I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that the action was the key ingredient in the success of the first John Wick film. Between its sheer volume, its impressive choreography, and the signature gun-fu element, it was just refreshing. Unfortunately, three films later and what was once refreshing has now started to feel awfully familiar. Yes, they try to find some unique angles and creative set pieces, but none of it is enough to avoid the fact that the 1,000th close range headshot on the recently thrown henchman isn't quite as fun as the first. Not to mention, for every new action idea that I enjoyed (top down sequence with fire breath shotgun, sequence in the Arc de Triumph roundabout), there were two more that didn't land (blind Donnie Yen...sorry, just too suspension of disbelief shattering, final stair sequence). All of this isn't to say that the action isn't fun. It still is. But it's no longer enough to carry the film for me.
Which brings us to the second thing people enjoyed in the first John Wick: the world building. In this respect, the franchise pretty much lost me in the third movie (maybe even a bit in the second). It all just feels too goofy and melodramatic for me. There are still small pieces that I enjoyed (the sequence where they use cards to decide the specifics of the duel), but the overall vibe just feels too saturday-morning-cartoon in terms of depth.
All in all, John Wick Chapter 4 should scratch the action itch for fans of the genre, but it no longer sets itself apart and the non-action elements aren't nearly good enough to pick up the slack.
The beautiful photography and some nice action scenes don't make up for a useless plot that ends a highly acclaimed saga in an anticlimatic way; but John Wick was already a let down from the second movie, so I shouldn't have expected more.
It almost felt like the screenwriters and producers had no idea how to resolve the situation created in the previous movie, which hinted to John Wick (with the Bowery King watching his back) vs the ever-watching and almighty High Table. Strange, uh? So they thought of inventing a silly french rich Marquis as representative of the Table to make life easier for them...
So the plot gets stupid-er, and the pace of the film doesn't help: this almost 3 hours long-ass movie has a 40 minutes fight scene in a japanese hotel that leads to nothing; it has a pathetic antagonist that they invented just for this movie, along with a random black guy with a dog and a chinese blind man who loves John like a brother (yet was never mentioned in any of the previous films). The Marquis especially was a boring stereotyped "filthy rich villain" with no characterization, no motivation or meaning; the black guy with the dog was... there? Like, I really couldn't find a reason for him, if not to act as deus ex machina for John on more occasions; the Regent in the desert from the previous movie literally gets killed in the first 10 minutes, so part of the third movie loses meaning. The Bowery King, who I thought wanted to overturn the High Table system to rule the table himself, or at least control the Table, lead to nothing. NOTHING!!
Everyone is there to help John, and that's it.
A waste of a franchise.
If you enjoy a languid two hours of Keanu Reeves relentlessly punctuating his enemies with a bewildering variety of firearms, then “John Wick 4” might just be your idea of cinematic nirvana. But for the rest of us mere mortals, it’s more like being held captive at a party where the only entertainment is the sound of a leaky faucet.
For starters, the killing scenes seem longer than a winter in Siberia, and I found myself pressing the fast-forward button with such regularity that I’m concerned I might have developed a repetitive strain injury. Perhaps in the next installment, the filmmakers might consider introducing some commercial breaks, so viewers have the chance to rest their fingers. But I hope they keep their promise and this is the last JW.
And let’s talk about the villain. Have you ever tried to build a sandcastle with dry sand? That’s how solid and compelling the villain was in this movie. They had about as much threat level as a half-deflated helium balloon and as much depth as a paddling pool in a summer drought.
The biggest tease of all? The all-knowing, all-powerful High Table. With each film, they promise us more, and each time we’re left holding an empty bag of revelations. In this chapter, we still didn’t get the payoff we’ve been waiting for. The High Table seems as elusive as Bigfoot, just with more tailored Kevlar suits.
