John Wick: Chapter 4

Half of this review will be me gushing about the action. Wow. Just wow. I was in complete awe. There were multiple times I was both tearing up and laughing at how unbelievably amazing the fight scenes are. Now this is nothing new for the John Wick series. But for me, this is far and away the best action of the entire series.

I'm an action junkie and am repeatedly disappointed with action movies and their terrible fight scenes, filled with shaky cam, quick cuts and close-up shots (looking at you Snake Eyes and Mortal Kombat). Then I watch a John Wick movie and feel so spoiled, while also being baffled at why other action movies can't learn from this. The fights are so fast-paced yet completely clear and easy to follow.

There is every kind of fighting imaginable. So many weapons, styles, chases, vehicles, animals, everything. So much creativity with the kills. Amazing combinations of weaponry and fighting styles (pistol/sword combo is my fave).

The music is awesome as usual, maybe even a step up. It enhances every action scene. The cinematography is pristine. So many beautiful shots, so many mesmerizing locations for the action. It is stylistically beautiful.

There are a couple of scenes that are shot in such a creative way that I've never seen before. One is an overhead shot one-take that I couldn't believe. It takes the movie to a new level. So many scenes feel like they're a video game brought to life. Numerous times it feels like the VR game Pistol Whip.

Donnie Yen is awesome. End of paragraph.

About an hour into this nearly 3-hour movie, I felt like I experienced enough action amazingness for an entire movie. I was in a state of ecstasy. Not only was this looking like the best of the series, I started wondering if this would be a landmark action flick. Maybe it's my own fault for setting expectations so high mid-movie, but the second half is more flawed, though still awesome.

The subplot with the tracker doesn't seem at all consequential. And his dog attacks were already done, and better, with Halle Berry in Parabellum. A few of the issues I had with Parabellum pop up again, like overdoing it sometimes with the damage he takes. For example, instead of getting hit by one car, he gets hit by three cars. And that's a mild example. Also, it's fairly anticlimactic.

Even with those flaws, I had a BLAST with this movie and will definitely see it at least once more in theaters. Seeing it on a premium screen is a must. Loudest speakers, biggest screen. TRUST ME.

EDIT: I was itching to go again since opening night. I wasn't able to wait more than 5 days. On second viewing, I still felt the same flaws, but I didn't care. The action is incredible. It has at least four* of my all-time favorite action scenes. I want to watch these scenes a hundred times.

It's definitely not perfect, but I still consider it an action landmark (last time I said that was Mad Max: Fury Road). Every other action movie should learn from this. Updating rating from 8 to 9 stars.

(5 viewings, opening Thursday UltraScreen 3/23/2023, UltraScreen 3/28/2023, SuperScreen 4/10/2023, re-issue IMAX 5/2/2023, 9/22/2023)

Most American action flicks released these days have poor screenplays and overuse computer-generated imagery. The John Wick franchise is one of the few exceptions, along with Mission Impossible. These franchises keep getting better with every entry. Hollywood can make action masterpieces, but Marvel has greater demand, so that's what we get most of. It's a shame.

The stunts and choreography are beyond impressive. Every artist involved does their job to perfection. Donnie Yen's performance is unbelievable. Not only does he fight great, but he also has to move like a blind man. Keanu Reeves is also very impressive. Keanu IS John Wick. Although there are a few scenes where his enemies stand by and wait for their turn to attack, it's easy to overlook because everything else is so great.

I can't fathom how anyone could choose to watch Ant-Man over John Wick. It's so fast-paced, and the choreography and stunts are mesmerizing and brutal. When the action breaks out, it's unbelievable. It's hard to explain -- you have to see it! Why watch a computer-generated "superhero" fly around when you can witness Reeves and Yen engage in a genuine and thrilling fight?

I'm gonna have to rewatch this one another day. But I found myself beginning to doze off repeatedly like an hour 1/2 into the movie. I can't quite put my finger on it. The villain was definitely boring, the story line and dialogues seemed a bit stretched out. The fight scenes and overall feel of them didn't quite do it for me like the first 3 movies did. I think there's gonna be mixed reviews on this one. I felt there were several plot holes. And I'm in limbo about how I feel about the ending. It seemed fitting but then also didn't...? Lol. Idk man I just think some lazy writing went into play on this one.

