It is quite remarkable really that an original idea from the first John Wick film has now become four films. It is a testament to the team behind the films from it’s creator Derek Kolstad to director Chad Stahelski to John Wick himself Keanu Reeves. John Wick franchise has done what very few franchises have done, create a perfect quadrilogy.
We catch up with John Wick as he begins his mission to clear his name and set himself free from the High Table. He is being hunted all over the world and anyone who helps Mr Wick is being hunted down too. With nowhere left to hide or run, John Wick must finally take on the High Table and some former friends along the way.
If you’re looking for loud thrills, non stop action and more fighting then you could possibly imagine then you wont be disappointed. Coming in at 170 minutes you are sure to get a bang (headshot) for your buck by choosing to see it in the cinema. John Wick films have always been both an amazing action film and a beautiful one as well and Chapter 4 is no different.
It is in Chapter 4’s extra run time where the film actually shines. You can break the film down to a few locations and just a few fights but those fights are now drawn out and look exhausting for Reeves to perform. When Wick falls down exhausted you yourself are genuinely exhausted by what you have watched. Every time you take a breather another bullet is fired and you’re back to fighting again. The whole film never feels long and you think Wick could just lose and that’s it at any moment.
There are some incredible shots by cinematographer Dan Lausten, my favourite being a top down view of Wick blasting his way through a building. The shots and scenery changes help keep the film fresh and exciting as well as innovating new and interesting ways to view Wick absolutely brutally killing people. All of the production, especially the stunt team although that is a given at this point in the franchise, is just unreasonably perfect.
I can’t wait for the day we get a celebrity who was an extra in one of these John Wick films, someone who gets their head blown to bits. It’s bound to happen sometime right? Chapter 4 feels like it has more people in the fight scenes than ever before. Top marks for the casting of Donnie Yen as the blind assassin Caine, if you thought Donnie Yen’s character in Rogue One was cool then his Character in Chapter 4 is a whole other level, basically an R rated version of Daredevil but with guns, just seriously cool.
Will we get to see more John Wick? Only time will tell. A break may be needed and the ending of Chapter 4 may be quite the talking point but if you can make the perfect action film four times then why not try for a fifth? John Wick: Chapter Four is yet again the best John Wick film yet, its a must watch for action film fans and it is yet another fantastic Gun Fu film to take seriously or laugh about how ridiculous and cool it is.
Score: 5/5 Headshots…I lost count of Wick’s kill count.
John Wick: Chapter 4 is out now!