And then we come to the stunts. I’m all for suspending disbelief, but there are limits. Even the dog was pulling off moves that would make a Cirque du Soleil acrobat raise an eyebrow. Next time, I fully expect to see it juggling chainsaws while riding a unicycle on a tightrope.
All in all, “John Wick 4” has the depth of a kiddie pool and the subtlety of a sledgehammer. But if you’re a fan of endless gunfire, weak villains, and dogs that get hit by cars and come out of it unscathed, you’re in for a treat.
Is this the way a very promising story should end? After four installments, this not even disappointing… we’re way past that.
Though stylish like all the previous entries, this one simply felt like it had been directed by someone who had played a bit too many sessions of online shooters or really enjoyed the 'new mission / new setting' feel of the Hitman series. The fact that Keanu's word count in this movie is probably lower than 200 further cements this feeling.
There is almost no content of worth. The movie achieves something previously unimaginable by this series by making the fights feel like repetitive cookie cutter clutter and thus extremely boring to sit through. We get it, John is a superhuman assassin who's GunFoo is better than most. We do not need the same fights 7-8 times to hammer that home. With the body count growing to match that of a warzone, and not a single scratch on John, where are the stakes? Why should the audience care?
Then there are the spectators.
During some of these fights there are masses of spectators, just normal folks either dancing at a club or driving around Arc de Triomphe, that do not even blink as John is peppered with machine gun fire and men with axes come after him. As the bodies pile on, these spectators just continue their NPC activities like they are in a badly coded 90's video game.
It should be obvious to anyone that the series is running out of ideas when it needed to up the ante so much with the firefights that John's most used item is not the guns he wields, but the bullet proof suite he wears.
For most of the fights we see him cover his head with his jacket as he returns fire in generic setting after generic setting.
At the entirely too manieth such fight, roughly 2 hours into this 3 hour bore fest, I walked out.
I was looking forward to the fourth instalment of John Wick but, although I did enjoy the movie, I was also somewhat disappointed.
The movie follows the story from the previous three movies which of course means a lot of action, ass-kicking and so on and so forth.
Unfortunately this is where the problems starts. The stunts, when it comes to the amount of punishment John Wick can take, is just so far over the top that it is really, well, way too far. I mean, come one, he is thrown from building bouncing on ledges like a bloody rag-doll and just walks away. I would expect some unrealism but this is just ridiculous. It doesn’t help that the bad guys all suddenly shoot like Storm Troopers of course.
Add to that, that the script writers took a note from that lazy slob who don’t give a shit about his fans when it comes to finishing his books and kills off a lot of the likable people on regular intervals.
Then we have the ending. Yes the bad guy got what he deserved and it was a really good scene with a twist, I liked that. But then it continues to the “real” ending. Seriously? After slugging through four films we get that shitty ending?
So, bottom line, the movie was okayish but I expected quite a bit more.
:heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart: - Absolute masterpiece. Ever since the original John Wick, the franchise has set a standard of what action in Hollywood should be. The action sequences were well shot. The cinematography left me speechless. It was good to see Scott Adkins in abig film! This was an cinematic masterpiece & enjoyable thrill ride worth the run time. Chad Stahelski What an amazing action director. The cast in the film is so perfect.. Keanu Reeves does what he does best… EPIC.. MASTERPIEC….John Wick is one of the top best franchisee films ever made….
Here's how my rating system works:
10:heart:- Masterpiece :100:
9:heart:- Excellent
8:heart: - Amazing :ok_hand:
7:heart:- Great :sun_with_face:
6:heart: - Good :thumbsup:
5:heart: - Average :head_bandage:
4:heart: - Bad but watchable :octagonal_sign:
3:heart: - Bad :sob:
2:heart:- Awful :face_vomiting:
1:heart: - Bull Shit
Trivia - John Wick says only 380 words throughout the film. Almost a third of Wick's dialogue consists of just one word like, "Yeah." Chad Stahelski revealed that Wick doesn't have a lot of dialogue because "Mr. Reeves stripped out roughly half the dialogue written for his character in the initial script." The longest line of dialogue that Wick has is in a scene with Shimazu Koji where he says, "You and I left a good life behind a long time ago, my friend."