That lasted 169 minutes? I had no idea. The time just flew right by.

Chad Stahelski does not pull any punches (or engage the safety) at any time in this gun-fu epic. Combat scenes are not moments so much as they are entire acts. The amount of stunt choreography that everybody had to synchronize to was rather incredible, and they continue to find more ways to entertain us with kills, kill types, use of weapons, locations, teamwork, etc. I caught myself smiling for minutes on end several times while watching it.

Of course though, as I said, they really lean into it. I'm sure this has been true of previous films as well, but it is very apparent that John Wick should virtually die in every scene that he is in. Whether it is how he is attacked or how they fail to attack him at the right times, he goes at every foe like the bear in The Revenant with full adrenaline and no signs of slowing down no matter what he is hit by. And again, I think if you look hard enough you will find enemies who have clear shots and choose not to take them because of plot armor, but you can forgive it enough if you're rewarded with a longer take or overall longer action sequence. What I really loved was how many of these scenes took place at night with dazzlingly lit environments all around, and the music in every scene kicks as much *** as what you see on screen. I had pondered over why John Wick doesn't have a video game yet, but if they ever make one I have decided I'd like one of those top-down shooter games (similar to The Hong Kong Massacre, and if not maybe like the GTA:SA MP rampage style).

I acknowledge this franchise for what it is now, but I still pine for some of the missing components that I don't know if it'll ever be able to bring back. After watching John Wick, fun as it was, I found myself interested in seeing a prequel when he was the Baba Yaga in his prime, taking missions rather than being hunted. Even still, at least in that movie he was absolutely feared. In Chapter 2, I still found him heavily respected, but it was in that movie that I realized there would probably be a repetitive formula to the narrative and movie/action structure (which still has yet to break). In Chapter 3, there only lived assassins and they would go after him without hesitation, which did is not how I felt the world breathed the first time around. They continue down this path in Chapter 4, while opening the universe more to different characters breeding their own kind of loyalty. They are all insanely fun to watch, and you see the cogwheels of the John Wick universe spinning with the future Continental television show and the Ballerina movie spinoff. Where they remain faulty though is even with the existence of civilians during fight scenes, they act as droning NPC's like nothing is happening around them, or they aren't there whatsoever. It is clear that this is not our world that this movie takes place in, but rather a parallel one.

I mentioned the introduction of new characters in this world, and you can't not bring up Donnie Yen when talking about them. He steals each and every scene that he is in, and it's crazy because you wonder how a character like his could thrive in such a world but you absolutely believe it when you watch it. I will absolutely take more of him and Rina Sawayama. She isn't featured as much, but she makes use of every second that she is in front of the camera. There are plenty of others (such as the great Hiroyuki Sanada), but the point remains that Wick is relegated to this greater universe with characters who-good, bad, or for themselves-are ones we can actually root for in any fight. Keanu Reeves is understandably less nimble at his age than the others (and it's either bad acting or he really has taken on this John Wick role in his line delivery to hilarious new heights), but he and Stahelski have found a groove that still makes him the most impenetrable force around, to the point that I go back and watch the action scenes in The Matrix Resurrections and wonder what happened there. I didn't love one particular character in their big fighting moment(s), but they go for versatility and I have to give them that much.

March has had an incredible run of theatrical films, and John Wick: Chapter 4 is no different. You will lean forward during the action which there is plenty, and if I'm one to go off of you will not feel the runtime. There is an end credits scene as well if you're able to stay for a moment longer. I would love to go back and see this one again.

I've enjoyed the entire Wick collection but this was my least favorite' The fight scenes were just way too long and usually followed immediately with another way too long fight scene. This movie felt like one long fight scene with a little dialogue mixed in. I could have done with a lot more story dialogue and a lot less fighting. The other movies felt like the fight scenes were part of the story and this one feels like they did fight scenes just to do fight scenes.

It's kinda hard to put into words but watch it, and I recommend watching it, and you'll see what I mean. You might like it a lot more than I did.