Watching John Wick-ity-wack in the outback! Yo, I have a strange relationship with this franchise in that I admire its simplicity, but since I’m not really an action guy, it’s like I watch these movies over a fence from afar. I say ‘simplicity’, from a story point of view, but the level of dedication put into John Wick’s stunt work is undeniable. It’s a priority, and if the craft continues to elevate for John Wick: Chapter 4, then that’ll be all I need. For the record, I go: John Wick – 3.5, John Wick: Chapter 2 – 3.0, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum – 3.5.
Directed by the man behind all John Wicks, Chad Stahelski, John Wick: Chapter 4 begins with John Wick (Keanu Reeves) hiding out with the Bowery King (Lawrence Fishburne) after the events of the previous film. The duplicitous New York Continental manager Winston (Ian McShane) shot Wick off a rooftop, but since his body was never recovered, the international league of assassins’ ruling elites, The Table, have unleashed Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård) to rectify any and all failings that see John Wick still very much alive. Wick travels to Japan for safe keeping at the Osaka Continental, occupied by an old friend, Shimazu Koji (Hiroyuki Sanada), and his daughter Akira (Rina Sawayama), while Gramont recruits the blind veteran Caine (Donnie Yen) to be this movie’s most deadly adversary. By the by, when John Wick falls from many great heights and survives, what do you think I think about that? 🙄🤣
Well, I enjoyed that. I admired how the previous two sequels started with a projected clip of Buster Keating, indicating the movie’s intention to honour the skilled progression of stunt work founded in the silent movie era, but this one doesn’t have that – it has John Wick pounding away to a bloodied fist, which I take as a nod to martial arts cinema. Considering the talent amassed, and the early setting in Japan, this is well received. At some angles, the plot is a side quest, where John Wick has to kill a German crime boss, to get the family brand, to challenge the table, but upon reflection, it’s actually tenser than I probably expected, especially in the final duel and at the death of Koji. I thought it was bold for the movie to maneuver so much in the first third without John Wick present, but the Osaka fight scene proved Akira and Caine were amazing to watch, so we were in good hands. No doubt Akira’s part is setting up for a John Wick spin-off somewhere, and I know a movie called Ballerina is in the works, along with a TV show for The Continental – Akira could pop up again anywhere. Obviously, I’m not adept with martial arts movies, although I see Donnie Yen and Hiroyuki Sanada in Hollywood from time to time, and I’m fortunate that John Wick: Chapter 4 works to showcase what they can do – especially Yen who is hitting his marks while acting blind, for the second time mind you, after playing Chirrut in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and suckering me in to actually second-guessing if the man is actually blind; he’s not, he’s just too talented to bother fighting conventionally. Caine’s slick trick with the doorbells was really impressive.
In John Wick movies, I like to watch the extras. The fight scene in the German club contains assassins getting axed to the head, while partygoers appear nothing more than stunned, and most just continue dancing. It’s only when the big boss falls to his death at the end do the club’s patrons decide to jog or briskly walk to the exits. Would it be so hard for John Wick movies to have their extras be a little more alarmed in situations? 🤣 At least this has been consistent, as most of the John Wick movies contain horrific sudden violence, where the everyday people simply keep going about their day, and I just find it amusing. I guess it’s part of the lore now, although, the fact that all the communication secretaries across the globe dress like ‘50s bikie diner waitresses is good lore, while the common folk acting like stunned mullets – what the hell. But look, by noting my distraction at the German club scene, I’m neglecting to mention how fantastic the other three or four action pieces are, and I shall do so no longer! My favourite fight is within the Arc de Triomphe – it was nice to see John Wick carve up some street level hoods again, and since we’re so used to seeing John Wick wallop everyone’s butts, it was great to have an added sense of luck and danger with all the cars whizzing round. I thought the direction, action or otherwise, lifted too, and I think I can sense that Stahelski has gained expertise over the course of directing these movies. Is this the best John Wick movie? I think there’s a strong argument to be made that it is, and I would vote yes.
I also like how these movies haven’t bothered to give John Wick a personality, and I mean that! I think the third Taken, Taken 3, tries to explain Liam Neeson’s particularly good set of skills by claiming he has OCD or something, and we don’t really need that for John Wick – he is just the best of the best, and everybody is wary of him. Keanu Reeves barely speaks in these movies, and if he does, it’s usually a word-one or simple answer, and it’s fine because Keanu can let his stunt work do the talking. I always love when you can tell a recognisable star is in the scene as the character when the action takes place, and for Reeves in John Wick, I have tremendous respect. I also love how Wick fights with such graceful stamina, but then runs like he’s recovering from hip surgery 😂 – another great quirk of the franchise.
I’m not sure if I fully understand the presence of Mr. Nobody (Shamier Anderson). When he first came onto the scene (and keep in mind that everyone in this film series is a badass), Mr. Nobody literally made me scoff at how cool he was in wanting to wait for John’s bounty to reach an appropriate threshold before he bothered to take him out… as if it would be that easy. He then basically aids John Wick so that nobody else can kill him before he does. I think, in part, John Wick: Chapter 4, is somewhat about arrogance, with how Gramont succumbs to John Wick in the final duel, and how Mr. Nobody underestimates the Table and John Wick, but I don’t think his character completely lands with profound ramifications. He’s a cool dude nonetheless, and he enjoys a front row seat for the final duel – with his dog; another important element of the John Wick franchise. I also wasn’t expecting Concierge Charon (Lance Reddick) to be taken out so soon in this movie, and since Lance Reddick recently passed away in real life, it hit close to home.
As for all the John Wick movies in general, for as preposterous as they can be, we are watching some of the best of what stunt work has to offer. Most importantly for me personally, is that I think a coherent throughline is there, in the John Wick saga, from the moment Russian Theon Greyjoy shoots John Wick’s pup to the very end, and lying amongst a magnificent world built out from an intriguing society of sophisticated assassins. At the end of the day, these movies really only have to tick three boxes – 1) Have the action be awesome. 2) Have the action make sense. 3) Have the story be serviceable – and the dedication is there. I suppose I’ll be waiting around for the spin-offs to continue the John Wick universe now.
3.5
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