The John Wick film series is directed by Chad Stahlsky and written by Veitch Colagrass from the expert team of 87Eleven. The John Wick film series is an action-thriller series that clearly utilizes Joe's outstanding physical talent and action, and is designed around the character of John Wick, a veteran professional assassin.
In the first movie "John Wick" released in 2014, John Wick (played by Keanu Reeves) after the death of his wife in an accident, pursues and takes revenge on the gang of criminals who put him in a hospital. In this movie, John Wick uses his murderous skills to seek revenge on this gang and bring them to justice.
The second film "John Wick: Chapter 2" (John Wick: Chapter 2), which was released in 2017, follows John Wick's encounter with a large new gang that imposes the existence of multiple contracts and complex murder conditions on the technology of previous contracts. In order to survive and continue his life, this John Wick film must fight against this gang and a dangerous henchman that includes the most powerful killers in the world.
The third film "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum" (John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum), which was released in 2019, leaves the story from the point where John Wick is sentenced to addiction due to violating one of the basic laws of the world of killers. and realizes that the goal of all the professional killers in the world is to attack him to take revenge on the killer in the amount of 14 million dollars. In this movie, John Wick tries to survive and find protection and confront all criminals and murderers who are looking for him.
The series of "John Wick" films has gained high popularity and attracted many fans by introducing the character of John Wick's unforgiving and adventurous life, along with action and complex scenario and artistic photography. This series of films has continued and expanded due to their success, and new parts may be released in the future.
A step up from 2 and 3, John Wick: Chapter 4 has some of the best, most sprawling and wide-of-scope action in the franchise. These set pieces are a wonder to behold and kick into gears that are as awe inspiring as they are long. While I cannot fault the absolute powerhouse of action on display here, I cannot help but comment on how profusely boring I find the lore and world of John Wick. I get that it's a vessel for the action to take place, but when it's played with such a pretentious, self indulgent lilt like this I can't help but find it more offensive than jovial. In a vacuum it might be one of the best action movies ever made based purely on the set pieces, but then the lore, world, rules and Table rear their head and bring everything down by more than a few notches.
It's still good stuff all in all, even if you can't stand the universe lore like me. There is more than enough to warrant a viewing and the absolutely insane choreography has to be seen by any budding action fan. Special shout out to the overhead, incendiary-round SPAS12 shootout scene. I might go back to see that again right now.
I wonder if somewhere out there, someone actually did a bodycount for all the people John Wick has killed in the various movies. I checked with screen rant and got this:
A helpful look at the breakdown of the first three movies (via GeekTyrant) reveals the John Wick kill count in each movie. John Wick features 77 on-screen deaths at John's hands — a number that rose to 128 in John Wick: Chapter 2 as John made some powerful enemies. John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum found John on the run with only time for 94 kills along the way. While this information shouldn't be all that surprising given the genre and plot of the movies, it is still a bit shocking to see that the protagonist single-handedly killed 128 people in one movie, making for 299 total in those first three films.
The John Wick kill count jumped even higher in John Wick: Chapter 4. In the fourth movie, John Wick killed an estimated 140 enemies in the movie all by himself. He went through several big events in this movie, and the kills just kept building at an almost unnatural level. There were some very notable John Wick kills, such as when he went back to the desert and killed The Elder at the start, wrapping up that storyline from Parabellum. He then killed several people with assistance in the fight at the Osaka Continental Hotel in Tokyo before heading to the Killa's nightclub for more carnage.
It's a pleasure to watch Keanu Reeves doing action movies. There is no excessive machoism, but rather a reluctant expert at work who just doesn't want to headshot scores of people every minute, but has to just to survive.
