“John Wick: Chapter 4” (2023)

Action

Running Time: 169 minutes

Written by: Shay Hatten and Michael Finch

Directed by: Chad Stahelski

Featuring: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins and Ian McShane

Shimazu: “Have you given any thought to where this ends? The Table will never stop. You know this. No one, not even you, can kill everyone.”

This week see the release of “John Wick: Chapter 4” (2023) into cinemas in what may be the final instalment of this franchise or possibly just the end of some kind of first act, what is known is that there are at least two spinoffs on their way, one on the small screen and one on the large. The first “John Wick” (2014) was a surprise but modest hit at the box office, the second instalment was a larger hit with the character as well as the movies having a string following for a variety of reasons, those being the incredible stunts, fight sequences, great character actors, a follow through on the story and finally the most important element that of its star Keanu Reeves who has bought into the idea of these movies and the genre, he is truly something special to see I each of these movies. The third movie “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” (2019) was a global hit made on the same budget as its predecessor. All three movies had enough of a following so that this ramped up sequel was produced and so far has been the critical and box office hit that will probably lead to, hopefully some more movies but if not then it has been a great ride, all thriller no filler. 

The first film also saw the return of Keanu Reeves to a high-profile action film the seemed to be what audiences were waiting for, and he was excellent as the single minded hit man seeking revenge for the death of his puppy, a gift from his now deceased wife. With Keanu now embracing his inner-Wick as well as seemingly waiting to make a sequel that ups the stakes without alienating the fans of the first and second film we see what is possible when you have a great script, a director who is not only willing to trust that script but also want to put his leading man front and centre, and finally an actor who has embraced the ethos of the genre, as well as handing his extreme talents to a director that can handle the kind of film that is to be produced. This film is a step up in every way from both previous movies, the budget has increased, new as well as experienced actors have been cast, the sets, cars and guns have all been upped and finally the mythology has expanded to such an extent that it is its own Universe. 

To say that this film ups the ante in terms of action, violence, story and world building is an understatement, it is refreshing to find a sequel that not only increases the action and violence but also offers more of a peek into this hyper stylized universe of assassin’s that seem to populate this world.

Original screenwriter Derek Kolstad is now gone and replaced by Shay Hatten and Michael Finch who both have action writing credentials across a few movies but make no mistake this new movie comes from the minds of Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski who return from the first three movies to really get their teeth into the story along with star Keanu Reeves who seems really invested in the character of John Wick, as well as the way in which he embraces a philosophy that defines the world he inhabits. I believe it only assists the new film that there is a continuation of talent that moves from film to film to keep the idea of a what a John Wick film is and can be as well as how the films keep getting produced.

The action in this new chapter has been upped as has the body count, there has also been more humour and over the top scenarios introduced just to make sure we all know that this movie is not only fictional but at times absurd in the way it treats what Wick is able to do and get away with. Both this film and the previous one have to be the greatest pure action films of the past ten years at least. They both do what primal action films at their best do, they keep moving forward and never let up, even if you think they are.

The star here is of course Keanu Reeves, who has proven time and time again he is a force to be reckoned with, particularly where you may have a tendency to underrate him. His best performances have been in films where you may think he is not the right choice; even those films that may have been unsuccessful have more than likely aged very well. Reeves has a knack for choosing not just good but great projects to be a part of. The ‘Wick’ films are no different and with the possible announcement of a third it may mean that Reeves will have his own franchise that is not overblown with ego and special effects. One of the great things about these films is the use of CGI, there is very little which is refreshing for action films in this new millennium.

The supporting cast sees holdovers from the first film making very welcome reappearances, Ian McShane playing Winston the father figure/mentor to Wick who offers advice as well as offering exposition to the audience, Lance Reddick as Charon the hotel manager and all-round cool guy. New cast members include Donnie Yen, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Rina Sawayama. One of the new cast members for John Wick 4, Donnie Yen, has already generated excitement among fans due to his reputation as a highly skilled martial artist and action star. He is expected to bring a new level of intensity to the fight scenes, and his addition to the cast has raised expectations even higher.

In terms of action and story this is a movie that offers more of a look behind the curtain as well as moving the story forward in a way that sees John Wick having to make sacrifices in some pretty large ways. When it comes to the action which occurs in between the narrative part of the movie there is much to contend with. There are also questions around identity, honour as well as what do we do after loved ones die, this has become a very existential series, a new kind of action movie for a new age.

If you enjoyed the first two movies then this is a step up in the way this world operates, it offers more of a glimpse behind the curtain that John Wick operate in as well as broadening the existing characters and seamlessly introducing new ones. Of course the standout is Reeves but kudos need to be paid to the producers, writer and director for all the new characters and the casting of those characters. It feels to me like there are no miss-steps or issues at all.