NFL
The John Wick franchise has come to be known for its lengthy action sequences with gruesome and violent fight scenes, the fourth installment of the franchise does not disappoint in either of those aspects and actually finds a way to top previous entries. John Wick 4 is an action masterclass with Keanu Reeves reprising his role as John Wick and delivering brutal punishment, as per usual, to his enemies or those who stand in his way. The action scenes in this movie are truly some of the best I have seen in any movie let alone the John Wick franchise. Throughout the movie, the fight scenes are not only remarkable but also visually stunning with colorful backdrops and iconic locations, that enhance the action, not detract from it. Check out the trailer for John Wick 4 below:
While this entry sees the return of the iconic characters, known to the John Wick franchise including John Wick (Keanu Reeves), Winston (Ian McShane), and the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne). The film also introduces excellent new characters that expand the existing lore of the John Wick Universe and add excellently into this film. These characters include Caine (Donnie Yen), a blind fighter who produces some outstanding and funny fighting sequences and is one of my favorite parts of the movie. Marquis (Bill Skarsgard) who is the overall villain of the film, comes off as an egotistical rich snob that wants to take down John Wick. Shimazu (Hiroyuki Sanada) and Akira (Rina Sawayama) also create outstanding fight sequences in the first act of the film and are great additions to the franchise. And I would be remiss not to mention Lance Redick, who sadly passed away plays a small role in this film, as Charon and has been excellent in these movies and was a truly great actor. The entire cast did an excellent job and all the actors and actresses really performed well with one another.
The third act of this film is where things really shine, without spoilers the final act is 40 minutes of pure action sequences that culminate to the tension in the final moments of the film. John Wick is fighting his way through the city of Paris, including iconic landmarks like the Arc de Triumph, which don’t take away from the sequences but enhance them. Seeing John Wick battle through he streets of Paris is refreshing for the series as a lot of the franchise has taken place in New York so it was a great change of scenery for the film, which has a very little footprint in New York. The whole movie builds up to the end and gives a rewarding finish to the movie that feels justified over the course of the film. The ending feels as though all the characters in the film have their stories neatly wrapped up in a way that makes sense.
Overall, John Wick 4 is my favorite film in the franchise to date as it is the most visually stunning and produces the best fight scenes to date. I gave this film an 89/100 which also makes this my favorite movie of the year so far through March, as it is just a fun time. I do think people should try to see this film in theaters as it is definitely meant to be enjoyed on the big screen with the visually stunning sequences in this movie. It will be interesting to see where the franchise will go from here as this entry will be hard to top. Currently, Ana De Armas is set to star in a spin-off movie, titled Ballerina which could be a new pathway for the franchise and build an even bigger universe to play with. Hopefully, this series keeps on going as John Wick hasn’t missed yet and I do not expect him to anytime soon.