This is the fourth chapter in the John Wick series. It ends here. There could be spin-offs as suggested by the post-credit scenes, but if Keanu isn't in it, it's not John Wick. By the fourth instalment, it is clear that the series has taken a toll on him. The guy is 58 years old. I wonder how Donnie Yen looks so young, he is a year older than Keanu. Except for the main antagonist, Bill Skarsgard, everyone is quite old. It's really impressive how they are carrying it on in one of the most physically demanding roles.
The stylistic action is brilliant. It's better than many of its contemporaries but John Wick is usually compared with its previous instalments. First still ranks the best in terms of delivery. Slowly the world-building added multiple layers and flair to it.
Bill Skarsgard (and I first thought it to be Cameron Monaghan) plays Marquis de Gramont, a mind-numbingly rich person given free hand by the high table to stop the menace that is John Wick. His sickening display of wealth has its moments. Ian McShane's long walk in a painting room was my favourite.
The action progressively gets over the top, the Arc de Triomphe car (fight/chase?) scene was one of the best executions of elaborate action sequences I have seen to date. It is long but not tiring. Considering Keanu has done 90% of the stunt himself, there is respect added to this as well. The last bit with the staircase tires us as the audience as well (some have compared it with the Greek tale of Sisyphus).
Their ages and Keanu doing all the stunts and fights could be the reason that I thought the pace of the action was a little slow. We are used to seeing much faster action but barring Donnie Yen's sequences (seriously, how does he do it), the other scenes felt slightly slowed down. They could have filmed it a bit slowly and then sped it up and we would not have noticed.
Keanu is a pleasure to watch. He is not great with acting, but there is some charisma in his somewhat tired and somewhat confused look throughout his films. He is the reason why the series was this successful. Not sure about the future of the franchise with everyone praising this last instalment. We might just see spin-offs as the fictional world is all ready to set stories in.
I think they should let him rest. He has earned it.
P.S. RIP Lance Reddick. You will be missed. The Wire and Fringe, I have always enjoyed his portrayals. It is tragically poetic how his character also dies in this last John Wick like he was for the entertainment industry and his life and career ended there.
Marquis: “Remember your daugh-”
Caine: “Fuck off!”
John Wick Chapter 4 is an absolute beast of a movie. The gunshots sounded like poetry, and the fight scenes were like a dance piece. It is one of the best action movies I have seen since Mad Max Fury Road and the recent Mission Impossible movies. With all the current junk in cinemas and online streaming, I am glad we still manage to get quality movies because that is what audiences want.
I watched this movie in IMAX, and it was an incredible experience. The sound design was insane.
Just from the opening, I knew I was in for a ride. It starts with John Wick punching a wooden board, with one punch making a loud impact that shook and vibrated the whole room, all thanks to the IMAX speakers. Then we are re-introduced to the Bowery King, played by Laurence Fishburne, who delivers a monologue, with Fishburne's delivery making it sound Shakespearean. Wick continues to punch the board with each bang creating a build-up. They even did a match cut from Lawrence of Arabia, capturing the smooth scene transition.
Not only is this cinema, but a beautiful call-back to classic cinema. The previous John Wick movies had callbacks to the golden age of film that doesn't feel like a cheap love letter.
Also, I was worried about the nearly three-hour-long runtime, with the last film getting repetitive after a while. Thankfully, it did not drag, as it has a solid pace.
Keanu Reeves, what can I say about this man; Keanu is also 60 years old but shows no sign of it in terms of his physicality. On the surface, Mr. Wick is a cold assassin who will pile bodies on top of bodies just to escape the hitman world. However, despite playing someone famous and feared, Reeves has the saddest eyes that make him feel vulnerable. He elevates the character so much that if any other actor played John Wick, it would have been generic and dull.
New additions to the cast like Donnie Yen, who plays a deadly blind man, the type no one wants to fight because who wants to admit they lost to a blind man? There is a comedic touch to him how he uses his walking cane. Usually, when movies get legendary martial artists, they are often wasted or not allowed to live up to their most tremendous potential. In this movie, he is used effectively and gets to shine.
