’s true centrepiece.

Dedication Behind the Scenes

“There’s a scene where he has to pick up a diamond with a set of tweezers,” Ross said. “He holds it up to his eye and looks at it. Now, I would challenge anyone to do that properly after a month. It’s one of these deceptively, unbelievably difficult things to do. Keanu spent weeks practising.”

“He just wanted to get it right,” Ross added. “I wanted somebody who works in the diamond business to see him pick up the diamond and feel it’s right. Keanu was like, ‘Yeah, 100%.’ I didn’t even have to tell him that. People spend years perfecting that craft. Keanu had to figure it out in three weeks, but he doesn’t take shortcuts.”

Unwavering Commitment to Authenticity

So, once again, I find myself asking: is there anything this man can’t do? Or, perhaps more importantly, is there anything he could attempt that I wouldn’t be eager to see? The answer, it seems, remains a resounding no.