JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 MOVIE REVIEWOVERVIEW | If you’re not currently a John Wick fan, I suggest you take the time to go through and watch one of the best action franchises of all time just so you can witness, with full context, the magnum opus that is John Wick: Chapter 4. |
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DIRECTOR Chad Stahelski |
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| STUDIO Lionsgate |
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| GENRE Action, Adventure |
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| MPAA R |
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| RELEASE DATE March 24, 2023 |
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In regard to big budget action movies not based on source material like books or comics, it’s hard to name another continuous film series that has had as much success in the eyes of critics and audiences like the John Wick franchise. The team behind these films has somehow been able to improve upon and elevate their characters and subject matter with each subsequent film, while still feeling fresh and satisfying. It’s a rare treat to have such a curated and consistent high octane experience like what we have been blessed with from the first three John Wick films. In regard to the latest installment John Wick: Chapter 4, I can confidently say that this may in fact be the best film of the series so far. As a big personal fan of the franchise, Chapter 4 was one of my most anticipated films of 2023. I was worried about whether or not Chad Stahelski would be able to continue his hot streak since historically film franchises don’t tend to get better with more sequels, they tend to get tired, messy, and bland. Somehow Chapter 4 finds a way to evolve a level up and deliver not just better action sequences, but also introduces some of my favorite characters of the series so far.
What stands out the most with this film compared to the rest of the series is the careful attention paid to the writing and character development. The decisions made by the side characters have more impact on the story and they feel more refined than the side characters in the previous chapters. Not to say the previous films managed their characters poorly, this new iteration just seems take more time in making the characters more dimensional instead of just serving a single purpose in the plot. They are an integral part of the entire story rather than an obstacle that Wick will push through. Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Shamier Anderson, and Hiroyuki Sanada provide wonderful dynamic performances that lay the foundation for the journey of our silent hero. It’s still so funny to me that this series’ main character has the least amount of dialogue than anyone else in the film. It’s a fun way to follow a character though a story, rather than having them spell everything out and telling us how they feel we learn through John’s actions and what other characters say about him to understand his story and motivations. This film is no different, and I would be surprised to find out he as more than a dozen lines in the two hour and forty five minute run time.
The action sequences and fight choreography in Chapter 4 reach a higher echelon than I could have ever imagined. Keanu Reeves is a masterful talent and watching him delete henchmen left and right with every tool as his disposal still feels exciting and satisfying. They keep finding creative ways to elevate each fight sequence and this new chapter has probably the best choreography of the franchise so far. Especially when we’re talking about scenes involving Donnie Yen, the Ip Man himself. Not only do we get the exciting sequences of our main hero, we also get to witness the greatness of Donnie Yen and the introduction of his character as a former friend now turned foe. It was refreshing to see another character in this franchise be able to match up against enemies at the same caliber as John Wick. Feels good to be able to watch a martial arts legend showcase just how badass he can still be at 59 years old. We don’t get just one fight sequence with the Ip Man, we get a LOT of Donnie Yen in Chapter 4, and whenever he is on screen just know you are in for a treat.
On top of all of the other great things this film has to offer, it’s also one of the most beautifully shot action films I’ve ever seen. The cinematography crew out did themselves with all of the wonderful camera work. They took a lot of time to introduce elements like symbolism and symmetry within the frame to guide the story in a more conceptual standpoint that I feel helped scenes have more weight and importance when needed. To help with their creative vision, the set design teams and location scouting teams deserve a lot of credit providing the backdrops for the gorgeous images that were executed. There is one particular sequence I can’t get out of my head of John Wick moving through an old building in Paris. The scene has a high overhead shot, perpendicular to the floor, that follows him moving through various rooms taking out enemy after enemy that left my jaw on ground. The planning involved with this shot must have taken weeks. It’s a long single take for a couple minutes with intense meticulous choreography that only the caliber of this franchise could pull off. I’m still in awe of this particular scene and I can’t wait to go see Chapter 4 again and again to try to dissect this unbelievable sequence. This is only one of many amazing fight sequences and set pieces this film has to offer. The man at the helm of everything Chad Stahelski, deserves a lot of praise for being able to deliver such a consistent creative vision across all of these films, and a major applause to him for guiding Chapter 4 into a wonderful and beautiful film. He has really come into his own as a talented film maker, and I’m excited to see what the future has in store for more Stahelski films.
I honestly don’t have any negative thoughts for John Wick: Chapter 4. I highly recommend everyone to go see this in theaters as soon as you can. If you’re not currently a John Wick fan, I suggest you take the time to go through and watch one of the best action franchises of all time just so you can witness, with full context, the magnum opus that is John Wick: Chapter 4. Not only is this the best film of the series, but it may in fact be one of the best action films I’ve ever seen.
Curt Cook