Rina Sawayama was a fantastic addition to the series, where she had some wicked action scenes in the first act. I am interested in seeing more of her character, hopefully. Hiroyuki Sanada, a familiar face you may have seen in other action movies, was great in the scenes he had. He is an actor and martial artist that I feel does not get enough credit that he deserves. Ian McShane is solid as always because he is Ian McShane, after all. Scott Adkins, AKA this version of ‘fat bastard’. What a fun performance that was hysterical to watch.
Lance Reddick is not in this very long, but with the slim screen time we did get from him, it pains me to know that we lost such a stellar presence of an actor.
Bill Skarsgård plays an arrogant French villain that you dislike. Sometimes certain actors will be typecast in villain roles that you either roll your eyes at or say, “of course”. Most of the time, it becomes an unimaginative and safe choice to shoehorn actors into a “bubble”, because it worked out so well before, but here, the film did a great job of making you hate this guy, and with a good reason to. He’s a rotten fruit of a person dressed in fancy and slick clothing to parade around his importance. At the start, it is clear he is not messing around or someone you should mess with.
Among the cast, Shamier Anderson was another stand-out performance/character with a loyal and bitty dog sidekick. I cannot believe I am saying this, but this is the only instance where I want to see spin-offs from these characters.
Chapter 4 has the best action, the best soundtrack, the best cinematography, the best villain, the best introduction to new characters, and the best climax.
Action set pieces that keep outdoing themselves. One set piece involved John Wick making his way up 220 stairs of the Sacré Coeur in Paris while facing off enemies, which was a sight to behold that my jaw was wide up during one part. It was funny and spectacular in execution. Or how about the Berlin club fight scene that was hypnotising and wonderful.
Despite how repeatedly John can be thrown, shot, or stabbed, he can never be taken down or killed. Can Mr. Wick die? Of course, he can. He does bleed, and I learned in Predator (1987) that if it bleeds, it can die. Personally, Mr. Wick chooses not to die, not yet. The movie makes him out to be a legend, a myth, someone impossible to kill in the eyes of other assassins. It could have been a Fast & Furious scenario where things get too stupid with every character being death-proof. On the other hand, what surprised me about this movie is how it leans onto the idea of mortality, hanging onto what is left of his life and wondering how long this can keep going; despite all the pain and tiredness that life throws at you. Your lead character, quite literally, has had enough.
There is something tragic and beautiful about these movies, but also freaking cool. John Wick movies are a golden example of action done right, and Chapter 4 is easily my favourite in the series.
Overall rating: Yeah
"Man has to look his best when its time to get married, or buried.
Did they just top everything they did before? My first reaction is yes. The action is fantastic. Top-tier Gun-Fu. We even get the best humor of the series. We get the Arc de Triomphe scene which is the best. We get a huge hotel fight in Osaka. We get a fight up the stairs with Donnie Yen joining in as the blind assassin Caine. We have another guy named Nobody played by Shamier Anderson with a attack dog. Scott Adkins with beautiful gold teeth and a fat suit. Over the top bad guy Bill Skarsgard. Loads of bullets. Amazing looking suits. A great soundtrack. Ian McShane being the funniest alongside Laurence Fishburne. We also have no time being wasted in it's almost 3 hour run time. And the best thing? It never has a dull moment.
I might be a bit biased as I love the John Wick franchise and I adore Donnie Yen and I really like Scott Adkins. Here they all put them together and to me it was incredible. And to be honest, I never expected such a satisfying ending.
Anyway I didn't need a Ballerina movie spin-off or a tv spin-off, all I need is a Caine (Donnie Yen) spin-off directed by Mr. Chad Stahelski.
John Wick is a fantastic franchise and will remain one of the, if not the best, action franchise out of Hollywood.
