‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ is an Unrelenting & Brutal Action Masterpiece – Spoiler Free Review
John Wick: Chapter 4 is everything you want from a Wickverse movie and more – it is the best of them.
I won’t get into Chapter 4‘s story too much because it’s easy to spoil. It takes John on a whirlwind journey across the globe, making a pit stop in New York before moving to the Continental Osaka, Berlin, and finally, Paris. Every stop has him fighting for his life. The one thing I can say is that the story has great pacing for something so long. Pauses for dramatic storytelling are well placed between action scenes so the audience can catch their breath and invest in the characters. It doesn’t have the best dialog, but that’s not why we see these movies.
I’m happy to say that it feels well-balanced and uses its 2:49 run time wisely.
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We’re Here for the Action
The John Wick franchise is a celebration of stunt performance, fight choreography, and all of the people behind the scenes of action movies. This installment is no different. They push the limits of every fight. Just when you think it’s done, that you’ve seen the most badass move, the most gruesome fatality – it just keeps going. The action never gets boring, thanks to the creative use of location, light, camera placement, weapons, and tactics. It’s glorious and, dare I say, beautiful at times.
There are memorable kills you’ll be talking about for days. And, of course, there are new toys, from firearms to nunchucks to household items. There’s a weapon that had to have been chosen by someone that always wanted to make a vampire movie but, for some reason, hasn’t. You’ll recognize it when you see it.
Donnie Yen is f’ing amazing. Flat out. He’s a joy to watch in this role; he clearly had a blast. Reeves is solid, as always. He does some classic John Wick moves throughout the movie – like that reload in Chapter 2 – that will stand out to long-time fans. It’s mind-blowing that Yen was 57 and Reeves was 56 when this was shot. They look like a pair of 30-year-olds.
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The rest of the cast feels like set dressing to the two of them. Bill Skarsgard is a perfect aristocratic villain that’s just the right mix of creepy, arrogant, and cowardly. His wardrobe is impeccable – especially the ties. Other newcomer standouts are Rina Sawayama (known for her music but kicks major ass in her scenes), Shamier Anderson and his canine companion, and Scott Adkins as a German kingpin. There are some faces in the crowd of memorable henchmen.
Everyone puts in their all – no actor is wasted. They’re just not in the spotlight.
via Lionsgate
The Not So Great – Minor Spoilers
If you’re hoping for a deeper look at the universe’s lore, it’s not there. A significant plotline does focus on new rules and traditions that involve the High Table. We also get a look at the broader world of assassins in Japan, Berlin, and Paris. There’s no deeper history, though. It’s still mainly surface and what serves John’s mission. Maybe we’ll get more world-building in the spin-offs.
With the amount of hype about Reeves having to pick up new driving skills for this, the amount of time he spends in a car is disappointing. The car stunts in the first movie are more satisfying than the ones here. This isn’t to say it’s not impressive; I just expected more with a movie this long and how important cars have been.
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John gets up from things ordinary people wouldn’t; that’s part of his character. His quest for revenge doesn’t allow him to stop. The previous movies show him with battle damage after fights. It’s not gruesome or totally realistic, but it’s there. Chapter 4 does away with that, and it’s ridiculous in certain instances. I’m unsure if Stahelski gave John otherwordly Baba Yaga powers this time or if he was aiming to parody tropes in action movies. It might also be a rating thing. Whatever the reason, the choice sticks out.
End Minor Spoilers
via Lionsgate
Should You See John Wick: Chapter 4?
Yes. If you enjoy the franchise, this is everything you want it to be and more. I came out with only the three nitpicks above – it’s an absolutely killer action movie that needs to be seen in a theater. If you have the option for IMAX or a theater with a high-definition projection like Laser or Dolby, the upgrade is worth it.
John Wick: Chapter 4 arrives in theaters on Friday, March 24th.
