John Wick. Suffice it to say this has been one of his most popular characters, probably the most popular since he was Neo in The Matrix trilogy. However, after three John Wick movies, how does the 4th film compare? Is it worth seeing? The answer is an ecstatic yes. The filmmakers go all in on what feels like the final installment. In fact, it feels more like two movies in one because the film is almost three hours long. It’s a grand spectacle of action and storytelling as we dive more into the lore behind this secret organization that John Wick used to be a part of. We get more characters from his past and a really good villain. I can’t honestly say that this is the best one out of the John Wick franchise, it’s not the worst, but probably somewhere in the middle. But let’s be honest, we don’t watch John Wick films for the storytelling. It’s all about the action and how awesome the kills are by John Wick. However, it was nice to learn more about this world and get more into the lore.
First of all, Keanu Reeves is awesome as John Wick. If you like him in the previous films, then you will like him in this one. The action is probably the best part of the film because the story revolves around him trying to take down the High Table or the new person in control of it who sends the largest bounty that John Wick has ever had on his head, and John Wick has to face more bounty hunters and killers than in the previous films. The film has a great villain played by Bill Skarsgård. He’s a man that wants to control the entire organization and reshape it without giving much care about its rules and traditions. He’s also pretty much a coward that won’t do his own fighting. While the previous films have centered more on John Wick, the fourth film has a lot more friends from his past that are there to help. One of the biggest draws is Donnie Yen, who is famous for his martial arts films, but also in the Star Wars universe.
If you don’t know what I mean then check out his performance in the Star Wars film Rogue One. He plays a former friend who must take down John Wick in order to save his own family. It’s a predictable storyline, but Donnie Yen’s performance is outstanding. The other thing that makes this film grade is we get to go to Tokyo and then Paris France. The all-out fight in Paris is one of the best action sequences in filmmaking. It’s a great backdrop that serves as its own character in the story, especially when John Wick has to climb 200 steps in order to get to the final battle. When it comes to action films, you’re not going to get much better than John Wick 4.
I really don’t have any complaints about this film. It gives us a bigger story and a sense of finality so that there is no great loss that they never make any more films. It brings a great conclusion to the John Wick story and the action is more over-the-top than in previous films which makes for great entertainment. I don’t like the fact that it was three hours long, but you’re trying to tell a big story as if it’s the last, I completely understand. Although, if you’re going to have a nearly three-hour movie, then I feel like they should have spent more time on the lore and less time on action. But this is a John Wick movie so the action and the body count are a little bit more important, right? Even with all the action, I still have a lot of questions about John Wick’s past and even though we get to know John Wick a little bit better especially through past friendships, I still have more questions than answers. At this point, we need a prequel to answer all these questions.
Overall, this is a great bookend to the saga. The fans get all of the over-the-top action that we come to expect from a John Wick film, and it seems to have the perfect ending as he takes on the most sinister villain to date. This film has the best cast when it comes to great action stars and the filmmakers go all out more than they have in any of the previous films. Keanu Reeves isn’t any better or worse than he is in the previous movies. He’s just as good, even when literally, his character should have died at least three different times in the movie, but somehow survives as if he’s The Six Million Dollar Man. But moviegoers shouldn’t get hung up on facts like that, the film is entertaining and has one of the best endings when it comes to a John Wick film. Fans of this franchise will not be disappointed because you get more action, more deaths, and the best cast compared to the previous films. It’s true that there’s not much depth to films like this and that’s okay. We are meant to be entertained, simple as that. But honestly, this could have been two different movies and that’s probably my biggest criticism. Other than one minor critique, it’s a hell of a lot of fun in a great way to end the franchise. Of course, there’s always a way to bring John Wick back for a fifth, and who wouldn’t watch that movie!