A few comments. I know I'm in the minority as most seem to love this film, and it's tracking really well. That's great. Anything that eats into Marvel's Box Office and is generally creative, is a win in my book.
That said, I've never LOVED this franchise as much others seem to. Sure, it's good enough and I've moved past the limitations in Keanu's acting (though I thought he was awful in his delivery in this film), but I still can't accept some of the worldbuilding (mainly how open this supposedly secret assassin world is). As for this film, there are some amazing set pieces, and choreography - the Osaka Hotel stands out the most. But there's a scene in Act 2 that borders on comedy. There's a character that is basically a caricature that feels completely out of place. Wick eventually fights this character in a busy location, and once again, everyone generally ignores the violence and death going on until it's convenient for the story. This film also relies HEAVILY on the bulletproof suit gimmick - more so than in previous films.
Once again this film is bloated, and just like the predecessor should be minimum 20 minutes shorter. Mainly the stuff to do with Mr. Nobody should have been cut. Lastly and again I'm trying to be generic for spoilers, but the issues Wick was facing at the end of film 2 and the start of film 3 are not prevalent here until it suits the story. If you know, you know.
This is a franchise I will never get into. Some of it REALLY works, but there are some major loopholes in just the worldbuilding alone that I cannot overlook.
Somehow tops the action from the others while also having the best antagonist yet. Donnie Yen as Caine is impeccably acted, carrying a softness and humanity belying iron. He takes the charm of Zero and the work relationship of Vigo and extends it by not just wanting to be his friend but actually being a close friend. He has a motivation even more sympathetic than John’s, and could just as easily be a protagonist of his own story. The bond between them lends ab extra weight and leads to more investment than ever. Add to that Shamier Anderson in a likable underdog role , and Bill Skarsgård as a suitably hatable head villain, and the antagonists have never been better.
Add to that Hiroyuki Sanada (finally in a great Hollywood role!) and Clancy Brown, and the new players really step up. Reeves and McShane are as great as ever, if not better, and Reddick made the most of what he had to deliver a suitable swan song. But it’s the action and cinematography that are the true stars. There was jaw dropping angles- an abandoned hotel js a standout- and Yen’s scenes are kinetic and creative and mesmerizing. It’s a perfect finale to a saga that, in my heart, is flawless.
Review by Boogy's Epic MusicBlockedParent2023-06-23T17:07:46Z— updated 2023-06-24T20:21:39Z
In a cinematic landscape craving adrenaline-pumping excitement, the fourth installment of this series boldly emerges as a breathtaking testament to the power of action cinema. With a unique blend of pulse-pounding stunts and a mesmerizing palette of colors, this film delivers a cinematic experience that is both visually striking and physically awe-inspiring.
One of the most captivating aspects of this action extravaganza is the commitment of the main actors to perform their own stunts. Their dedication and fearlessness shine through in every heart-stopping sequence, immersing the audience in a world of authenticity and intensity. Each punch, kick, and breathtaking leap feels raw and real, leaving spectators on the edge of their seats, mesmerized by the sheer audacity and skill on display.
Beyond the jaw-dropping action, the film's visual composition stands out as a true work of art. From the vibrant cityscapes to the lush exotic locales, the palette of colors chosen by the cinematographer is nothing short of mesmerizing. Every frame bursts with life, creating a sensory feast for the eyes. The juxtaposition of vivid hues against the gritty backdrops heightens the film's intensity, enhancing the overall experience and immersing viewers in a rich tapestry of visuals.
While the previous installments set a high bar, this fourth chapter rises above expectations, striking gold with its exhilarating action and stunning cinematography. It seamlessly blends heart-pounding thrills with a feast for the eyes, creating a symphony of entertainment that will leave audiences craving for more.
In conclusion, this action-packed journey, driven by the fearlessness of its performers and the artistic vision of its creators, cements itself as a standout addition to the series. Brace yourself for an electrifying experience as this film takes you on a wild ride, leaving you breathless, enthralled, and eager for the next installment.