Easily the best of the ‘John Wick’ sequels!
Keanu Reeves is once again back as the titular John Wick, the professional hitman that no person ever wants to mess with. Picking up after the events of Chapter 3, John Wick has fully healed from his gunshot wound, delivered by Winston Scott, as well as his fall from the Continental Hotel. He plans to infiltrate and get his revenge on The High Table, the crime organization that set him up to be assassinated. To do this, Wick plans to take down each and every one of the high members of the infamous crime organization, all leading up to its most senior member, Marquis Vincent de Garmont. With the bounty for his head consistently on the rise, and former allies turning up to kill him, Wick must use his particular set of skills to take on his enemies, protect himself, and finally free himself from the Clutch of the High Table.
No one needs to be reminded of how incredible of an action film the first John Wick film is. It’s visual style, musical score, and most importantly, its action scenes have had a major influence on the action genre as we know it today. As for its two sequels, while still great in their own rights, focused too much on adding to the lore of the world the series takes place in. While certainly an interesting world on a conceptual front, and slightly delightful in part of its execution, the lore can’t help but feel second-rate to the action. It seems as though the filmmakers have heard these criticisms leaned more into the action scenes. This has worked out in the film’s favor, because those are usually the talking points.
Words cannot describe how great the action in this film is, and one of the amazing things about this series is how the action actually improves with each passing entry. So how does this film top the last one, which had John taking out a henchman with a horse? Surprisingly, there is a lengthy scene in a Japanese hotel that makes an effective use of a pair of nunchucks, a scene involving a traffic circle, and one involving a long flight of stairs that takes forever to climb. The choreography is visceral and fun, but it would probably not be as effective without Keanu Reeves. It is no secret that Reeves is not the most versatile actor, but he never disappoints when it comes to doing his own stunts. He manages to make all of his movements feel spontaneous and easy to do, the latter of which is not the case at. What he lacks in diction, he makes up in action.
The entire cast, featuring both returning characters and newcomers such as Bill Skarsgård as Garmont, add to the creativity that went into creating this cinematic world. The clear standout, however, is Donnie Yen as Caine, a blind assassin and former friend of John Wick, turned foe. His character’s blindness adds another layer of creativity to the action scenes, and Yen, like Reeves, soars with flying colors. Put the two in a fight together, and it is nirvana.
As stated before, there is less of an emphasis on the world building, and the story feels slightly less bloated and easier to follow. Part of what makes this sequel stand above the previous two is its theme of mortality. With the amount of carnage that has been delivered throughout this series, one has to wonder “When does it all stop, and can John Wick, himself, ever find the freedom he has been seeking?” Unlike one certain long-running franchise populated by immortal characters (HINT: It’s about family!), this series surprisingly gives these themes some nuance. That is part of the charm of the John Wick series, over-the-top action mixed with subtle idiosyncrasy and compassion.
While John Wick: Chapter 4 has some flaws (such as a scene that blatantly recycles a sound track from the first film), it manages to be the best entry since the first film. The meticulous action scenes, the commitment of both Keanu Reeves and the supporting cast, and the thematic storytelling make it stand out amongst the previous sequels. It is destined to provide a fiercely fun time at the cinema, especially with a large crowd. Wherever the John Wick series goes from this point, it is bound to be both interesting and exhilarating!
