'John Wick: Chapter 4' Is Action Movie Excellence
John Wick: Chapter 4 takes the franchise to a new level.
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in John Wick: Chapter 4. Photo Credit: Murray Close/Lionsgate
How many movies can we make about Keanu Reeves being a strong action lead and shooting people? More than you’d think. John Wick: Chapter 4 easily makes itself a standout of the four-film franchise and takes the genre to a new level while cementing director Chad Stahelski as one of the best action directors of our time. The film picks up where Chapter 3 left off, with John Wick (Keanu Reeves) on the run from the High Table, aiming to find an escape from the life he currently lives. We waste no time jumping into the story, being introduced to the Marquis de Gramont (the always great Bill Skarsgård) as he begins his quest of tracking down Wick, no matter where on the globe it takes him. The first act is spent building up the supporting cast (new and old actors), primarily composed of assassin Caine (Donnie Yen), Nobody (Shamier Anderson), and Ian McShane’s Winston, returning for his fourth outing, before jumping into pure adrenaline-filled non-stop action for the rest of the near three-hour runtime.
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in John Wick: Chapter 4. Photo Credit: Murray Close/Lionsgate
The creatives behind the John Wick franchise are tasked with the difficulty of constantly needing to elevate their action sequences and evolve upon their previous work, a task which they knock out of the park. The action feels fresh and inventive, beautifully in sync with the outstanding production design and cinematography. It’s difficult to fully discuss the beauty of these sequences without delving into spoiler territory, but there’s one scene where, when you watch it, you’ll understand what I mean, and when they do it again moments later, it works just as well. This wouldn’t be possible without the phenomenal stunt choreography, which is evidently crafted around the weapons being used in their respective sequences, making sure that the way the camera and performers operate when using blades is different than when they’re using firearms. It’s safe to say that if the 96th Academy Awards contain a “Best Stunts” category, we may have already found our winner.
It’s safe to say that movies like John Wick don’t need to rely on strong performances to get the job done but will use them as a bonus. That’s something we see here, with the ever-likable Keanu Reeves being an easy-to-root-for protagonist. For as much as the action excels, the comedic beats land surprisingly well, as the film is able to stop taking itself quite as seriously, enough to not only get the crowd invested in the story but to lighten the (dark) tone of the third act. The (slightly under three hours) runtime does lose its brisk pacing in the second act but makes up for it with an electric third act and finale. This is mostly due to the fact that, because of the marketing and trailers, we know what the final conflict will be, lowering the stakes until we get to that point.
(L-R) Keanu Reeves as John Wick, Donnie Yen as Caine, and Scott Adkins as Killa in John Wick: Chapter 4. Photo Credit: Murray Close/Lionsgate
Simply put, John Wick: Chapter 4 is a masterclass of action filmmaking and may worry every director in the genre that isn’t Chad Stahelski. While the film doesn’t contain the strongest narrative, it’s truly hard to look away from the screen and not sit in awe of what is playing in front of you. Wick 4 is a spectacle with over-the-top action, ambitious storytelling, and breathtaking visuals. The film is by far the franchise’s best. That’s not to say that it’s unflawed, with the runtime feeling slightly excessive, but is that really a bad thing in this case? Clearly, John Wick: Chapter 4 earns its length and truly deserves the spectacular form it takes.
John Wick: Chapter 4 hits theaters on March 24, 2023.
